Gore To Skeptics: Doubting Global Warming Is Man-Made Like Believing Earth Is Flat

CBS:

Self-avowed "P.R. agent for the planet" Al Gore says those who still doubt that global warming is caused by man - among them, Vice President Dick Cheney - are acting like the fringe groups who think the 1969 moon landing never really happened, or who once believed the world is flat.

The former vice president and former presidential candidate talks to 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl in an interview to be broadcast this Sunday, March 30, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Read the whole story: CBS

Comments

[racetoinfinity]

06:45 AM on 04/02/2008

These deniers are oil company plants or Rush Limbaugh DEAD-heads. This topic brings out the trolls. It's absurd to have any debate now, when we have maybe 10 years to avoid horrendous catastrophe in 100 years; if we take action now, it will just be catastrophe, minus the horrendous.

see - www.skirsch.com

[racetoinfinity]

06:40 AM on 04/02/2008

Cheney has a vested interest in denying it. He's an oil man, i.e., he's a troglodyte from the carbon era who wants to keep damaging our economy (except the sliver of scandalously enriched big oil plutocrats like himself), damage the health of the people, damage the planet in ways never known before in human history, damange our national security, - how many ways is the reactionary hanging onto the carbon age brining misery and catastrophe to our nation and the planet - you need more than two hands. I don't believe in evil, but in Cheney's case....I wonder...

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

03:32 PM on 03/28/2008

.

First of all, as a life-long member of the republican party, I cannot beleive that global warming is anything more than a theory, like the evolution. And even though apes aren't causing global warming, it is interesting that in that movie, Planet of the Apes, the apes survived in the world that Gore says is coming. And they learned to talk and make their own theories, which also turned out to be wrong, so I think it's better to ignore all theories in general and just wait for the facts. I also feel safer if I don't believe in the theories and feeling safer is what is country is all about and what our Christian fathers of this country wanted for us after being scared by England. Remember that, liberals.

.

[quetzalfan]

08:35 PM on 04/01/2008

Hey idiot! Nobody of any scientific credibillity has ever argued that Humans evolved from apes. Ape-like creature, absolutely! Apes? No chance. And nice job showing your intellect in using a movie, and not a documentary at that, to justify your answer. I will say one thing; your response leaves no question why G.W. Bush was re-elected.

[BlackWidowPilot]

11:36 AM on 03/28/2008

Hey, kiddies, let's ask the Aussies what they think of global climate change:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/nov/08/australia.drought

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australias-epic-drought-the-situation-is-grim-445450.html

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1402

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[broken76]

10:52 AM on 03/28/2008

First I'd like to stay I believe that global warning is a farce. most of the science of global warming does say that it's not CO2 that's causing anything and that global temperature is actually on a downward trend (science not opinion).
It really is a case where the media and environmental groups are pushing something that really doesn't help anyone. It's surprising how little people look at the big picture. If man made global warming does exist then ethanol and hybrids makes it worse but is pushed by by environmentalists. For them it has become more of an issue of getting money for their own use than saving the planet.

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:57 AM on 03/28/2008

"First I'd like to stay I believe that global warning is a farce"

So you're reaching your conclusions based upon *belief* rather than a review of the empirical data?

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[HumeSkeptic]

11:07 AM on 03/28/2008

Yup! That's the science they use: blind faith, belief and ignorance based "science".

[ethearch]

11:39 AM on 03/28/2008

...and the jury is still out on that "gravity" thing.

Good grief!

[jay1975]

10:59 AM on 03/28/2008

Exactly. If they believed it was such an immediate threat that needed immediate action, then they would be begging for nuclear power, if only as a temporary solution.

[BlackWidowPilot]

11:12 AM on 03/28/2008

" If they believed it was such an immediate threat that needed immediate action, then they would be begging for nuclear power, if only as a temporary solution."

This is a fallacy akin to the notion that someone who has just gone into Anaphylactic shock should beg for Morphine to stop the pain, rather actually treat the problem that is causing them to stop breathing.

Nuclear power is a dead-end technology due to the waste storage issue.

*Sustainable* and *renewable* power sources used in combination, including solar, wind, biological, and *conservation* are the answer. Our nation can no longer afford wars for oil and empire, nor can we afford business as usual to solve our problems. The old ways of burning fossil fuels and profligacy in the use of our resources no longer work.

It's become that simple.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[TimmySlagle]

11:20 AM on 03/28/2008

"they would be begging for nuclear power"

And flying Coach, when they picked up their awards in Cannes and Oslo.

[WilliePilgrim]

10:52 AM on 03/28/2008

I'm a heretic on this. I don't deny that human impacts are causing warming but to use Gore's metaphore, I believe the earth is round but I don't believe that the orbits must be circles, and instead I believe they are complex elipses influenced by a number of only partially understood reasons and therefor making decisions based on the IPCCs insistence that the path is predictable is why ideologues and passionate believers childishly confuse me and other heretics with being "deniers". Superior intelligence, something much needed in this fourm, would agree that the ability to hold diverse opinions and perspectives is a strenth not a stumbling block...unless the agenda is simply to the political agenda, which I think is at least partly true in this case, the heretical view should be considered seriously while further and much increased science continues as we address the problems that population, pollution and bad planning are continuing to cause.

[jay1975]

10:46 AM on 03/28/2008

If Gore believed AGW were as serious as he says it is, he would be advocating for nuclear power as an interim power source until alternative energy became more viable. The fact is that he does not want to see nuclear power come more into play as this will not bringhim more money. The "science" of a computer model that cannot accurately predict the past, let alone the future, should not be used to create policy. Is the climate changing? Yes. Has it changed in the past? Yes. Just part of the natural cycle. If CO2 alone raises temperatures, why did the temps fall from the 40' to the 70's? There has been no warming since 1998 yet mans CO2 output increases. Our contribution to total CO2 in the atmosphere is around 3-5%, if you take that into account of ALL green house gases it drops to around .28%. So tell me how reducing our CO2 output will change anything as far as climate? Those grant hunters who rely on models to make their claims neglect to factor in water vapor into their model because the results do not jibe with their therory on how to get paid.

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:54 AM on 03/28/2008

Another mutant for nuclear power! Yaaah!

Ok, sport, here's some unwelcome data for you:

Japan produces 48% of the world's solar energy.

Japan has reduced their oil consumption by 16% since the 1970s.

Nuclear power is a dead-end technology due to the waste storage problem (one cannot dispose of nuclear waste due to the half-life).

Remember Chernobyl?

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[HumeSkeptic]

10:59 AM on 03/28/2008

The computer models have to with predicting the consequences of Global Warming. The fact that GW is real and man-made is based on hard data.

Your whole analysis is typical of a flat-earther who would ask people to see as far as they can see and, on that basis, try to convince all that the earth is flat, regardless of what scientific studies and data say. Those concluding that the earth is round were just grant-hunters, crooked scientists trying to steal your hard earned money. They had no interest in the advancement of knowledge. That's why they all died rich.

Pathetic.

[TimmySlagle]

11:15 AM on 03/28/2008

Actually, the models predict that the Earth should still be warming.

And there hasn't been any warming for ten years now.

[Ramirez]

11:18 AM on 03/28/2008

Jay presents a valid scientific argument and you respond with insults and accusations of heresy.

[HumeSkeptic]

10:40 AM on 03/28/2008

Gore is spot on. I just attended a seminar at the Scripps Institute oc Oceanography in San Diego on this subject. No one, not one scientist involved in the field even talks about any doubts on the matter. Most said that the fact that it is man-made was under some doubt in the 1970s, but not in any serious way since then because of overwhelming scientific data that have since become available.

So, Gore is right, the deniers are no better than flat-earthers.

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:45 AM on 03/28/2008

But-but-but...HUME!! The scientific community is all influenced by losing their research grants and they all want big government and..and, they're all liberals!!

I mean, how CAN you just so blindly accept *empirical data* the Scientific Method and the consensus that results from Peer Review?!

Simply scandalous.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[HumeSkeptic]

11:09 AM on 03/28/2008

Yes, that's why Einstein died a billionair, and all scientists are crooked, out to steal our hard earned money.

[rwe]

10:30 AM on 03/28/2008

The cult of Obama and Globalphobia uses the same PR firm ...No substance but spew it loud and long enough and the sheeple will follow.....97% of CO2 is volcanic or other natrually occuring events... so that with humanity maybe responsible for 3 % we would have to basically die off in order to even reduce any significant margin of that 3% and then still nothing would be affected....How about a debate with an intelligent scientist with an opposing opinion... then again you learned in 2002 that you could not even debate Pres Bush and yoo all know how stupid he is.

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:41 AM on 03/28/2008

Wow! All the usual suspects!

Amazing how every time HuffPo runs a story on global climate change somebody opens up the cage and lets out all the kool-aid drinking trolls so they can bash Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, Democrats, "liberals," and anyone and anything that refutes the malfeasance of corporatism and the Busheviks regime that propagates it.

I could set my watch by all of you. Did you all learn that trick from *Mussolini?*

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[TimmySlagle]

11:18 AM on 03/28/2008

But Leland,

You're always here too.

Do you count yourself as a "kool-aid drinking troll"

I do. The only difference is, your favorite kool-aid is green.

[ohiomark]

02:37 PM on 03/28/2008

Liberals and "progressives" are alot closer to socialism and fascism of Mussolini. Look it up. The truth hurts.

[Sanjong Thapa]

09:49 AM on 03/28/2008

Smoking Out The Warm-Mongers
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Wednesday, March 05, 2008 4:20 PM PT

Climate Change: The founder of the Weather Channel wants to sue those who sell carbon offsets as scam artists who participate in the "the FRAUD that is global warming."

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?secid=1501&status=article&id=289612348101645&secure=1&show=1&rss=1

Someone should "sue the people who sell carbon credits," he told the conference this week. "That includes Al Gore. "

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:08 AM on 03/28/2008

Investor's Daily? Riiight; like asking a fox to investigate and report upon all of those missing chickens.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[jctripp]

09:38 AM on 03/28/2008

Al Gore is bad because he's making money? Last I checked we were a capitalist society. More power to him if he can provide leadership and a new business model for carbon offsets. We have to start somewhere. If making money from global climate change then who's the bigger criminal, Al Gore or Exxon Mobil?

[ohiomark]

02:46 PM on 03/28/2008

The global warming hoax is anti-capitalist with all it's higher taxes and regulation of the private sector. It has nothing to do with science. Science (junk science) is used to push the bigger government controls to limit freedom around the world. Neither Al Gore or Exxon-Mobil are criminals. The people who follow Al Gore are not too bright, especially the ones who actually buy carbon credits.

[RodgerLodger]

09:33 AM on 03/28/2008

I could accept the headlined statement by Mr. Gore, but I'd also add that believing that enough people will change their lifestyle to make a difference is similarly foolish.

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:09 AM on 03/28/2008

Study your history; WW2 brought about profound changes in lifestyle, even here in America.

YES! We CAN do it!

We MUST do it, for the sake of ourselves, our children, and generations to come.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[TimmySlagle]

11:23 AM on 03/28/2008

"WW2 brought about profound changes in lifestyle,"

So did Vietnam.

[Meah]

10:42 AM on 03/28/2008

Trust me Rodger, I have three grandchildren. My motivation is based on a very urgent sense that I do not want them to suffer in the future. Ask the grandparents. They will tell you.

[Sumocat]

09:25 AM on 03/28/2008

Couple of points: First, it's not just climatologists claiming we are in an unnatural warming trend. Anthropologists, archaeologists, botanists, biologists, pretty much anyone in a field relating to life on Earth is finding evidence of global warming. Insurance companies factor it in their risk-assessment models and landscapers are finding temperate plants harder to cultivate in parts of the country. Even if you don't believe in global warming, those who insure your home and manage your landscape do.

Second, what's the downside to accepting global warming is a problem? CO2 is a human waste product. Lowering our output of CO2 means less human waste in the air we breathe. That's like lowering the amount of urine in our drinking water or feces in our food. Even if you find the level acceptable, why would you be against consuming less waste product?

And what's the downside to consuming less oil? Who likes paying more at the pump or paying more money to OPEC? The price of oil will continue to climb. Finding more ways to get oil doesn't fix the problem. Using alternative energy does.

The only argument against global warming is the cost to do something about it. Well, guess what, the cost of not doing anything is just starting to hit us and it's only going to get worse. And that's without counting the price of the wars for oil or the effects of climate change into the equation.

[kingcityguru]

10:11 AM on 03/28/2008

If you argue against air pollution, then I am with you. If that is the case, then you should be in favor of nuclear energy as it is both CO2 and air pollution free (and works 24/7). France gets 80% of its electricity from nukes, why can't we.

If you want solar, then I am also with you as I get some of my electricity from super efficient solar panels produced by Day4Energy dot com -- bet you I get more energy from solar than Al Gore.

[BlackWidowPilot]

10:20 AM on 03/28/2008

Japan produces 48% of the world's solar energy.

Japan has reduced their oil consumption by 16% since the 1970s.

Nuclear power is a dead-end technology due to the waste storage problem (one cannot dispose of nuclear waste due to the half-life).

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[jay1975]

10:53 AM on 03/28/2008

Al didn't tell them to support nuclear so they won't even hear of it. Solar is still not efficient enough to make a large enough dent whereas nuclear can completely replace the coal industry in the US and provide all of our energy needs. The wasted rods can be recycled and used again reducing the amount of waste (just like the French do), but the Warmmongerss will not hear of it. They claim to be so enlightened yet scoff at the very energy source needed to immediately cut our dreaded CO2 production. Maybe when Al starts a company that produces or maintains nuclear facilities they will change. Until then we will see no significant crys for true change.

[kingcityguru]

09:24 AM on 03/28/2008

Gore is just protecting the "carbon credits" business he started with Maurice Strong (the modern equivalent of Papal Indulgences). Stop the Insanity!!! Deep water sensors show the temperatures over the last 8 years have actually declined!!! Yes, declined as CO2 levels have increased.

[Meah]

10:43 AM on 03/28/2008

Link please. Ha!

[jay1975]

10:57 AM on 03/28/2008

Stop with the facts already. These people saw a power point presentation that said that the oceans will rise 20 feet and everyone will die...unless you buy some of Uncle Al's carbon credits. Then you can do whatever you want and not have to worry. Oh, and for good measure, go buy a mercury filled light bulb and feel good about yourself.

[thedirtman]

08:47 AM on 03/28/2008

CO2 emissions are a direct component of global warming. It is basic Physical Chemistry. No way around it.

[Mormondude]

09:12 AM on 03/28/2008

Water vapor is far and away the most important greenhouse gas, accounting for roughly 99.8% of the greenhouse effect on this planet.

Most AGW proponents ignore this physical chemistry fact. They would have you believe that CO2, which makes up only a small fraction of that remaining 0.2% is the sole cause of global warming.

[Meah]

10:44 AM on 03/28/2008

Yea, water vapor with shit in it.