SCI/TECH: Bush Ally Breaks Ranks on Global Warming

Speaking at the Houston Forum Club, former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker called for the US to "get serious about global warming." Baker is a close ally of the Bush family. "When you have energy companies like Shell and British Petroleum, both of which are perhaps represented in this room, saying there is a problem with excess carbon dioxide emission, I think we ought to listen," Baker said. The US is the world's biggest consumer of oil and top producer of greehouse gases.




Leading scientists say the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil creates a "greenhouse" effect that's warming the world climate. The oil industry has fought against the charge for years, funding much research to "prove" the opposite.

If oil-based energy companies like Shell and British Petroleum - and at the Houston Forum Club no less - are saying it's a problem, then it's time to sit up and take notice. This almost certainly means means they have alternatives in their back pockets. The call for "a gradual and orderly transition" to new fuels probably means they want to suck up all the oil profits they can before they make the change.

I worry more about the oil crash than global warming but still this is good.

You are right they probably have alternatives to fuel in their minds but only when the time is right to profit from it they will be able to share their "views" then we will be inundated by their propaganda as why we should support their findings.

Occurs it matters not that they had their "alternatives" since probably years ago.

Originally posted by soficrow
Leading scientists say the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil creates a "greenhouse" effect that's warming the world climate. The oil industry has fought against the charge for years, funding much research to "prove" the opposite.

Which "leading scientists"?

15,000 of them signed a petition against Kyoto.

mediaresearch.org
The 15,000 skeptical scientists, including Frederick Seitz, a past President of the National Academy of Sciences, issued a statement urging rejection of the Kyoto treaty: "The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind." Seitz asserted: "This freely expressed vote against the warming scare propaganda should be contrasted with the claimed 'consensus of 2500 climate scientists' about global warming. This facile and oft-quoted assertion by the White House is a complete fabrication." But TV viewers wouldn't know.

I'd say a past President of the National Academy of Sciences is a "leading scientist" himself.

That's the problem with "leading scientists" - none of them agree on anything.

James Baker breaking ranks with Bush? No frigin way man. Hide your wallets if Bakers talking change.

Originally posted by kazi

James Baker breaking ranks with Bush? No frigin way man.

Exactly. ...So what's going on is all according to plan. Lead the public by the nose ring. yada yada.

We can rest assured they've got their butts covered - and it's going to come out of our pockets. Again.



.

This is part of swinging big business around to alternative energies. They had to spend a few years deciding if it was going to be profitable enough and securing matching government funds so if the research failed they would still be in business. Apperently things are ready to go for them...my take...invest in whatever they're selling....we know they'll make money.


There is no friend anywhere - Lao Tse

Voice of Doom...

bingo... i am going to start saving my pennies and throw them that way...
If Baker is changing position, then they are ready to move, BIG time...

Shell/Exxon will probably still be the main patent holders of any promising alternate energy patents out there... but that doesn't mean that we all can't make a buck in the process.

I always knew they would have to switch directions some day,
only 40 more years of fossil fuel. (in easily extractable form)
350ppm+ carbon in the air now.
220ppm is the largest concentration ever in the past geologic history.

Buy solar...