Klare Scare - He's Unaware

Michael Klare has penned a misanthropic fear mongering piece at tomdispatch.com. We are told of apocalyptic fantasies because the earth is heating exponentially. Proof please? No reference. After all, it is common knowledge. Who could deny it?

CO2 may be increasing exponentially but temperatures are not. Some long time records indicate recent cooling.

People in Alaska or Antarctica may wish to dispute it.

Kinda takes the GLOBAL outta global warming doesn't it?

Mr Klare mentions the ominously capitalized Great Drought of 2012 but does not admit the far worse Dust Bowl years of the 1930s into evidence. Is that fair?

Mr Klare warns us to expect that drought induced rising food prices will lead to social conflict. This he attributes to global warming inducing more droughts all over the world. And yet, when statistics on droughts are gathered and examined it is learned that droughts around the world are becoming less frequent and severe. It is easy to be misled by your observations, feelings and beliefs when you are making that argument from the midst of the current drought. Scientists have always seemed a bit confused on what causes droughts.

Mr Klare seems unaware that temperatures have cooled over the last 15 years when he asks:  "And what can we expect in the future, as the warming gains momentum?"

Mr Klare claims that heatwaves are becoming more frequent due to global warming and cites several references in support of that assertion. Either he is ignorant that there are contravening studies or prefers to ignore the fact. Is Mr Klare unaware?

Contrary to what Mr Klare believes wildfires are not becoming more frequent. 2012 has been particularly quiet.

Rising sea levels are another scary scenario for Mr Klare. He needn't worry. 

Mr Klare is wrong about all of his weather concerns: "When we think about climate change (if we think about it at all), we envision rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, freakish storms, hellish wildfires, and rising sea levels"

As CO2 concentration rises these instances of severe weather are on the decrease. 

Can we stop burning food to power our vehicles now?

That might help to curtail the food riots that Mr Klare is expecting to increase in number as global warming proceeds unabated. Food riots may increase but they will have nothing to do with rising temperatures which aren't.  With CO2 on an exponential increase we won't be running out of food.

CO2 is GREEN and we need more of it.