Laura Jones Fraser Institute columnist WE could have guessed it wouldn't be long before the latest weath- er events would be blamed on increases in greenhouse gases from industrial activity. In what seems erratic logic, any unusual weather event from a record high temperature to a blizzard is now blamed on global warm- ing. The apocalyptic vision of warming leads us, und standably, to expect droughts and floods -- but more ice storms? The purvevors of doom claim it is not just more “hor, hor, hot” that we expeet but more in temperature. s, of course, is quite convenient because it means thar any unusual weather event — and there is nothing all thac extraordinary about unusual weather events — touted as irrefurable evidence that 1) we are indeed experi- encing global warming 3) it is our fault and 3) we can expect worse events to tollow unless we take action. Burt how reasonable are these arguments? Do extreme w ditions such as snow storms provide any evidence thar we are cooking the planet? The media seem to think so. In response co a stormy winter £Wo years ago, Newsweek ran the cover stor’ “Blizzards, floods and hurri- canes: blame global warm: ing.” The Red River flood last year was blamed on warming and, more recently, the CBC ran a story on The National about whether the ice storm in Montreal could be blamed on warming. But those most familiar with the science of climate change are dismissive of the media hype surrounding individual weather ¢ ng to a recent poll yy designated pro- ional state and regional climarologists in the United States, 72% said that weather events in the past 25 vears have nor been more severe or frequent in their states. Of the 19% who said that thev were, less than a third attributed the changed weather patterns to global warming. What is main- stream media, then, is hardly mainstream science. John Christy. an atmos- pheric scientist at the University of Alabama and contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), explains: “It is extremely frustrating as 3 scientist to see in the media that every weather woe is now being blamed on “climate” change when in fact th part of the natural va of the climate system.” So what of drought and record temperatures — the other symptoms of warming? The recent statement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that 1997 was the warmest year on record may scem more like reasonable proof of the apoca but don’t jump on the bandwag- on just yet. The average temperature in 1997 was only three-quar- ters of a degree above the average for the past 30 years. In addition, the warming only appears in the ground- 50% Off Wood Blinds Choose from our entire selection of wood venetian blinds from our MARK ASPEN collection. 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Increased Hooding caused by global warming is another theory that doesn’t make sense, because it snows less when it ie warm and many floods are the result of mele: ing snow, According to Robert Mis, a professor of limatology at the University irginia, global warming — te warmer polar .acendition that sseuld lead to less snow in North America, nor mo Finally, there is no ev denee to support claims thar warming wil inerease hurri- Cane ACUVIEV, In fact. according to Robert Ballin, director of ate University: “there is plenty of evidence trom which to argue that th greenhouse effect will supe press hurricane activity.” Anrbuting individual Weather events to a farger trend in chmate is media reporting at its worst, It is alarmist, sensational and misleading. Given the importance of the debate about global warming both in the science and policy comnuunities, it is time co return to Our sens: ¢s As Robert Davis puts it: Complete Mechanical YF serving the Ninth Shore’ for 29 years Repairs & Service Aut Makes 183 Pemberton Ave. TALKING 195 faz. i . Edgemont Village - 4. 3044 Edgemont Blvd., North Vancouver ">" 983-0701 Wednesday, March 11, 1998 ~ North Shore News — 41 Climate changes disputed “the impulse of the non- sei- enatic persan is to blame just about any anomalous weath- er event on mankind's indus- trial productivity. Yet, most of these projec: gions fail under the scrutiny of scientinie evidens And. if sound se How far will you walk in your life? Cs wt: be 2 baa not the fundamental basis for policy decisions on global-chi- mate change, then these decisions have no sound — Laura fones ts an envi- ronment economist at the lanconver-based Fraser fustitute. i we THE AVERAGE PERSON WALKS 184,000 KM IN ‘THEIR LIFETIME. 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