Are CAGW Skeptics Running from Science?

by E. Calvin Beisner, Ph.D.

In a recent Republican presidential debate, candidate John Huntsman, incredulous that other candidates question dangerous, manmade global warming, insisted that “Republicans can’t run away from science.” Candidate Rick Perry, challenged to name scientists who support his skepticism, was stumped.

Are people who are skeptical of dangerous, manmade climate change “running away from science”?

No. The essence of science is free inquiry. As philosopher of science Robert K. Merton wrote, “Most institutions demand unqualified faith; but the institution of science makes skepticism a virtue.” The appeal to consensus—real or imaginary—to silence skepticism is fundamentally anti-scientific.

But that’s precisely what lies behind both Huntsman’s incredulity and Perry’s inability to name scientists who question belief in “global warming” or “climate change”—code names, really, for Catastrophic, Anthropogenic Global Warming (CAGW).

A small cadre of true believers and self-serving politicians has foisted on the world, and the mainstream media have uncritically embraced, the false claim of “scientific consensus” about CAGW. This and their concerted efforts to silence credible dissent are the antithesis of true science.

The inconvenient truth for the fear mongers is that literally thousands of scientists, from all specialties, deny CAGW.

Recaupturing Biblical Stewardship in the Church

The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop discusses the importance of including climate change ideas into the Christian worldview. Lack of awareness of the worldview behind environmentalism makes people vulnerable to attack ban an anti-Biblical movement. Christians need to demonstrate we are not only good stewards, but better stewards of the environment.

Cornwall in the News

Rick Perry and Galileo: The Religious Beliefs Behind Global Warming Skepticism (Kate Shellnutt; Perry Presidential)
The Houston Chronicle features National Spokesperson Dr. E. Calvin Beisner in an article about popular and scientific dissent from catastrophic anthropogenic climate change. Strangely, the author says a minority of evangelicals holds Cornwall’s position, when the very graph she produces shows the opposite.

Recent Significant Developments

Food & Agriculture

The Sahel is Greening (Philipp Mueller; Global Warming Policy Foundation)
The Sahara Desert is shrinking and arable farming land is emerging. Higher global temperature since the early 1980s has increased annual precipitation, and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide has boosted plants’ water-use efficiency.

Our Least Sustainable Energy Option (Paul Driessen; Townhall.com)
Wind energy doesn’t work; it takes up large swathes of arable land, requires mineral mining, is costly and unreliable, and does not provide many long-term jobs.

Politics & Debate

Making Water the New Oil (Terence Corcoran; Financial Post)
The energy use associated with cleaning, desalinating and shipping water will be a new area of attack for the environmentalist movement. This will raise food prices, living expenses, and sanitation costs.

Al Gore in 24-hour Broadcast to Convert Climate Skeptics (Nina Chestney; Reuters)
Wednesday Sept 14th, 2011 Al Gore plans to broadcast a 24-hour live internet broadcast, the contents of which are unknown, called “24 hours of Reality.” What will he do to "deniers"? Bonk us on the head? Or censor us as "racists"?

Global Warming: A 98% Consensus Of Nothing (James Taylor; Forbes)
A consensus of 75 volunteers agreeing the earth has warmed in the last century is hardly ‘98% of scientists assent to catastrophic anthropogenic climate change.’

Law, Regulation, & Litigation

Affordable Energy is Essential for Jobs, Justice and Better Health (Niger Innis; Townhall.com)
The EPA insists clean air will help the poor, citing health concerns. What will really help the poor is cheap industry production and jobs that cater to low-skill workers. “(E)very $30,000 in increased energy costs could mean the elimination of another entry-level job.”

Religion & Ethics

Hockey Stick Smoke and Fire? (Paul Chesser; Science and Public Policy Institute)
Dr. Michael Mann continues to avoid turning over his research and funding records to the public as required under the Freedom of Information Act. Christopher Horner, director of litigation for American Tradition Institute’s Environmental Law Center, which is currently seeking an injunction against Mann, [said] “Mann has tried whatever means possible to ensure he remains free of any serious scrutiny, and this just appears to be his last gasp.”

Obama's Pet Billionaire at Solyndra May Take White House Down (Bob Beauprez; Townhall.com)
Solar energy company Solyndra sparked widespread concern even before its $535 Million loan was eaten up by bankruptcy. Solyndra, whose executives and major shareholders contributed handsomely to Obama’s campaign, had recorded $558 Million in losses in the first five years of business. Obama administration officials were either duped or willingly lead to slaughter.

Economics & Energy

The Failure of Subsidies Comes Home to Roost, While Oil Leads to Energy Independence (Robert Bryce; CNN)
“Under Barack Obama, the U.S. has adopted a very clear energy policy: obstruct and even vilify the coal, oil and natural gas industries while lavishing subsidies on unreliable and expensive sources like solar, biofuels and wind energy,” writes Robert Bryce. A never-ending string of subsidies, most recently Solyndra and

Evergreen Solar, has given the U.S. failure after failure at producing “green” (read: inefficient) energy. The EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule has caused Texas to reduce emissions more than others. As a result Luminant, a major energy provider, is closing facilities and laying off workers to meet the January 1st, 2012 dealine. The U.S. is not the only one suffering. Spain lost 2.2 jobs for every one green job. Australia also lost money on failed solar subsidies in Solar Shop, the country’s largest seller of solar panels. Meanwhile Poland, after decades of oil dependence on Russia, has finally broken free with free-market competitive pricing through hydraulic fracturing of shale (fracking). Way to go Poland!

Big Oil "Subsidies"? (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Progressives’ “big-oil subsidy” complaints reverberate hollow, as the so-called subsidies are actually tax-deductions. Confusing the two would imply that businesses should be taxed on their gross income, not their net.

Science & Ecology

Contra Gore's 24 Hour Special Extreme Weather Normal (Judith Curry; Climate Etc.)
Dr. Judith Curry not only disagrees with the algoreians, that global warming causes more extreme weather, but asserts that hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts and floods have been neither more intense nor more frequent in recent years. As Dr. David Legates points out in his lecture on global warming for

Resisting the Green Dragon, increased urbanization results in more droughts and floods even when there are no changes in rainfall.

Rapid Sea Level Rise? To the Contrary, Nature Says (Chip Knappenberger; Masterresource.org)
Predictions on ocean level rise are down 25%. Many IPCC scientists imply an increase in predicted rates 2-3 times what is observed.

Meet the Critics: Garth W. Paltridge, Ph.D.

Resisting the Green Dragon

Order Resisting the Green Dragon for Church, School, or Small Group

More and more churches and other groups are using Cornwall Alliance’s groundbreaking 13-part video series around the country. With its printable discussion guide, it provides full curriculum for a Sunday school quarter. The accompanying book helps teachers and others dig deeper.

National Religious Broadcasters' NRB Network Airs Resisting the Green Dragon

Selections from the Cornwall Alliance’s groundbreaking Resisting the Green Dragon video series are airing on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the NRB Network, viewable over DirecTV’s Channel 378, Sky Angel’s Channel 126, and streaming live at http://www.nrbnetwork.tv/watchonline.

Join Cornwall Alliance Facebook Group Page

To keep up with relevant developments on a daily basis, join Cornwall Alliance’s Facebook Group page, where we and group members will post and discuss items daily.

Landmark Documents from the Cornwall Alliance

E. Calvin Beisner, Ph.D., Founder and National Spokesman
Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation

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