Enviros, Congregations & Labor to Search for OFF Switch
By Gary R Zuckett
Is global warming fact or fantasy? Depends on who you ask. Big Coal, Oil, Electric Power Generators, Auto Makers, and other heavy industries have hired a handful of scientists to pooh-pooh it.
Meanwhile, investigations from the British Meteorological Office, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Goddard Institute for Space Flight have fingered 1997 as the hottest year in recorded history. In fact, last year was one of an impressive string: nine of the hottest (ever) years have been recorded in the past eleven. Weather patterns are more extreme. The sea level has risen 4 to 10 inches since the 19th century.
In recognition of the seriousness of this problem, governments of the world appointed 2000 leading scientists to assess the science and economics of global climate change. They found "the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate." They projected the temperature of the earth and ocean levels would continue to rise unless the "human influence" could be limited. If global warming is real, what can we do to cool things off? Quit belching out as much "greenhouse" gas from factories, power plants, auto exhaust, slash and burn agriculture etc. Sounds simple? The devil is in the details...
When negotiators from 150 nations met in Kyoto, Japan, an agreement was reached to start cutting greenhouse gasses which some hail as the beginning of world salvation and others curse as ineffective and economically disastrous. The truth, I suspect, is somewhere in between these extremes. Last winter, a series of public meetings were held in WV by our Division of Environmental Protection. Discussion was supposed to be on the new cleaner air standards the US EPA was proposing. The meeting I attended at the state capitol turned out to be an industry tirade against cleaner air and the Kyoto treaty.
I scratched my head as I watched the United Mine Workers of America stand beside the coal bosses and their recycled governor in an unholy alliance which underscored the union's concern over the job implications of Kyoto. Rhetoric was hot that cold January night and tempers were short. Our governor was even quoted tossing four letter words (see Feb. Graffiti) at a certain environmental spokesman. [Let's take away Underwood's air conditioning, Gary. Ed.] The WV legislature promptly sent a resolution to Congress condemning Kyoto and asking for its defeat. [Let's also take Bob Kiss' air conditioning away!] Ignoring the threat of global warming won't make it go away. The Kyoto Treaty may or may not be the best way to deal with global warming. What's for sure is more public discussion is needed in a cooler, less strident atmosphere. This is just what the Southern Appalachian Labor School has planned for June 27th at their Beards Fork community building in Fayette County.
Entitled "Turning Down the Heat" this community forum will bring together representatives from the labor, environment and the religious communities to discuss the challenge of global warming, the Kyoto treaty, and their effects on the land, people and economic well being of West Virginia. For more information contact John David at the Southern Appalachian Labor School at 304-779-2772 or write to SALS, POB 127, Kincaid WV 25119 or contact me at gzuckett@wvwise.org