In his latest OP-ED for the New York Times, Paul Krugman equates climate change denial to a form of treason against the planet. I couldn’t agree more. I would also add that it is a betrayal against reasonable discourse.
As new facts and research continue to sound the alarm, many in the US, including some of our elected representatives, have chosen to blindly deny that something needs to be done about the excess of greenhouse gases. This, agreeing with Mr. Krugman, is betrayal - not only against the planet but against civilization itself.
As Krugman points out, rejecting a claim based on informed opinion and critical reflection is “acting responsibly”. Yet, establishing an opposing position on the subject because you dislike the “political and policy implications of climate change” is both dishonest and immoral. It becomes even more so, when facts and research results are misrepresented to “feed the denial”.
Climate change denial requires the rejection of hard science and factual data. It also requires fallacious and nonsensical arguments to support such denial. This results in a betrayal of logic, and attacks the very foundation of rational discourse intended to find the common ground necessary to begin solving such a real and serious problem.
Those among us, including our representatives, should be held accountable for such acts of “treason”. The position of a policy maker is not a privilege, but rather a duty – a duty that requires living up to the expectations of the polis – that our policy makers will be honest, forthright, educated and will put the interests of humanity above self-interest and political affiliation.
As Krugman asks, “How can anyone justify failing to act”. I can’t find a reason, can you?
Paul Krugman is a professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton University and OP-ED columnist for the New York Times. In his article he writes:
“To fully appreciate the irresponsibility and immorality of climate-change denial, you need to know about the grim turn taken by the latest climate research.
The fact is that the planet is changing faster than even pessimists expected: ice caps are shrinking, arid zones spreading, at a terrifying rate. And according to a number of recent studies, catastrophe — a rise in temperature so large as to be almost unthinkable — can no longer be considered a mere possibility. It is, instead, the most likely outcome if we continue along our present course”. Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/opinion/29krugman.html
No comments:
Post a Comment