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Administration Officials Say Climate Change Forecasts Could Take Five Years; People May Be a Major Factor in Global Warming
Wednesday, July 10, 2002
(9:04 PM ET)
By John Heilprin
The Associated Press

The report mostly blamed human activity for global warming, but acknowledged some lingering scientific uncertainties.

WASHINGTON -- AP
The Bush administration told Congress Wednesday it needs up to five years to develop scientific forecasts before deciding how best to address global warming.

House Science Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., and other members of his committee praised the competence of administration officials, but expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as limited information being provided about the White House's climate change policies.

"We really don't have a policy," said Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., who cautioned that officials' statements could be providing false hope. "There's a lot of rhetoric, and not a lot of action."

Assistant Commerce Secretary James R. Mahoney said the administration was "now ready to move into a new time of differentiation and strategy evaluation" extending over the next two to five years -- depending, of course, on whether President Bush is re-elected in November 2004 -- that would help the nation develop strategies to minimize climate change risks.
(More: New Jersey Online NewsFlash News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Note the title misquote for news-sensation purposes:
“people may be a major factor in global warming”

Where the actual quote is:

“White House Science Adviser John H. Marburger III, appearing with Mahoney, told the House Science Committee that humans have been ‘a major driver’ of greenhouse gases, and that these gases -- often produced by the burning of oil and coal -- have contributed to climate warming.”

Being a major contributor of greenhouse gases in no way implies that “people may be a major factor in global warming”. That we are a factor is moot, since we definitely are, and that changes can be made to minimize, even negate this factor is unquestionable. Apparently the media feels that its public is simply too stupid to see this and must be goaded into action -- whatever that might turn out to be -- but I really don’t think we’re ready to attack the primary cause for global warming, if there really is a warming trend at all. But if such a trend is valid -- well, we’ll just have to turn down the sun a little bit...

Dan