Climate and Atmospheric Circulation

There has been a recent surge in articles from fossil-fuel friendly sources pointing to the inequity of tax credits and government subsidies being directed to the renewable energy sector. 

The latest is by Alan Caruba writing on the industry-backed CFACT website bemoaning a $7 million investment in a wind project in New Jersey. 

What Caruba and others fail to mention in their argument is that the fossil fuel industry - the main competitor to the renewable energy sector - receives more than ten times as much in government subsidies globally.

A recent report by Bloomberg New Finance finds that worldwide, the fossil fuel industry - which is made up mainly of oil, gas and coal companies - receives $557 billion a year in government subsidies while the renewable energy sector receives around $45 billion, or over ten times less support.

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In the United States, government spends two-times more money on subsidies to the fossil fuel sector, with $72.5 billion going to dirty fuels and $29 billion to clean technology. And half of that $29 billion goes into subsidies for corn-based ethanol and not wind, solar and geothermal technology.

Not mentioning the ridiculousness of subsidizing companies like ExxonMobil, one of the most profitable companies in the history of the world, this uneven playing ground in the energy sector between fossil fuels and clean energy is what allows people like Caruba to make his false arguments.

The Washington Post penned an excellent editorial yesterday deriding Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's political attack against climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann, a former UVA professor whom Cuccinelli has targeted in a witch hunt.  

The Post editorial notes that "the overblown critique of climate science that emerged early this year continues to underwhelm," citing several examples of the recent rash of politically-motivated attacks on climate science, including the much-ado-about-nothing 'Climategate' episode last winter, the repeated attacks against the integrity of the U.N. IPCC, and of course Mr. Cuccinelli's witch hunt against UVA and Mike Mann. 

This week's ruling by Circuit Court Judge Paul Peatross confirming that Cuccinelli lacked "an objective basis" for his witch hunt "put a damper on a pernicious fishing expedition," the Post says.

But that hasn't checked "Mr. Cuccinelli's zeal," since he immediately announced plans to re-rig his fishing pole and try again to smear Dr. Mann, "thereby extending his assault on academic freedom," says the Post.

The editorial closes with sharp criticism for Cuccinelli's attempt to "embarrass Virginia":

"We hope he rethinks his course. At this point all he can do is waste more taxpayer money, force the university to waste more of its money and embarrass Virginia in a way that can only harm its higher education system." 

Check out the full editorial, "A judge puts a damper on Mr. Cuccinelli's U-Va. witch hunt." <!--break-->

Reuters - Hurricane Earl weakened slightly to a Category 3 storm as it churned toward the eastern U.S. seaboard on Wednesday and looked to sideswipe the densely populated coast from North Carolina to New England, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

AP - Tourists on a North Carolina vacation destination island were preparing to board the ferries and head for the mainland early Wednesday and more evacuations could be on the way as powerful Hurricane Earl threatened to sideswipe the East Coast.

AFP - The US East Coast braced Wednesday for an expected hit from Hurricane Earl, which threatened weekend holiday plans for beachgoers after pummeling several Caribbean islands with heavy winds and rain.

Time.com - Hurricanes and other tropical storms are given names to make it easy for the public to know which particular storm warnings or news reports to follow. It's especially important in busy hurricane seasons that see multiple storms at the same time

This New York Times online editorial last week by Tim Egan, "Building a Nation of Know-Nothings," says a lot about the need for literacy, respect for facts and rational thought all being important building blocks for democracy.  

Egan notes the "astonishing level of willful ignorance" evident among the public, thanks to the lies and distortions put forward "largely by design" by Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, "aided by a press afraid to call out the primary architects of the lies."

Egan correctly points out that this pattern is all too often seen on the subject of global warming:

"Climate-change denial is a special category all its own. Once on the fringe, dismissal of scientific consensus is now an article of faith among leading Republicans, again taking their cue from Limbaugh and Fox." 

Read "Building a Nation of Know-Nothings" on The New York Times website. <!--break-->