It was with great interest that I started watching this channel 4 documentary, a response to Gore’s Inconvenient Truth and, really, a response to what the producers and director (a certain Martin Durkin, who, 10 years ago was chastised by the Independent Television Commission for misleading some of the people he interviewed in his anti-environmentalist documentaries, something he apparently did again in this case with Carl Wunsch, who claims to have been deceived) of this anti-propaganda piece of propaganda see as an increasingly dangerous global warming bio-fool movement.
Now, I happen to be one of these bio-fools, but with what I hope is an open mind. So if I hear that some people are saying that global warming is a hoax, I am interested in finding out why they are saying it.

The GGWS starts strongly enough, with some interesting, albeit not new, evidence proving that severe temperature fluctuations have been with us as long as there has been an earth. The documentary then goes on to show that CO2 emissions play only a minimal role in raising temperatures, and that, in fact, temperatures affect CO2 emissions rather than the other way around. Finally, the point is made that solar flares are the source of the current rise in temperatures and that man-made CO2 emissions have, therefore, pretty much nothing to do with the global warming of the earth.

What is the agenda behind this documentary? There is a belief in some circles that global warming and what it embodies is a scam, an effort by many people in this world to deceive the rest of the world, a desire by corporations and organizations to profit from the hype, and an attempt by some to slow down the growth of developing countries. And if we are to believe a certain Lyndon LaRouche and his cohorts of anti-environmentalists, man-made global warming is a hoax created to limit human potential, to control population growth and to curb the rise of technology. The more one looks into this issue, and the more one realizes that the idea of man-made global warming has a lot of enemies, and not only in the more obvious circles of right wing capitalistic ideology. Man-made global warming is now regarded as both a profit-driven conspiracy and, at the same time, the delusional ramblings of bio-fools who would rather save the planet than humanity.

Let us assume for a moment that all of the above points (I personally agree with the sad fact that global warming has become a profitable path for many, regardless of their true motivation) have various degrees of truth in them. Let us assume that the earth is going through a natural warming period, part of a cycle that started 4.3 billions years ago. Does this justify taking all responsibility away from what we are doing to the planet? Should Man be therefore fully exempt of accountability in regards to his action towards the environment? This is the message of this documentary. And this is a very dangerous message. Fearing for the future of the planet does not make one a Luddite, a preferred term of the anti-environmentalists. The impact of Man on its environment has never been so pronounced and profound. Even if solar flares are indeed responsible, so far, for most of the warming on earth, it does not automatically imply that we must ignore the role played by man, a role which we are only starting to understand. And the precautionary principle has nothing to do with this. There is evidence of direct harm to the planet, whether via CO2 emissions or deforestation or animal extinction. The director and producers of this documentary seem to want to encourage viewers, by putting all emphasis on the earth’s cyclical temperature changes, to believe that it is acceptable to ignore these facts.

Now, let us assume that man-made global warming is indeed true. If we believe this documentary, we can continue to do as we please, to pollute, to suck from the planet its resources and riches, to put man first and nature second. Again, assuming that we are responsible for what is happening to the planet right now, what kind of a future would you rather live in? Isn’t it worth being careful now? Some speak of the feeling of collective guilt that is being pressed upon the citizens of this world. What of it? Can’t the Western world deal with that guilt? Can’t the French, Germans, Americans, British and others learn to drive less, to switch light bulbs, to recycle, and, really, to be aware? That is not guilt. These are good manners for the 21st century. And when it comes to developing countries, we must clearly not hinder their growth by forcing upon them cost prohibitive measures, but rather we must use our own expertise, knowledge and financial resources to help guide them towards a growth that balances environmental concerns with in some cases, more traditional methods. This film would have you believe that the same type of pressure that is put on the Western world is applied to developing countries, but as pointed out by www.realclimate.org, the Kyoto protocol does not apply to developing countries (http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/03/swindled/)

I do not partake in the idea that being an environmentalist means being anti-technology or being in favour of limiting human growth and potential. It is about finding a way to balance these forces so that everyone can benefit, on a healthy planet, from a healthy future where technology can play its part.