CZECH President calls global warming a "myth"

[olger]

PRESIDENT OF CZECH REPUBLIC CALLS MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING A 'MYTH' - QUESTIONS GORE'S SANITY

Vaclav Klaus has criticized the UN panel on global warming, claiming that it was a political authority without any scientific basis. In an interview (Feb. 8. 2007) with "Hospodrsk noviny", a Czech economics daily, Klaus answered a few questions (translation courtesy of Lubos Motl, Harvard)

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* Q: IPCC has released its report and you say that global warming is a false myth. How did you get this idea, Mr President?

* A: It's not my idea. Global warming is a false myth and every serious person and scientist says so. It is not fair to refer to the UN panel. IPCC is not a scientific institution: it's a political body, a sort of non-government organization of green flavor. It's neither a forum of neutral scientists nor a balanced group of scientists. These people are politicized scientists who arrive there with a one-sided opinion and a one-sided assignment. Also, it's an undignified slapstick that people must wait for the full report till May 2007 but instead respond, in such a serious way, to the Summary for Policymakers where all the "but's" are scratched, removed, and replaced by oversimplified theses.

* This is clearly an incredible failure of many people, from journalists to politicians. If the European Commission is instantly going to buy such a trick, we have another very good reason to think that the countries themselves, not the Commission, should be deciding about similar issues.

* Q: How do you explain that there is no other comparably senior statesman in Europe who would advocate this viewpoint? No one else has such strong opinions...

* A: My opinions about this issue simply are strong. Other top-level politicians do not express their global-warming doubts because a whip of political correctness strangles their voice.

* Q: But you're not a climate scientist. Do you have sufficient knowledge and enough information?

* A: Environmentalism as a metaphysical ideology and as a worldview has absolutely nothing to do with natural sciences or with the climate. Sadly, it has nothing to do with social sciences either. Still, it is becoming fashionable, and this fact scares me. The second part of the sentence should be: we also have lots of reports, studies, and books of climatologists whose conclusions are diametrically opposite.

* Indeed, I never measured the thickness of ice in Antarctica. I really don't know how to do it and don't plan to learn. However, as a scientifically oriented person, I know how to read science reports about these questions, for example about ice in Antarctica. I don't have to be a climate scientist myself to read them. And inside the papers I have read, the conclusions we see in the media simply don't appear. But let me promise you something: this topic troubles me -- which is why I started to write an article about it last Christmas. The article expanded and became a book. In a couple of months, it will be published. One chapter out of seven will organize my opinions about climate change.

* Environmentalism and green ideology are something very different from climate science. Various findings of scientists are abused by this ideology.

* Q: How do you explain that conservative media are skeptical while the left-wing media view global warming as a done deal?

* A: It is not quite exactly divided into left-wingers and right-wingers. Nevertheless, it's obvious that environmentalism is a new incarnation of modern leftism.

* Q: If you look at all these things, even if you were right ...

* A: ...I am right...

* Q: Isn't there enough empirical evidence and facts we can see with our eyes that imply that Man is demolishing the planet and himself?

* A: It's such nonsense that I have probably not heard a bigger nonsense yet.

* Q: Don't you believe that we're ruining our planet?

* A: I will pretend that I haven't heard you. Perhaps only Mr Al Gore may be saying something along these lines: a sane person can't. I don't see any ruining of the planet, I have never seen it, and I don't think that a reasonable and serious person could say such a thing. Look: you represent the economic media, so I expect a certain economical erudition from you. My book will answer these questions. For example, we know that there exists a huge correlation between the care we give to the environment on one hand and the wealth and technological prowess on the other. It's clear that the poorer society is, the more brutally it behaves with respect to Nature, and vice versa.

* It's also true that there exist social systems that are damaging Nature - by eliminating private ownership and similar things - much more than the freer societies. These tendencies become important in the long run. They unambiguously imply that today, on February 8th, 2007, Nature is protected incomparably more than on February 8th ten years ago -- or fifty years ago or one hundred years ago.

* That's why I ask: how can you pronounce the sentence you said? Perhaps if you're unconscious? Or did you mean it as a provocation only? And maybe I am just too naive and I allowed you to provoke me to give you all these answers. It is more likely that you actually believe what you say.

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I must agree,

olger

[Neil D]

Quote:

Q: Don't you believe that we're ruining our planet?

* A: I will pretend that I haven't heard you. Perhaps only Mr Al Gore may be saying something along these lines: a sane person can't. I don't see any ruining of the planet, I have never seen it, and I don't think that a reasonable and serious person could say such a thing.

I wonder how many homes he has visited with all the junk in them...Not the nice neat homes that show order and no clutter and nice objects placed in such a way as to show off the beauty...but rather the homes with clutter, the cigarrette homes with literally bags of cigarette butts and ash, and 'meal on wheels' meal boxes and newsprint scattered all over the house, and no place to sit without moving yesterdays clothing or worse....

I visit that type of home nearly every day, at least two or more....

[bevin]

Yea - and GWB doesn't believe it either, and various African presidents don't believe in HIV causing AIDS, or believe that they can cure AIDS with herbs, and ...

Politicians say what they believe will keep them in power.

Unfortunately it works.

/Bevin

[olger]

Politicians say what they believe will keep them in power.

Unfortunately it works.

/Bevin

There is some truth to this statement. It is for this same reason that many politicians espouse the whole "Global W manufactured crisis." They feel that it will cement their position in a society. Could turn out to work against them.

Remember Y2K?

ever, olger

[bevin]

Remember Y2K?

Yes, I was one of the many computer programmers paid excellent money to make sure that transition went smoothly. I was actually on a pager right through the Dec 31 - Jan 01 period, being paid about $150/hour to do nothing - because we had got almost all the problems fixed ahead of time!

The problem was very real, and millions (perhaps billions) of dollars were spent so that you had a smooth transition and didn't see any big problems!

The problem was real, was identified, was fixed, and now you are using it as an example of a problem that didn't happen. It didn't happen because it was fixed.

/Bevin

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

and GWB doesn't believe it either

There are some people that hate Bill Clinton so much that they can hardly talk about anything political without blaming Clinton. (Rush Limbaugh falls close to this category).

There are others that hate G.W. Bush so much they can hardly talk about anything without blaming him. (Some on this board fall close to this category)

Actually, Bush has come a long way in his view of global warming since he first took office. He has conceded that global warming poses a significant and costly threat to the United States.

[melvin mccarty]

If one assumes that the whole planet has actually warmed one degree C in the last few years as is claimed it still remains that the computer projections for the future are just that...educated guesses! There have been temperature swings before in history that could hardly have been blamed on human activity. While Glacier edges are thinning on Greenland and Antartica their interiors are building up by increased precipitation caused by the increased evaporation from the warmer oceans. Not that we should deliberately pollute as some of us have been guilty of doing or not that we dont need to change some bad habits but actually the sky is not falling as chicken little is saying! :-)

mel

[Bravus]

One more instance in which being proved right is going to suck mightily.

[Woody]

If one assumes that the whole planet has actually warmed one degree C in the last few years as is claimed it still remains that the computer projections for the future are just that...educated guesses! There have been temperature swings before in history that could hardly have been blamed on human activity. While Glacier edges are thinning on Greenland and Antartica their interiors are building up by increased precipitation caused by the increased evaporation from the warmer oceans. Not that we should deliberately pollute as some of us have been guilty of doing or not that we dont need to change some bad habits but actually the sky is not falling as chicken little is saying! :-)

mel

WELL said Melvin. Thank you.

[olger]

One more instance in which being proved right is going to ---- mightily.

Pardon me friend. Does Australia have expressive words that are not vulgar? Sure they do.

Gerry C. Wagoner

Piqua OH

[Bravus]

I apologise wholeheartedly if my language was offensive to you, and will seek to choose better terms in future. Let me paraphrase then:

One more instance in which being proved right is going to be bitter and hollow.

[olger]

Thanks comrade. I accept that.

(One of my favorite folk groups come from Australia. Remember the Seekers?)

olger

[Taylor]

I apologise wholeheartedly if my language was offensive to you, and will seek to choose better terms in future. Let me paraphrase then:

One more instance in which being proved right is going to be bitter and hollow.

Bravus you are just plain a good guy. Thanks for being a part of CA. It takes humbleness to post what you just posted. I admire that.

[Woody]

Bravus ... If you don't mind. I will get on the band wagon. I find you to be a very fair participant here on CA. I do not always agree with you. But I see you as having some well thought out positions. I respect them and you. We need more members like you. Sometimes others do not have a fair discussion here on CA. Even if I disagree with you ... I do know that you will consider all the facts and be fair with your discussions.

I appreciate having you here. And I also appreciate your apology. It is a good example for all of us.

[bevin]

Quote:

Does Australia have expressive words that are not vulgar?

Multi-cultural language is an interesting issue that we run into at my multi-national corporation a lot.

It is interesting that the same phrase has completely different levels of vulgarity between different English-speaking countries, and that non-native English speakers can often use a rude or vulgar phrase without realizing it at all!

Tolerance and ready apologies are flip-sides of the one essential oil that makes such conversations run smoothly

/Bevin

[Woody]

Quote:

Tolerance and ready apologies are flip-sides of the one essential oil that makes such conversations run smoothly

WOW !!! Beautiful Bevin. Thank you. Can you imagine what a good atmosphere we would have here if we all followed the example of Bravus. I am the first to admit that I am a sensitive soul. But when I experience tolerance and Christian sensitivity I am energized with that human kindness and desire to move on being a better person.

[Taylor]

I couldn't agree more! Bevin, what a deep truth you have expressed and Bravus thanks for being such an example of that truth! And Yes, Redwood, I too am energized and inspired by human kindness.

[Bravus]

Thanks very much for your kind words, all.