Saturday, February 23, 2013

More Climate Change Snake Oil

In his inauguration address, Pres. Obama declared a renewed effort to address climate change. What he meant was a continued effort to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, from the burning of fossil fuels, and the passage of Cap & Trade legislation.

He actually has those in reverse order. What he wants is a Cap & Trade program, which will allow his government to reap heavy benefits through taxes. The carbon dioxide emission program is only a basis for that tax program.

The White House Press Secretary later said that Pres. Obama would give specific actions in his State of Union Address to Congress. I later heard the State of the Union Address and heard no specific actions. However, the Press Secretary also said that the President would basically bypass Congress and use the EPA in order to limit CO2 emissions. That is likely to happen. He has already used the EPA to bypass Congress on other matters.

If one concedes that carbon dioxide emission poses a threat of impending disaster to the world, then obviously, we must reduce it. The way we accomplish that is to completely eliminate the burning of fossil fuels. But, think of the job; a tremendous rebuilding of our public utility power system and replacement of the whole national automotive fleet with electric vehicles. It would be akin to the national effort we applied in fighting and winning World War II.

But is it necessary or is it a "make work" program on a massive scale??

In his Inaugural Address, Pres. Obama said that some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms. The overwhelming judgment of science? Does he mean the statements sent through pseudoscientific papers issued by University professors, who are in the grant-paid employ of his administration?

The fact is that most scientists will agree that the equalization of temperatures between night and day on earth, which allows human life, is based upon the earth's atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen. This equalization of the earth's temperature between night and day is the greenhouse effect, and the gases of the earth's atmosphere are responsible. Carbon dioxide is a part of that gas system.

But is this something special about carbon dioxide? No! When one measures the resistance to the passage of heat through individual gases, the data show that there is not a major difference. But, the key point is that we must also consider individual gas concentrations. The greenhouse effect is attributed essentially to the nitrogen and oxygen, because they constitute most of the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide concentration is less than 0.1%, and therefore, can have only a 0.1% contribution. Even if one doubles the concentration of carbon dioxide, it's contribution is then only 0.2%. Is this the source of all tremendous devastation of "raging fires, crippling drought and more powerful storms" and more yet to come?

One might question whether the climate is really changing or whether it only appears to be doing so because of a significant increase in our reporting techniques through radio and television. One can find data showing that there has been a slight increase of a degree or so in the last 10 years. Other data show that there is a decrease, and it is difficult to know what to believe. But, if we want to believe that there is a slight increase, the question is what is the reason and can we control it? The obvious answer is the Sun's output. Most of our energy, in the form of heat comes from the Sun, which is known to have variable output is shown by previous ice ages in the Earth's history.

If the sun is the cause of any global warming which might exist, and if carbon dioxide is not a significant factor, does Pres. Obama intend to make some effort to control the suns output? But that thought is no more ridiculous than the idea that an insignificant concentration of carbon dioxide could lead to devastation of our climate.