Reed and I recently subscribed to DISH Satellite TV. One of the stations offered by DISH is a channel called Free Speech TV (FSTV). They run some wonderful programs that you won’t see anywhere else. Recently I was watching a program called The Energy Conspiracy (produced by Hans Bulow and Poul-Eric Heilburth). This show demonstrates who is behind the war against renewable energy. Who has made sure that it still provides a minimal part of our energy consumption. Who has made sure we still choose coal and oil. This is an exploration of influential organizations, worldwide, who lobby for the coal, oil and nuclear power industries against supporters of sustainable energy. They claim to have the support of scientists to show that the burning of fossil fuel is actually beneficial to the environment. Global warming, they say, allows a longer growing season and better crops.
We are shown the real story about the Leipzig Declaration which is used throughout the world as evidence that global warming isn’t happening. The writers of the Declaration tout that it is signed by “almost 100” climatologists who say that there is no global warming and so we should not worry. What we need to realize is that this is the document that groups, such as the Bush Administration, are using to justify not doing anything to reduce greenhouse gases. They proudly declare that they are right because of all the scientists who signed this Declaration.
Why is this alarming? Well, first of all, the Leipzig Declaration is sponsored by an organization called the Science & Environmental Policy Project. The Project, not surprisingly, is funded by the fossil fuel industry and headed by Fred Singer. Do we REALLY expect a project funded by the fossil fuel industry to say that fossil fuel use is bad?
Now let’s take a look at all those “signers”. It turns out that there are really only 80 signature on this Declaration — a far cry from the “almost 100” that is claimed. On closer inspection, it appears there are some problems with some of the signatures — sixty are not climatologists at all. A great deal of effort was expended to track down these folks on the list and many simply don’t exist. Of the “signers” that they were able to track down, fifteen are upset because they would never sign such a thing. The others who are listed as climatologists are really insectologists, dentists, civil engineers, lab assistants and others who know nothing about the science of global warming.
The four main signers turn out to be scientists for the fossil fuel industry. When pressed about these facts the spokesman for the Leipzig Declaration admitted there are REALLY only eighteen actual signatures — and most of them work for the fossil fuel industry. The others listed never really signed anything, but are listed there anyway.
The film goes on to show areas of the world that have suffered defoliation, floods and other natural disasters due to changes in climate. Yet when governments allocate funds for research, 40% goes into fossil fuels, 50% into nuclear power, and just 9% into renewable energy.
The saddest part of the show is near the end. The world’s largest windmill, which was producing over $400,000 in profits each year and supplied power for over 1200 households, was bought by a nuclear power company and blown up. Let’s hope that this isn’t the fate of all attempts to produce cost-efficient renewable energy.
"You’re doing God’s work. Every time you turn your car on and you burn fossil fuels and you put CO2 into the air, You’re doing the work of the Lord. Absolutely."
— Frederick Palmer, President of Western Fuels
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Angela C. Byers
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