Bishop of Stafford and Warming

In response to
Bishop of Stafford clarifies environment comments

Dear Bishop your said:

“Some of the emails I’ve received say that I should keep my nose out of climate change issues because I’m not a scientist. This is the very response that must be condemned. If we leave this important issue to scientists we have a convenient excuse to do nothing.”

I am trained as a scientist and worked over 30 years in the sciences. I am also second career clergy. You are taking action based upon lack of knowledge.

At point is that the issue is not fully understood as most people who are in science understand. The problem is at two levels. One there is conflicting evidence about whether or not there is climate change. The natures of the studies which allege to support climate change have the logical problem of using short term data to tell a long term story. If I take the temperature outside at 3 am, 5 am, and 7 am and use this data to predict what will be the temperature in three days, I will get an answer of very hot. There is also the problem with the method of data collection itself, which does not address the fact that local environment around weather station has changed. There is strong counter evidence in that the ocean surface temperature shows level to cooling.

There is a second problem, that is the question if climate change is man-made. There is clear evidence that over the years the earth has had temperature changes.

The issue has enough evidence to warrant continued study, but nothing more. The problem with the global warming debate is that it has real negative effects on real people right here and now. The restrictions on industry mean few products, higher costs, and few jobs. This is much akin to the DDT ban, which was done with questionable science. Many year later, we see that the ban likely did little to help wildlife, and as many as millions have died to been gravely ill, because the public health needs which DDT was the best approach went answered with a second best approach.

There is no money to be made at the university to study if there is global warming, but much to be made to study the effects of global warming. So deference to university studies like they are without influence of the political is just wrong.

My dear Bishop, in this case you are lending your office to that which is not true. You are doing the same thing which the Roman Church did in the case of Galileo.

Yours in Christ,

Scott+