"Gore Pulls His Punches"
(The New York Times Op-Ed, by John Tierney)                                                                                                                               

Questions and Answers are cited below as "Q" and "A"

1. Q: What is the essence of what Tierney is contending in The New York Times May 23, 2006 Op-Ed article?

A: That the public may not need to be that concerned about "global warming."

2. Q: Why not?

A: Tierney greatly reduces the claimed "global warming." Further, Tierney suggests that Gore's solutions are quite likely unnecessary.

3. Q: Why?

A: Because the threat of global warming can be overcome by available alternatives.

4. Q: How?

A: "Gore shows the obligatory pictures of windmills and other alternative sources of energy. But he ignores nuclear power plants, which don't spew carbon dioxide and currently produce far more electricity than all ecologically fashionable sources combined."

5. Q: What about the dangers?

A: "A few environmentalists, like Patrick Moore, a founder of Greenpeace, have recognized that their movement is making a mistake in continuing to demonize nuclear power. Balanced against the risks of global warming, nukes suddenly look good - or at least deserve to be considered rationally. Gore had a rare chance to reshape the debate because a documentary about global warming attracts just the sort of person who marches in anti-nuke demonstrations."

6. Q: What does Tierney explain further?

A: "Gore could have dared, once he enticed the faithful into the theater, to challenge them with an inconvenient truth or two. But that would have been a different movie."

7. Q: Is there authority for taking global warming more seriously?

A: Yes, -many. For example, the following: The Los Angeles Times of 4/8/06, E11, "Dissecting a world of trouble," by Anne-Marie O'Connor:

"The causes and consequences of global warming are still debated. But, few still dispute its existence. According to NASA, 2005 was the warmest year since the 1800s. The next four warmest were 2004, 2003, 2002 and 1998. The last time the earth was this warm, by many estimates, was 100,000 years ago."

"Scientists point to disturbing signs. The melting of glaciers and the polar ice caps. The migration of animals, worldwide, to higher cooler altitudes. The drop in nighttime temperatures across America during the three-day jet grounding following Sept. 11. The deaths of overheated coral reefs. The documentary film "March of the Penguins" spotlighted how global warming makes it more difficult for penguins and their chicks to survive the trek to nursing grounds."

"Whether recent changes to the earth's climate are the result of naturally occurring climatic cycles is pretty much the only question people are still asking. If the shift is as man-made as Australian scientist Tim Flannery argues, we're gotten ourselves into big trouble."

"Flannery is the author of "The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth," a new book that explores global warming."

"Flannery believes world leaders who decline to take immediate action are fiddling while Rome burns."

8. Q: Are there indications of consequent steps including legislation plus scientific discoveries, to cope with the global warming?

A: Yes. For example, The Wall Street Journal, April 3, 2006 reports: "California Bill Puts Broad Cap on Emissions: State Would Become First To Impose Mandatory Cuts in Global-Warming Gases," by Jeffrey Ball.

Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, April 11, 2006, Section B9: "Gov. Backs Greenhouse Gas Strategy: Aides say he plans to endorse the far-ranging program to curb global warming today, despite opposition from GOP and business leaders."

Conclusion:

Gore appears to be on the right track. Tierney seems highly inclined to pass the problem for the time being, excepting by substitution of nuclear energy as the principal source of energy.

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cc: George W. Bush, President
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