Ideology trumps reality in climate debate

LETTERS

Re: “Climate: politics or perception?”, Sept. 9 Lethbridge Herald.

Philosophy professor Kent Peacock fittingly states, “… droughts, floods, storms and fires have been coming and going for a very long time.” Like others, he seems to suggest the recent disastrous events are perhaps the result of climate change. Yet, the climate has always changed and catastrophic events have always happened naturally. The big difference, ignored by most, is our world’s ever-increasing population, much of which is vulnerable because of uncontrolled urban growth, poor municipal and regional planning and inadequate mitigation.

In its recent report on extreme weather, the IPCC’s experts concluded that globally there were no consistent trends in warm spells, droughts and floods; however, they concluded, “Rapid urbanization and the growth of megacities … have led to the emergence of highly vulnerable urban communities …” The hurricanes in Texas and Florida were heart-breaking disasters. However, consider that greater Houston’s hurricane-coast population has nearly tripled in the past 50 years with massive areas paved over, apparently exacerbating flooding. Coastal Florida’s population doubled from 10 to 20 million in 40 years. Parts of downtown Calgary and High River are in flood plains. Fort McMurray was built inside a forest with no fire guards. What possibly could go wrong?

Media, politicians and many others are afflicted with confirmation bias, always seeking proof for their beliefs while ignoring population growth, geography and actual historical weather facts. Many believe that every storm and flood (in a flood plain) or every devastating fire (worsened by long-term suppression policies and poor urban design) are caused by climate change. Yet, old records show that few weather events are unprecedented. Until Harvey, there was a recordsetting, 12-year calm period between significant hurricanes making landfall in the U.S. — something conveniently ignored by most media.

You likely don’t know that in southern Alberta, July and August 1936 were as hot as in 2017. The spring and summer months of 1910 were dryer than 2017 and that year 145,000 hectares (Annand, 2010) burned in southwestern Alberta — three times of the size of the 2003 Lost Creek fire and current Waterton fire combined.

We need policies based on facts and science, not on ideology or on ill-founded concepts reinforced by confirmation bias. Peacock fancies that this government “…will make its decisions about climate and energy policy on the basis of science.” Unfortunately this is not happening and NDP ideology is trumping reality.

Indeed, the climate debate is mainly about politics and perception.

Clive Schaupmeyer

Coaldale