(Nov. 09, 2010) News report on the participation of Energy Probe’s Executive Director Lawrence Solomon in a recent debate on climate change at Queen’s University.

The first resolution — “that without deep reductions, humanity’s emissions of green-house gases will very likely cause climate change with severe, worldwide impacts in this century’ ” — pitted Queen’s University biology professor Dr. John Smol against journalist Lawrence Solomon.

Smol, who argued the “Yes” side, is one of Canada’s leading climate change scientists and a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change. Solomon, who took the “No” side, is a National Post reporter and author of The Deniers, a book that draws attention to arguments against what he calls the “alarmist” view of global warming presented by climate change activists.

“The argument for human-induced climate change is as strong or stronger than saying tobacco affects lung disease,” said Smol. “It’s a concern based on long and protracted scientific research.”

Smol pointed to a number of factors — an increase in air temperature over the last century, the melting of glaciers and the rise in sea level.

“It’s well documented,” said Smol. “It’s scary what we are finding.

“I would love to be wrong, but sticking our heads in the sand is not the way to face it.”

Solomon argued that what’s happening isn’t out of the norm.

“Earth warmed a half degree Centigrade in the 20th century,” he said. “Also in the 19th, 18th and 17th century. The last few hundred years the Earth is climbing out of the last Ice Age at the same slow, steady rate.”

Solomon also took a shot at the so-called scientific experts who have set off alarm bells about climate change in recent years.

“There are 2,500 scientists working with the United Nations Climate Change panel,” he said. “Twenty-five hundred scientists can’t be wrong, the press said.

“It turns out these scientists were reviewers, not endorsers. They hadn’t endorsed anything. All they did was review UN documents. And not all their reviews were favourable.

“There were many concerns that the UN’s work was a travesty. The press was taken and so the public was taken.”

Matthew Bramley, director of climate change at the Pembina Institute and one of the country’s best-known advocates for effective government policies to address climate change.

“Bruce says the end point is so far away that doing anything is futile,” said Bramley.

“Ultimately this argument is about doing the right things. Canada’s failure to act is wrong and irrational.”

Bramley pointed to Canada’s poor performance at recent international Climate Change conferences, including last year’s in Copenhagen, where Canada was awarded the Colossal Fossil Award for its inaction.

“Canada contributed significantly to gridlock, creating ill will” said Bramley.

Vowing to make steep reductions in emissions wouldn’t necessarily solve anything right away, argued Pardy.

“Climate change must be solved incrementally,” he said. “We’re at a complete international impasse. It must be dealt with from the standpoint that everyone will act. You can’t get around this truth.”

“That’s not the attitude that will help us,” countered Bramley. “Canadians don’t want to be part of the problem, they want to be part of the solution.”

Read the original article here.

The Kingston Whig Standard, November 09, 2010