In a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, four former senior EPA officials agreed green-house gases (particularity CO2) needed to be cut to save the earth from climate change. I have one question for this group. What if CO2 is not a controlling factor in the earth’s temperature?
There are several reasons why numerous experts with strong academic backgrounds believe CO2 is not a major factor in the earth’s temperature. First, in 2018 over 500 studies were published in International Scientific Journals challenging CO2 as the cause for global warming
Second, CO2 is a very minor gas measuring 400 parts per million (ppm) which is only 0.04% of the atmosphere. 0.04% equates only to 40 seats in a football stadium that holds 100,000 people!
Third, there has been no significant warming in the last two decades while CO2 levels have accelerated to above 400 ppm. Where is the warming?
Fourth, there is a very poor correlation between CO2 and the earth’s temperature. For example, during the last 10,000 years while the earth has experienced numerous warm periods there have been only two 25-year periods when the earth’s temperature and CO2 have tracked together (1910-1940 and 1975-1998). As a matter of fact when CO2 levels begin moving upward after WWII, the earth cooled for 35 years from 1940 to 1975 and the “consensus of experts” at that time was the earth is heading to another ice age.
Fifth, in numerous tests numerical models that incorporate CO2 have failed miserably to accurately predict observed global temperatures. This strongly suggests CO2 is not as important as Alarmists believe.
Finally, CO2 is not a pollutant. A very strong case can be made for the earth needing more CO2 rather than less. If CO2 levels ever drop below 150 ppm, all plants die. Until the recent increase in CO2, CO2 levels have averaged around 270 ppm for the last 10,000 years. This is just above the dangerous level. For decades nurseries that can control their environment bump CO2 levels up to 1200 ppm because they get better growth and it requires less moisture. Thousands of studies on hundreds of plants confirm this observation. Plants love CO2! What are the ideal CO2 levels for life on this planet? No one knows.
In summary, if CO2 is not a main factor in the earth’s temperature, then the foundation for the man-made global warming argument collapses and there is no need to launch multi-billion dollar preventative programs like the Paris Accord.
Neil Frank PhD
Former Director National Hurricane Center
Retired Chief Meteorologists KHOU TV
Former Director National Hurricane Center
Retired Chief Meteorologists KHOU TV