Since the mid-nineteen eightees I've been an avid reader of the Tuesday New York Times because they have an interesting science section called the Science Times. I have never been moved to write a response before this, although I probably should have. But the Scitimes (as they are known online) and their correspondent, John Tierney, went over the line in an area of our mutual concern and I had to write the following reply.

On 9/13/2007 8:21 PM I wrote:

Dear Scitimes editors and John Tierney,

Bjorn Lomborg, who enjoyed the page 1 cover story in this Tuesday's NYT Science Times (A "Feel Good' vs Do Good' Response to Warming: Findings, by John Tierney.) Lomborg says that the best strategy is to make the rest of the world as rich as New York, so that people elsewhere can afford to do the things like shore up their coastlines and buy air conditioners. That's a pretty dumb thing to say for a man of his credentials, unless he has a rewarding conflict of interest.

And, if he, or John Tierney think that "preparing for the worst in future climate is expensive" they might check out the expense of not preparing for global warming. The Stern Report was very clear about the potential for expenses of as much as 20% of global GDP if we fail to prepare in a timely fashion. Yet only 1 to 5% of that GDP could probably forestall catastrophic effects if we begin now.

"For every £1 invested now we can save £5, or possibly more, by acting now." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6096084.stm)

I wonder if he realizes that, according to reliable sources like the World Watch Institute and the Earth Policy Institute, if China and India joined the New Yorkers in affluence it would take 3.5 earths to supply all the natural resources they'd need.

Moreover, it disregards the looming crisis of a rising energy demand curve that will soon intersect the waning oil resources supply curve. New York City and Mr. Lomborg require a supply of cheap oil to float their assertions. It's also the kind of news that's probably unfit to print.

Larry Menkes: Coordinator
Earth Charter Lifeboat Academy of PA
soundsynergy@comcast.net