For anyone interested in the issue of global warming/climate change, I suggest having a look at this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttNg1F7 ... &index=134
Here an excerpt from his wikipedia entry: "He is the Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science and Director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He was appointed Alabama's state climatologist in 2000. For his development of a global temperature data set from satellites he was awarded NASA's Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, and the American Meteorological Society's "Special Award."[1] In 2002, Christy was elected Fellow of the American Meteorological Society.[4]"
I would highly recommend you watch the entire video, but here's the Cliff notes version:
1. Energy makes the good life possible.
2. CO2 is not a pollutant but absolutely necessary for life.
3. The climate models do NOT accurately predict the measured behavior of the atmosphere, as measured by the satellite data (which is the most accurate not likely to be corrupted by urban heat island effect, etc.)
4. (And here's the real killer): whatever we do will have NO effect. According the average of the UN climate models, even if all human activity were to cease completely, the temperature would continue to rise somewhat.
Bottom line: Christy believes the UN models are a bunch of hooey, but even if you believe the UN climate models, there is nothing useful we can do . . . and -- further -- there is a moral cost to denying good, reliable sources of energy to developing countries. And this is from a guy who has been awarded the country's highest award for climate science.
But there is a lot, lot more, and the time you spend watching the video will be richly rewarded by actual facts from a highly decorated scientist who actually knows what he is talking about.