Head in the Sand

I really don’t see how people can deny that the world, the climate, is changing. It’s like those people who say the Holocaust never happened -- how can they ignore something so big, so documented, so obvious?

But no. Today comes a report claiming that deforestation is not as big a factor in global warming as previously thought. Conventional wisdom holds that deforestation is responsible for about 20% of global carbon emissions, which has prompted numerous groups to call for cutbacks in logging and clearing, especially in developing countries.

The World Growth trade group, however, says new data pins that figure at closer to 5%. And, if deforestation is a smaller factor in climate change, well I guess there’s no reason to cut down more trees. The report give countries the green light to pursue deforestation projects as part of their overall development and growth efforts.

Do I believe it? Well, World Growth is a pro-development NGO, so it’s not like they have an unbiased view here. Nothing like finding statistics to justify your preexisting position.

But, just like trying to refute the Holocaust, denying the facts doesn’t make them any less true. The other big news today is the finding that this decade will likely be the warmest on record.

The source: the World Meteorological Organization. Definitely a more reputable name.