I have been thinking about the debate in this country over climate change. Considering both sides, I come back to one basic question: what if they’re wrong?
On one side of the debate, I hear arguments that measures to adjust for climate change require huge investments at a time our economy is in trouble, we’re searching for new sciences that are not there yet, and the efforts would be a big waste of time because the problem is concocted. On the other side, I hear advocated getting rid of non-renewable energy even at a huge cost, energy bills should be increased to pay for the changes, and implementing green energy sources, even though they aren’t ready to take over for coal and oil. What would be the worst outcome if each side is wrong?
1. If we go the green way, we would suffer for several years while shifting our job base and developing alternatives to reduce coal and gas use, at the end of which we would leave a cleaner future to our children, and a planet that can recover from its ills.
2. If we ignore climate change and it is real, we devastate the planet; ocean levels rise (Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, New Orleans, to name a few, under water), and we place a huge burden on our children to clean up our mess.
Everyone with a strong opinion should ask: What if I’m wrong?
This article appears in Feb 4-11, 2010.