Problem
For the past decade, billions of dollars have been spent in an effort to fight climate change. First, taxpayers subsidize green policies. The production tax credit for wind energy will cost more than $12 billion the year alone. Department of Energy loan guarantees to more than 20 bankrupt companies, including Abound Solar, Beacon Power, Evergreen Solar, Solar Trust, and Solyndra already have cost taxpayers billions with more to come. Taxpayers are paying for U.S. military efforts to make biofuel out of algae at exorbitant prices compared to U.S. hydrocarbon sources.
Recent analysis by Dr. Roy Spencer shows all 73 of the world’s top climate models failed to predict the recent halt to rising global temperatures. Moreover, historical evidence confirms that current trends in storms, droughts and floods, and sea level rise are within the range of normal climatic variation.(2)
The shortcomings of the theory of man-made global warming, the evidence for natural climate change, and the absurdity of global climate polices are spelled out in the new book The Mad, Mad, Mad World of Climatism: Mankind and Climate Change Mania by Steve Goreham. Publishers Weekly calls the book, “An amusing and colorful, yet science-based, look at mankind’s obsession with global warming.”
Solution
Federal automobile, transportation, energy, infrastructure, and other policies should be reevaluated with an emphasis on economics and cost/benefit to citizens. Energy sources should compete in the marketplace with a minimum of mandates and promotional efforts by governments. Special tax benefits to individual industries should be eliminated. The Economist reports America’s vast natural gas reserves “seems to be doing as much to reduce pollution as many efforts introduced over the years to restrict emissions from vehicles, power stations, and other sources.”(3) Congressional leaders should challenge current policies to fight climate change. Green programs should be forced to provide analysis on the estimated reduction in global temperatures along with the price tag for U.S. citizens.
Policy Message
Point 1: Climate model projections of global temperature rise are wrong.(1) Federal policies based on those models and pursued in the name of greenhouse gas emission reduction should be re-evaluated on cost/benefit to the consumer.
Point 2: The path to economic growth and strengthened U.S. economic power is through development of U.S. energy resources. Regulation by EPA and other agencies should be based on cost/benefit to U.S. citizens and not misguided climate policies. Special mandates and subsidies should be eliminated to remove “the foolish” from “all of the above” energy policies.
Point 3: Environmental Protection Agency efforts to preclude production of coal-fired electricity should be stopped or defunded. Air pollution in the U.S. is at a 50-year low despite the fact that coal-fired output of electricity is up more than 50 percent since 1980.
References
1. The Mad, Mad, Mad World of Climatism by Steve Goreham, (New Lenox Books, 2012).
2. “Still EPIC Fail: 73 Climate Models vs. Measurement, Running 5-Year Means,” Roy W. Spencer, June 6, 2013, http://www.drroyspencer.com/2013/06/still-epic-fail-73-climate-models-vs-measurements-running-5-year-means/.
3. “Difference Engine, Fuel for the Future?” The Economist, May 27, 2013, http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/05/natural-gas
Steve Goreham, a policy advisor to The Heartland Institute, is a speaker, author, and researcher on environmental issues as well as an engineer and business executive.
