Al Gore and other alarmists have made great hay with the disputed detection of a global warming “signal” in hurricane strength, presenting it as settled science. The alarmist groups have even gone so far as to demonstrate outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Thankfully, most of the scientists involved on either side in the dispute over global warming have got together to call attention to the real hurricane problem: government policies that encourage people to live in areas most vulnerable to hurricane impacts. In a joint statement, the scientists say:
We are optimistic that continued research will eventually resolve much of the current controversy over the effect of climate change on hurricanes. But the more urgent problem of our lemming-like march to the sea requires immediate and sustained attention. We call upon leaders of government and industry to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of building practices, and insurance, land use, and disaster relief policies that currently serve to promote an ever-increasing vulnerability to hurricanes.
It always amazes me that those who preach about changing the weather in fifty years’ time are unaware of how their screeching drowns out awareness of very real problems we can fix today.