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Czech President Klaus ready to debate Gore on climate change
May 27, 2008, 21:18 GMT
Washington - Czech President Vaclav Klaus said Tuesday he is ready to debate Al Gore about global warming, as he presented the English version of his latest book that argues environmentalism poses a threat to basic human freedoms.
'I many times tried to talk to have a public exchange of views with him, and he's not too much willing to make such a conversation,' Klaus said. 'So I'm ready to do it.'
Klaus was speaking a the National Press Building in Washington to present his new book, Blue Planet in Green Shackles - What Is Endangered: Climate or Freedom?, before meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney Wednesday.
'My answer is it is our freedom and, I might add, and our prosperity,' he said.
Gore a former US vice president who has become a leading international voice in the cause against global warming, was co-winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize. Gore's effort was highlighted by his Oscar winning documentary film An Inconvienent Truth.
Klaus, an economist, said he opposed the 'climate alarmism' perpetuated by environmentalism trying to impose their ideals, comparing it to the decades of communist rule he experienced growing up in Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia.
'Like their (communist) predecessors, they will be certain that they have the right to sacrifice man and his freedom to make their idea reality,' he said.
'In the past, it was in the name of the Marxists or of the proletariat - this time, in the name of the planet,' he added.
Klaus said a free market should be used to address environmental concerns and said he oppposed as unrealistic regulations or greenhouse gas capping systems designed to reduce the impact of climate change.
'It could be even true that we are now at a stage where mere facts, reason and truths are powerless in the face of the global warming propaganda,' he said.
Klaus alleged that the global warming was being championed by scientists and other environmentalists whose careers and funding requires selling the public on global warming.
'It is in the hands of climatologists and other related scientists who are highly motivated to look in one direction only,' Klaus said.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
He probably thinks his first name is Santa.
I've studied the arguments of those who oppose the reality of global warming, and their arguments are not credible. If you want to see clouded, one-sided, communist-style propaganda science, look no further than the bullcrap spewed forth by the naysayers. As for the freedom to destroy the only habitat of human beings, it would simply be very, very stupid to allow such freedom in the name of economics, capitalism, etc.
Hmm, let`s see, temperatures have fallen or flat lined since 1998 YET concentrations of co2 are up by almost 5% AlGore said that co2 drives temps. That`s a lie, co2 does not antedate temps. Co2 lags behind temps by as much as 800 years.Algore`s film is so bad that a UK Judge issued a ruling that schools would have to issue a warning of political partisan views contained therein.
The UN predicted a runaway + feedback loop. That prediction is FALSE.
Brahman says 'As for the freedom to destroy the only habitat of human beings, it would simply be very, very stupid to allow such freedom in the name of economics, capitalism, etc.'
Vaclav Klaus 1, Brahman 0.
Your facts might be correct when referring to non-human caused global warming periods of the past. What is happening now has never occurred before. Also the current increase in CO2 is nothing compared to what it will be after global warming effects take hold in the next century and release all the carbon at the bottom of the oceans and in the permafrost.
Yes indeed, shiva, I am saying stupidity should be illegal. As in, it would be stupid to destroy the climate humans require to live. As in, what is the worth of economic prosperity when everyone is dead. Besides I am just commenting, not presenting an argument to be scored. If you want facts, look them up yourself. Finally, compliance with green legistation doesn't restrict the freedom to seek economic prosperity. In fact it is just the opposite. In every example, the world over, going green has proved to be more fiscally responsible. It takes a real dullard with black, oil-soaked eyes to see it differently.
So Gore will not rise to exchange ideas with someone who is educated, can see his scam and has called his hand...THANK GOD Gore's days as an ELECTED official are over. I hope we survive his term as a SELF-APPOINTED (ANNOINTED?) official.
brahman sez:
“Also the current increase in CO2 is nothing compared to what it will be after global warming effects take hold in the next century…”
The models have failed to accurately predict the present plateau and cooling, but believe me come 2100 its going to be real bad.
What is the “normal” temperature of the earth?
Brahman sez:
'What is happening now has never occurred before.'
What happened in the past had also never occurred before. So your point is what exactly?
To all those nay sayers:
In the known history of the earth, we are the only known species to have burned oil, which, as even you know, contributes to global climate change. So even if we have only been doing it for little a while we are upsetting the balance. That's the issue with people like you, you think that 'I'm so small, how could I possibly effect this huge world', but what you don't see is that the world is balanced on a knife edge, and too much change can and will alter the balance.
Brahman says: I am saying stupidity should be illegal.
Brahman has read the arguments on anthropogenic global warming. Brahman has made his decision so there's no need for further debate.
Perhaps Brahman would like to establish some 'camps' for what he defines as 'stupid'?
Book him, Danno.
Ive read about Kalus a few times and he has become my hero. 'In every example, the world over, going green has proved to be more fiscally responsible.' - This is completely incorrect. It takes more money to recycle most goods than to produce new ones, yet recycling in my city is mandatory in the name of going green (I can actually be fined for throwing a glass bottle in my trash).
For perhaps the 10th time now we are breaking records for the warmest average temperatures for the month of may.same for other month average temperatures,etc,etc.Similar facts everywhere in the world .It takes only a few minutes to google the disappearing of glaciers,polar ice,eternal snow,etc,etc.Yet there will always be an idiot to say that average temperatures are lowering .Am I glad there is google,at least it is idiot-proof .Claus is an ignorant clown on his way out after the next elections .One more example of a population that deserves a better leader and will take care of that .Even in the USA there is not a sane mind denying climate change caused by mankind in the electoral campaign.Even McCain recognizes the problem .Whatever the retarded deniers say,things will have to change .At the current and future price of oil those changes will economically profit the majority of the population,roughly all those that consume petrol in their cars .Even car manufacturing plant are now preparing themselves to shift to the production electrical cars .They'll be cheaper and cleaner .Providing of course electricity is produced by ecological means,that shouldn't be too difficult,less than landing a satellite on Mars I'd say .
The atmosphere of Mars is 95% CO2 (Earth is 0.04%) yet the HIGH temperature in -30 C and a low of -80 C. Gore said its not about the sun but the C02 in the atmosphere. By his reasoning Mars should be on a little more hotter than Earth I would think.
Whether or not Global Warming is real or not we have to look at the facts. Information in Gores incovinient Truth is highly inaccurate and misleading. For example, Im sure many of you know by now that Gore reported on the declining population of Polar bears over the last 5 to 10 years. Following the placing of the polar bear on the endangered species list, it was revealed that Gores claims were indeed misleading if not false. The supposed decline of the Polar Bear population was during a 30 year high in polar bear population. Meaning the the population was simply balancing out. It was a natural decline after a temporary population high. Why twist the facts? Secondly, people seem to think that anyone pushing a global warming agenda is not out for money or fame but shearly to save the world and this is complete and utter BS. There is money to be made in supposed Green technology and the people pushing it are often using similar tactics to those in the oil industry. They lobby people in Washington to support them, and gain unprecedented support because of the scare tactics issued by these global warming supporters. Politicians then push the global warming agenda to the benefit of their own personal goals and even to the benefit of their pocket. I will repeat that I do not know for sure one way or the other if Global warming is a reality. But having to sift through all this false and misleading information is making it all the harder. Gore mislead people. Perhaps with good intentions, but he mislead people none the less. There is money in green technology and we cant forget that. Green tech companies have lots of money to make and they increase their profits the more they convince people that Global warming is occurring right now. So they profit off of scare tactics and false information. This must be understood before anyone can really begin to understand the whole Global warming debate. And lets not forget, we all thought the world was freezing over just 30 years ago. and a lot of similar debates and hysteria was occuring then as it is now. These are just things for people to keep in mind. Dont just believe something because people say they are defending the environment. Keep in mind that these Green Tech companies are out to profit like anyone else.
Nick,
Nice, objective answer.
It might be worth adding that Gore is now a consulting partner *lobbyist* for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers – a green venture capital firm that completely depends on government backed green initiatives for success.
By the way, can anybody point to any instances where an increase in the average global temperature was actually bad for mankind? The only 2 global cooling periods I'm aware of during mankinds' existence are the last Ice Age and the mini ice age from the 14th-19th century. The global temperature went up considerably following these 2 occurances (without any input from mankind) and life got much, much better for all involved. Conservation is a positive thing, environmentalism is just religion for people who don't go to chuch and really, really want to tell other folks what to do...and then say it's for the common good...whether it's for the kids, the planet, the baby polar bears, etc. You just change around a few terms and Gore sounds just like Lenin.
//www.surfacestations.org/
So much for 'global warming' and anthropogenically induced climate change. The whole damned thing is most likely a data artifact exacerbated by economic and political opportunists.
All this lovely exchange. Humanity will unfortunetly choke itself on human infestation, the real source of the unpleasant argument. Planet earth has human-earth ratio balance at two billion. Now we are at about six and a half and growing. We might perish by various means, but the inevitability is only questionable as to when, how soon and by what means.
I guess Gore is tucked away somewhere studying on how Dinosaur cars caused the ice to melt away during our three or four previous ice ages...
To posters like dne who think there are too many people on the planet, take control of the future and go jump off of a cliff.
Or is your life too precious to sacrifice for the planet? Perhaps you think that we should be killing those lesser humans...
This ole planet (by most counts) is about 4.6 billion years old. Most earth scientists agree that it was once a ball of molten material, then it was covered with water, then there was organic life, then there was not, then there were dinosaurs, then there were not.
Things come and go. Planets in the universe are undergoing constant change. It is the nature of things. We simply cannot look at a snapshot of even 10,000 years and say with any certainty what is occurring. We and our time here, are just a blip on the screen.
For the environmental movement to think that we inconsequential humans can have some effect on the climate, whether intentional or deleterious, is absurd and very self-aggrandizing
Has anyone ever considered the similarities between this whole global warming movement and the eugenics movement of 100 years ago? As all of
you intellectuals will know this led to the horrors of the holocaust.
If you will do a little research you will find that it is the same type
of elites that were pushing the eugenics movement as are now pushing
the global warming movement. I challange you to google the name
'Maurice Strong'. As with the eugenics movement, it is backed by the
same foundations that now back global warming, including the Rockerfeller
Foundation, ect. Mr Strong was the behind the scenes person that gave us
the Kyoto Conference, and subsequent conferences. This has nothing
to do with saving the earth, but has everything to do with taxing us into
oblivion and get global governance.
hb
Brahman, what is sad to me is that you appearantly have never existed in a 'free' state of mind or life to understand or notice when those freedoms have be taken away. It is one thing to want to improve the environment and do all you can. It is absolutly another to force everyone around you to choke down your views. Environmentalism is a religion. I believe in and implement sustainable living but would never wish to govern those around me. If Environmentalism is to protect and control, as the savior of the planet's environment, then why not have a global religious initiative? If we are going to morally save mankind's habitat, then why don't we impose better moral standards and save man.Obviously because we think each person deserves free choice. There is an inherent respect that we should give our planet and resources but just as importantly we should give this same respect to our fellow man and their freedoms.
Some in government grab so madly for power that they will create 'crises' to justify taking freedom away from their citizens. This human-induced 'global warming' hoax is only the latest example, and those who have fallen for it are willing to surrender not only their freedom but yours and mine too.
Once you surrender to government the power to dictate what you drive, and at what temperature you must set your thermostat, do you really suppose government will be satisfied?
Will you also surrender to government the power to dictate the size of your family? What about the power to declare that the debate on human-induced climate change 'is over', and stifle free speech and dissent on the issue?
Will you then surrender to government the power to silence your voice in opposition to a candidate with whom you disagree??? If you're an American, you have already surrendered that right...it's called McCain-Feingold.
To those who say the debate on climate-change is over, I say this: You're wrong. It has not even begun.
Look up to the SUN....it's the solar cycles ..that causes these changes.
This happens in very long cycles.
It is a fact that the LONG term charts showed CO2 levels go up preceding temps.
We need to preserve our environment ..Don't get me wrong. Pollution of air and water and other chemical issues are gravely important. We have come a long ways. Generations of children and now yopung adults are very awares.
But market forces and self preservation is prodded by truth and correct information and not force and loss of freedoms and a economic blow.
Don't be misled..please by a agenda that drives social change through politic games.
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SP4: It'sMay 27th, 2008 - 21:42:43
...about time.
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