On the eve of the Fourth Session of the Conference of the Parties U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change being held in Buenos Aires, Argentia November 2-13, 1998, the Washington Post publishes a special "Issue Forum" on global warming. But one wonders what the "issue" is since the coverage is almost totally biased.
Not one article or advertisement substantially challenges the unproven theory that manmade emissions of greenhouse gases are causing global warming.
Here's a page-by-page description of the Issue Forum.
Page 1:
- Two thirds of the page is an advertisement by the Nuclear Energy Institute. The ad says "As the world's attention turns to global climate change, it's comforting to realize that America already enjoys a zero-emission source of electricity -- nuclear energy." I would think that an industry that has been as villified as the nuclear energy industry would be careful not to jump on the junk science bandwagon. I guess not.
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "U.S. must act now to reduce emissions" by Daniel Lashoff, "senior scientist," Natural Resource Defense Council.
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "The era of business as usual is over" by Michael Zammit Cutajar, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- An mushy, we-can-get-a-better-treaty article titled "We have time to 'think bigger'" by Robert N. Burt, chairman and CEO of FMC Corporation and chairman of the Business Roundtable's Environment Task Force
Page 2:
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "The risks of a warmer word" by D. James Baker, administrator, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "Early warning signs abound" by Adam Markham, director, World Wildlife Fund Climate Change Campaign.
Page 3:
- A full-page ad titled "Al Gore on Global Warming: Big Talk; Little Action" from the National Environmental Trust.
Page 4:
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "Kyoto emissions goal requires contribution from all technologies" by David W. South, vice president, Technology and Markets Group, Energy Resources International -- a business looking to profit off global warming hysteria.
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "Sustainable energy development: A worldwide priority" by Mohammed T. El-Ashry, CEO and chairman of the Global Energy Facility, a U.N. puppet charged with handing out cash to countries that buy into global warming.
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "Defining an agenda for global action" by Eileen Claussen, executive director of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "At issue: Developing country commitments" by Christiana Figueres, director, Center for Sustainable Development in the Americas.
- A directory of web sites spotlighting the Business Roundtable, Center for Sustainable Development in the Americas, The Committee to Preserve American Security and Sovereignty, Global Environment Facility, National Environmental trust, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nuclear Energy Institute, Pew center on Global Climate Change, Sen. Chuck Hagel, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, United National Framework Convention on Climate Change, U.S. State Department, Bureau of Oceans and International and Scientific Affairs and the World Wildlife Fund.
Page 5:
- A pro-global warming treaty article titled "View from the White House: Momentum building for 'balanced approach'" by Todd Stern, White House Climate Change Coordinator.
- A point-counterpoint over the merits of the Kyoto Protocol by Sen Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn) and Sen Chuck Hagel (R-Neb).
- A point counterpoint over the merits of the Kyoto Protocol by Philip E. Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust and Richard Burt of the Business Roundtable.
Page 6:
- A full-page advertisement titled "It's time to step up to the plate on climate change" by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.
This is objective journalism?
Send you comments to the editor of the issue forum William H. Woodwell, Jr (woodwell@shentel.net)" and to the editors of the Washington Post.
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