THE WARMERS' ACHILLES HEEL

1. Most scientists agree that human release of carbon dioxide is causing the temperature of the Earth to rise and that, if continued, this rise in temperature will soon lead to catastrophic changes in climate accompanied by world-wide floods, storms, droughts, and other climatologic nightmares, including such things as Arctic weather in London, the flooding of most of Florida and other near-sea-level regions, and widespread starvation as agricultural activities are disrupted. Released carbon dioxide hovers above for centuries and will continue to wreak havoc in many ways that are only now being discovered by scientists who are fighting for the environmental survival of our planet.

2. In order to forestall and mitigate this catastrophe in progress, it is necessary that mankind immediately curtail the release of carbon dioxide (and several other greenhouse gases, although carbon dioxide is the primary target). The initial step must be a reduction of about one-third in release by developed countries. Ultimately, as political pressures are intensified, this reduction must be increased in magnitude and extended to all people by means of internationally enforced laws. Since most human release of carbon dioxide is from the use of coal, oil, and natural gas, it is the use of these that must be sharply reduced.

3. The world-wide catastrophe of global warming is so terrible that any measure that forestalls it is justified, regardless of the human cost. In any case, those opposed to ending the pollution of our atmosphere with carbon dioxide are primarily greedy business people who want to pursue profit regardless of the environmental consequences. Very few scientists oppose the global warming treaty. These few are either isolated crackpots or employees of oil and gas companies or other industries with large economic self-interests in continued pollution.

In short: Virtually all scientists agree that greenhouse gas emissions must be stopped to preserve the global climate. The enviros on their white horses are trying to save the Earth by stopping these emissions. Greedy business people and unprincipled politicians on their black horses are trying to stop these noble enviro efforts.

The truth (which is not being heard in the global warming hysteria) does not, of course, depend upon polling numbers. Scientific truth is never determined by vote. The eventual triumph of truth in this issue will be cold comfort, however, to the vast numbers of people who will suffer the ill effects of technological rationing in the meantime.

But where are the warmers politically vulnerable? They are vulnerable in point number 1 - the assertion that most scientists agree with them. The fact is that most scientists and engineers are not working on climatological matters and are not interested in being distracted from their work by politics. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that a great many scientists now depend upon funding provided by the executive branch of the federal government - a situation that increases their aversion to politically incorrect matters.

Nevertheless, there is a strong and growing undercurrent of opposition to global warming within the scientific community. Scientists are beginning to read the relatively simple research literature on this subject. Most are astonished by the difference between experimental observations and public pronouncements in this field - where the facts are overwhelmingly opposite to the claims of the warmers. What will happen if tens of thousands of scientists and engineers evaluate this research and sign a document that reads as follows?

"We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, and any other similar proposals. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind.

"There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will,

in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.'' What will happen is clear. The warmers will be deprived of the central pillar that underlies their entire campaign. Only the false premise of a consensus of support within the scientific community enables them to keep their horses painted a morally superior white. Remove their facade of scientific consensus, and they will likely lose - if it is removed it in time to reverse opinion polls that influence the Senate.

Access to Energy is doing everything that it can to support and extend this campaign. Petr Beckmann founded this newsletter more than 24 years ago because he was concerned about attacks on science and technology by means of pseudoscience and propaganda. At that time, the subject of greatest concern was the smear campaign directed against nuclear power. Unfortunately for Americans, the enviros won that contest and largely stopped the further development of nuclear power in the United States. Fortunately, however, they failed to stop nuclear development in other countries and, so far, have failed to dismantle most existing American nuclear power plants.

Please understand that this is not just another petition. In this unique case, a large number of signatures on the petition by scientists and engineers - individuals trained and credentialed to evaluate the relatively simple science involved - will demolish the foundation of falsehood upon which the entire global warming propaganda campaign has been built. With many signatories to this petition, warmers will no longer be able to marginalize scientists who oppose them as crackpots or industrial shills. They have lied about their "consensus of scientists'' just as they have lied about the science. If these lies are exposed to public view, their support will fade - to the substantial benefit of mankind.