Louis Aubuchont

To the editor:Obviously when someone such as Mr. Daniel W. Roberts of Fryeburg, Maine, writes his opinions about Global Warming (as he did in the Conway Daily Sun on July 12 of this year in response to a column by William Marvel), does he not realize that world organizations such as the Union Of Concerned Scientists take a far different approach in addressing the subject? There is a majority consensus among the world's leading climate scientists and researchers that Global Warming is well underway and the undeniable effects of it are being felt the planet over.What, pray tell, does Mr. Roberts know that the majority of world leading climate scientists and researchers do not?Mr. Roberts seems to be under the misconception that there is no empirical scientific data being supplied by credible scientific groups or agencies when, in fact, most world governments have had their top climate scientists and researchers studying Global Warming for many years, and most countries, if not all, are in total agreement that Global Warming is very real with the latest findings pointing to its increasing at an unprecedented rapid rate.Google: U.S. Climate Action Report 2002From TheNation.com: "U.S. Climate Action Report 2002 made headlines because it contradicted so much of what the Bush Administration has said about global warming. Not only is global warming real, according to the report, but its consequencesheat waves, water shortages, rising sea levels, loss of beaches and marshes, more frequent and violent weatherwill be punishing for Americans. The report's biggest surprise was its admission that human activities, especially the burning of oil and other fossil fuels, are the primary cause of climate change. Of course, the rest of the world has known since 1995 that human actions have 'a discernible impact' on the global climate."That was back in 2002, Mr. Roberts. Just where have you been not to have even a clue of this report since you seem to be such an authority on climate change and global warming?Need more? Try this: "New Administration Report Cites Human Role in Global Warming."Echoing a National Academy of Sciences report from last year, the Administration's new 'U.S. Climate Action Report - 2002' states that 'Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing global mean surface air temperature and subsurface ocean temperature to rise.' It continues, 'While the changes observed over the last several decades are likely due mostly to human activities, we cannot rule out that some significant part is also a reflection of natural variability.'" ( http://www.aip.org/fyi/2002/073.html )More...The following excerpt was taken from the "Union Of Concerned Scientists" Web site, addressing "Global Warming Science." http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/"Global warming is already under way. The evidence is vast and the urgency of taking action becomes clearer with every new scientific study. Some of the most obvious signs are visible in the Arctic, where rising temperatures and melting ice are dramatically changing the regions unique landscapes and wildlifeas well as peoples lives and livelihoods. Across the globe, other early warning signs include melting glaciers, shifting ranges of plants and animals, and the earlier onset of spring."If the combined research of the Union Of Concerned Scientists is not enough to overcome Mr. Robert's vastly superior intellect, then there is our very own (NOAA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration whose thousands of scientists and researchers worldwide rely on Climate Prediction relating to Global Warming predictions on such empirical results to wit - a basis for theoretical development.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has volumes of empirical scientific data relating to the subject of Global Warming. A very recent, interesting and telling NOAA presentation to the White House entitled "The effects of Co2 on surface air temperature" predicted over a ten-year period." http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/products/vis/gallery/climate_prediction/index.htmlHow you, Mr. Roberts, can write that there is no empirical scientific data available relating to the subject of Global Warming is beyond me when all one has to do is Google "NOAA / Global Warming" and find something like One Hundred and Seventeen Thousand returns on the subject! There are virtually millions of pages of empirical scientific data available on the subject of Global Warming to anyone capable of operating a mouse and left-clicking on them.It seems to me that Mr. Roberts is more protesting Al Gore and his documentary movie "An Inconvenient Truth" because of his personal politics, trying to refute the fact that Global Warming is real and that it is here - now, and that it is having a profound effect on our daily lives more and more. Seems an ignorant opinion in the face of so much already proven and overwhelming scientific evidence.I would say to Mr. Roberts that if he wishes to attack Al Gore, that's his prerogative, but trying to do so via discounting what most world leading climate scientists and researchers now consider to be fact is, in my humble opinion, foolhardy in the extreme.If you do not believe what you are reading about Global Warming, look at our local weather and catch up on current events: earlier springs with little snow runoff; then flooding rains followed by hot, very unusual, humid weather; tornadoes becoming more prevalent to the region; later falls and winters with far less precipitation and snow; one would have to live in a cave with no access to the outside world not to be aware that Global Warming is very real.I Quote Mr. Daniel W. Roberts, "The lack of empirical data in this Web site is striking and damning regarding the motivations of people who honestly believe global warming is occurring. Until hard actual data is supplied, Al Gore's movie will be regarded as fiction."Wake up Mr. Roberts, The "empirical scientific data" of which you speak is presently all around you! All that you need do is, open - your - closed - eyes - and - mind - to - it.