Friday, November 02, 2012

After "Super Storm Sandy," NOW Will They Stop Denying Global Warming?

Doesn't look like it. Broadcast media focused unrelentingly on the trivia of each moment's damage, hardship, and chicken soup poured on by politicians. Only mention I heard of the bigger picture was from scientists on Bloomberg's radio (figures, as he isn't in the denialist camp), and even that was a tiny fraction of airtime. Thus we are at the mercy of media oligarchs' personal attitude. Apparently the consensus within the corporate elite is to go along with the position of the fossil fuel extraction industry. (As always, fanatical noisemakers for hire are readily available to shout down reason.)

In brief, global warming makes hurricanes worse because hurricanes derive their energy from ocean heat, and the oceans are warming. Secondly, since the level of the oceans have been rising due to ice melting from glaciers and the poles (especially the north), that means higher surge levels and more flooding.

But just as no massacre shakes the ironclad two-party consensus against gun control, it seems no natural calamity can shake the climate change denialist consensus. Or not so much a consensus, but just that those who no better have no stomach for a fight with the fanatics of the Right.

No comments: