Environmental concerns

Environmental news: 2006-MAY to DEC

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Media reports on the environment:

"The evidence continues to support a substantial human impact on global temperature increases. This should constitute a valuable source of information to policymakers." _1,2

"making a convert out of me....We really need to address the burning of fossil fuels. It is getting hotter, and the icecaps are melting and there is a buildup of carbon dioxide in the air.....If we are contributing to the destruction of this planet, we need to do something about it." ₈

In 2005-OCT, Robertson warned that the National Association of Evangelicals was teaming up with "far-left environmentalists" to promote the belief that global warming was being caused by human and needs to be reduced. But now he appears to be embracing their position.

"This amount of Arctic sea ice reduction the past two consecutive winters has not taken place before [at least] during the 27 years satellite data has been available. In the past, sea ice reduction in winter was significantly lower per decade compared to summer sea ice. What's remarkable is that we've witnessed sea ice reduction at 6% per year over just the last two winters, most likely a result of warming due to greenhouse gases."

NASA and the Canadian Wildlife Service scientists have noted that female Arctic polar bears are having difficulties coping with the reduced spring hunting season. They are experiencing weight loss, and this in turn means that they have problems reproducing and feeding their young. There have been other reports about orphaned walrus pups and polar bears resorting to cannibalism. ₁₃

"Defendants are enjoined from taking any further action contrary to the Roadless Rule without undertaking environmental analysis consistent with this opinion....Adoption of (the Roadless Rule) ensures that inventoried roadless areas will be managed in a manner that sustains their values now and for future generations. ... this Court concludes that the Forest Service failed adequately to consider the environmental and species impacts when it (repealed the Roadless Rule) in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Kristen Boyles, an EarthJustice attorney said:

"Americans love the great natural areas our country has been blessed with. From hunters, hikers, fishermen, and bird watchers, to cities and towns that rely on clean, mountain-fed drinking water, the last great roadless natural areas in our national forests deserve preservation. As America grows, so does the need to preserve these natural areas - because they're not making these kind of natural areas anymore. ... The sad fact is that the Bush administration gave a timber industry lobbyist a high White House appointment and put him in charge of reversing the government's policy to protect our last great roadless natural areas. They made these changes in a flatly illegal way and the Court caught them." ₁₂

"A number of positions Mr. Reid's taken in the past he's made comments about Quebec, about gays and lesbians, about the Muslim world, all these things we're concerned about."

Earlier, Reid is reported as having said:

"Only God can make Canada a truly Christian country... Christians are called to be faithful where God places them. We are called to speak biblical truth to seek justice - and that obviously has implications for our political life."

Former Liberal MP Pat O'Brien who is now a conservative, said:

"As far as I'm concerned the Liberal Party lost all credibility long ago with regard to guarding morals, so it's no surprise to me that they are taking umbrage at someone standing up for Christian values in society ... They continue to erode those values.  I think that is one reason why the Liberal Party have and will continue to lose support from traditional Liberal voters." ₁₄

"Species have been disappearing faster and faster. If the long-term trend con­tinues, all fish and seafood species are projected to collapse within my lifetime. Twenty-nine percent of fish and seafood species have collapsed already. It is a very clear trend, and it is accelerating. We don’t have to use models to understand this trend; it is based on all the available data. ... The good news is that it is not too late to turn things around. [Among 48 areas world­wide that have been protected to improve marine biodiversity] We see that diversity of species recovered dramatically, and with it the ecosystem’s productivity and stability. ... We hardly appreciate living on a blue planet. The oceans define our planet, and their fate may to a large extent determine our fate" ₁₅

"You know, climate isn't just about temperature. It's also about rainfall, weather patterns, stuff like that. There's a new study from the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research out of the UK's Met Office which warns that drought could double or more by the end of the century. And that's the figure for moderate drought. Extreme drought could increase 10-fold, from 3 percent to 30 percent of the Earth's land surface, and severe drought could increase from 8 percent to 40 percent of land. Moderate drought currently affects 25 percent of Earth's land surface, and that is forecast to increase to 50 percent. If you are a subscriber to the American Meteorological Society's Journals Online, you can read about this study here."

"Increased drought will mean increased wildfires, and this fire season has been the most severe on record in the western states. If that trend continues, we can expect to see changes in the ecology of the West with the potential for extinction of plant and animal species. In addition, wildfires emit tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, adding yet another layer of feedback into the climate picture." ₁₆

"Member countries acknowledged for the first time that global carbon dioxide emissions must be cut 50 percent to avoid dangerous climate change. ... Countries agreed that a review of what has been accomplished under the treaty must be completed before there is any attempt to negotiate the second phase. This means negotiations on the second phase won't begin before 2009. Environmentalists were disappointed with the outcome of the conference, saying it did not recognize the need for urgent action." ₁₇

"God's still up there. Climate change is a hoax. The Hollywood elitists, the far-left environmentalists ... all of them want us to believe that science is settled and it's not."

With Democratic wins in the Senate, that party now gets to appoint all of the committee chairpersons. Party leaders say they want an aggressive action on climate change, and plan to select a replacement for Inhofe who will take a strong stance on pollution and global warming.

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. "Report Reconciles Atmospheric Temperature Trends. First of 21 reports from the U.S. Climate Change Science Program significantly revises, updates conclusions from previous key reports," NOAA, 2006-MAY-02, at: http://www.climatescience.gov/
2. T.R. Karl, et al., "Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere: Steps for Understanding and Reconciling Differences," at: http://www.climatescience.gov/
3. "Earth hottest in 400 years, report says," World Science, 2006-JUN-28, at:  http://www.world-science.net/
4. Thomas H. Maugh II and Karen Kaplan, "U.S. Panel Backs Data on Global Warming. Growing Washington acceptance of climate change is seen in the top science body's finding," LA Times, 2006-JUN-23, at: http://www.latimes.com/
5. J.R. Pegg, "U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Global Warming Case," Environment News Service, 2006-JUN-27, at: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
6. Randolph Schmid, "Global warming a threat to U.S. wineries, study," Associated Press, 2006-JUL-11.
7. "Canada so-so on happy index," Canadian Press, Published by Toronto Star, 2006-JUL-13, Page A13.
8. "Pat Robertson converts – to 'global warming.' Broadcaster says U.S. heatwave convinced him burning fossil fuels needs to be addressed," WorldNetDaily, 2006-AUG-03, at: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/
9. Shi Weigan, "Coke, Pepsi facing quandary in India," China Daily, 2006-AUG-18, at: http://www.romingerlegal.com/
10. "Greenhouse gas emissions targeted," The Toronto Star, 2006-AUG-31, Page A7.
11. Tony Davis, "Arizona wants greenhouse-emission authority," Arizona Daily Star, Tucson AZ, 2006-SEP-01, at: http://www.romingerlegal.com/
12. "Court Reinstates Roadless Rule; Almost 50 Million Acres of National Forests and Grasslands..." U.S. Newswire, 2006-SEP-20, at: http://www.romingerlegal.com/
13. "Arctic in meltdown," World Science, 2006-SEP-113, at: http://www.world-science.net/
14. John-Henry Westen, "Liberal Leader Calls Christian's Appointment an 'Affront to Our Democracy'," LifeSiteNews.com. 2006-OCT-03, at: http://www.lifesite.net/
15. "Almost no more seafood after 2048 at current rates, study warns," World Science, 2006-NOV-03, at: http://www.world-science.net/
16. Laura Hannon, "Of droughts and fires," AccuWeather, 2006-NOV-15, at: http://global-warming.accuweather.com/
17. Dennis Bueckert, "Carbon cuts set for 2008 talks," The Canadian Press. Published in the Kingston Whig Standard, Kingston ON, 2006-NOV-18, Pages 13 and 19.
18. "Drastic speedup in Arctic melting forecast," World Science, 2006-DEC-13, at: http://www.world-science.net/

Copyright 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally posted: 2006-JUL-11
Latest update: 2007-FEB-23
Author: B.A. Robinson