Science, Business and Climate Crisis

The AP reports that the new film An Inconvenient Truth gets the science right. I saw the film last weekend, and basically everywhere I turn, I see validation for the film's science from scientific quarters. The controversy around climate change is a political controversy and a business controversy.

From the AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's top climate scientists are giving "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore's documentary on global warming, five stars for accuracy.

The former vice president's movie -- replete with the prospect of a flooded New York City, an inundated Florida, more and nastier hurricanes, worsening droughts, retreating glaciers and disappearing ice sheets -- mostly got the science right, said all 19 climate scientists who had seen the movie or read the book and answered questions from The Associated Press.

The AP contacted more than 100 top climate researchers by e-mail and phone for their opinion. Among those contacted were vocal skeptics of climate change theory. Most scientists had not seen the movie, which is in limited release, or read the book.

But those who have seen it had the same general impression: Gore conveyed the science correctly; the world is getting hotter and it is a manmade catastrophe-in-the-making caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

"Excellent," said William Schlesinger, dean of the Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University. "He got all the important material and got it right."

The scientific argument on this is over and done. The political fight is, shall we say, heating up. There's loads of business opportunity and job growth possible in developing solutions to market: the necessary technologies to turn the emergency around already exist.

Oil companies and their allies will fight and finance opposition to political change tooth and nail to protect their industries and shareholders. Unless popular will overtakes them, they'll win, at least in the short term. Long term if nothing is done, we all lose, and long term could be just the ten years we have to turn this around, according to informed opinion. If another big hurricane hits the U. S. this year, all bets on the political dynamics are off. If the stakes weren't so high, I'd say, grab some popcorn, it's going to be quite a fight.