Global Warming in a Politically Correct Climate
How Truth Became Controversial
By M. Mihkel Mathiesen
Though printed in 2000 this book is still very current. In his introduction Zbigniew Jaworowski, MD, PhD, D.Sc. says; "This book should help us better understand how realistic the fears and prejudices of our Golden Age are, and to better adapt to our new role in the biosphere."
The book reviews five environmental issues that have dominated the last forty years; with outcomes that have not been based on science. They are:
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The ban on DDT,
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Acid Rain,
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The Asbestos ban,
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The Ozone Hole,
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Global Warming.
(The final outcome of Global Warming is yet to be known, but the Kyoto Treaty was an outcome not based on science.)
Mr. Mathiesen goes beyond the science of these issues to explore the organizations that have played a role in their outcome. He discuses the way in which Political Correctness is destroying good science.
"Political correctness promotes paralysis, or worse; rather than determined, rational action."
He highlights some of the egregious actions of all the parties who have contributed to the current state of affairs.
The following is a short excerpt to illustrate the role of bureaucrats.
"Pressure is mounting for the United States to live up to its briefly popular commitments made in Kyoto. [The Kyoto Treaty was signed by Al Gore.] Swedish politician and European Union bureaucrat Anders Wijkman made a point of this in a highly visible op-ed piece in the country's conservative daily, the Svenska Dagbladet on November 22, 1999, headlined 'The European Union must take charge of the climate issue'. He argued:
'Many within the Clinton Administration have a will to proceed with the climate work. The problem appears to be the public and perhaps even more so, Congress. With every passing day it becomes more and more absurd that this work is blocked by a recalcitrant American Congress.'
Mathiesen then continues; "The displeasure with the American public and its democratically elected representatives is ominous. Here we have a foreign bureaucrat de facto questioning the right of the people of the United Sates to think in a certain way about an issue and instruct its elected representatives to reflect their will in Washington; in other words democracy is fine but who do these people and their recalcitrant representatives think they are to oppose us, the bureaucracy?"
Mathiesen reviews the science of the five issues outlined above, to describe why the outcome was driven by political correctness rather than science. For example, DDT was banned by edict by William Ruckelhouse, EPA administrator, even though 125 expert witnesses testified before congress that "DDT posed no major threats to animals or humans and that its benefits were unequalled among pesticides". [500 million deaths later, even Greenpeace now agrees that DDT should not be banned.]
With respect to Asbestos, only two types of asbestos out of six causes cancer, and 95% of the asbestos used in the United States was the white variety that does not cause cancer. The dangerous types of asbestos were never used in schools or public buildings.
The science in each of these five issues is fascinating: and important.
About the Author:
M.Mihkel Mathiesen obtained his masters degree in metallurgy at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, in 1974 and completed his academic work in Japan and Sweden in 1978. An energy and environmental scientist with a knack for explaining complex scientific issues with ease and clarity, his writing and lectures have increasingly come to dominate his life.
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