When did you last conduct a science experiment? I’d like you to go home tonight and play scientist. Find a white coat, go into your kitchen, put some ice in a glass and then fill the glass to the brim with water. Watch what happens as the ice melts – nothing!
The water line in the glass does not change when the ice melts as it’s already displacing its own weight and the same holds true for floating polar ice packs. As the floating ice melts it becomes its weight of water, which is exactly the same volume as it displaces. Therefore, it’s impossible for melting Arctic ice packs to raise the sea level.
This rational explanation is not evident in some of the claims made about the consequences of anthropogenic global warming. It is this inaccuracy that prompted Professor Bjørn Lomborg to write his bestselling book: Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalists Guide To Global Warming.
Lest there be any confusion, Lomborg categorically states that global warming is real and that we humans have undoubtedly contributed to rising temperatures. This, he says, is “beyond debate”. He challenges, however, whether the elaborate and expensive actions now being considered to stop global warming will be effective.
Lomborg argues that “extravagant CO2 cutting programs” will have little impact on the world’s temperature for hundreds of years. He views Al Gore and many prominent scientists as alarmists. Equally, Lomborg is viewed by many as a controversial figure whose claims are to be challenged. The details of attack and counter-attack are complex and I will continue to listen to both sides of the argument.
To state the blindingly obvious, I’m not a scientist and therefore it’s impossible for me to know who is right and who is wrong. The recent controversy surrounding the credibility of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) adds to people’s uncertainty. This means that as a private citizen and the CEO of Gateway I will keep an open mind and not take extreme positions.
Of course, the debate surrounding climate change does have beneficial effects. Gore’s campaign has put global warming on the international agenda and is causing many individuals and organisations to change their ways.
At the end of the day I respect everyone’s right to have a view on this and other important issues. I’m with Bjørn Lomborg who believes we should do something about climate change and a lot more about other problems, such as hunger, which he regards as more important and urgent.
Regards
Paul J. Thomas
Podcast is available here 
Kertis Field Says:Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Systems that support life on earth are complex and intricate, their linkages with each other and how they keep in balance food production, rainfall, ocean currents, temperature and climate to name a few are a mystery to most who are not in the scientific field. If one is put out of balance the rest are affected like falling dominoes.
Continually removing carbon that has been stored and re-released through the burning of fossil fuels for energy, manufacturing and transport (the list goes on and on) into atmospheric systems has no effect whatsoever? You top up that glass of water with extra water (or carbon into the atmosphere, which was originally removed and stored for a reason) and what happens? It overflows and you have a mess. Temperature fluctuates and always has over time, however the rate at which the temperature is changing today is significantly faster than the historical time record – and this only started after civilisation started to burn fossil fuels.
The effects of climate change are in front of your eyes right now, acidification of oceans, longer and sever droughts, intensification of events such as bushfires and hurricanes. The Murray-Darling Basin is all but dead, a fact the Government wants to hide but there is no return of the Murray-Darling and it happened in your life time. What economic outcome is that going to have on industries that relied on that water? The Great Barrier Reef contributes more money to the Australian economy through tourism than the exporting of metal and coal combined, what effect will the loss the reef have on the economy of Australia? As climate events intensify in certain areas, who would want to insure a business or home in such a high risk area? How much money would it cost to upgrade water and waste infrastructure impacted by sea level rise or areas no longer receiving regular rainfall? The effects of climate change will impact every single last part of society and business, it’s not just about saving fluffy cute animals its ensuring humanities future through sustainable living that has minimal impact on Earth’s systems.