Sam Champion: "This morning, 500 of the top scientists in the world are meeting behind closed doors to finish up a landmark report on global warming. And the picture they're painting isn't pretty. We're talking about change that's not 100 years away, but within the next 10 years. This is not the future -- it's happening today."
The morning weatherman went on to cite the liberal position on global warming: A call for reducing carbon emissions and he also noted that the IPCC scientists cite humans as the cause: "No one’s really gotten together to blame it on humans--this big of a crowd."
Champion began the segment, which aired at 7:15 on January 30 and followed another global warming-related report, by predicting impending doom. He didn’t, however, note that previous media-promoted predictions of apocalypse have proved incorrect:
Chris Cuomo: "It's interesting, while politicians invite the blame game about who may or may not have muzzled science, there's actually a new report that hits on the most pressing issue, when global warming could make a difference. Sam, you've been gearing up for this report coming out. What could it mean?"
Sam Champion: "And first time study this size, Chris. This morning, 500 of the top scientists in the world are meeting behind closed doors to finish up a landmark report on global warming. And the picture they're painting isn't pretty. We're talking about change that's not 100 years away, but within the next 10 years. This is not the future -- it's happening today. Already massive glaciers and sea ice are disappearing. Droughts are ravaging Africa, Southern Asia, and Australia. And rising oceans are covering islands and beaches. And a draft of a new report on climate change obtained by ABC News paints a disastrous look for global warming."
Kenneth Denman (Co-author IPCC Report) "We're hoping that it will convince people that it's, you know, that climate change is real."
Champion: "The soon to be released report predicts an increase in heat waves, intense tropical storms, and hurricanes. A sharp rise in sea levels and at an even faster pace, the continuing melting of the world's ice. American scientists reportedly want the final version of the report to recommend new technologies, called geo-engineering. One idea, for instance, would use giant mirrors to deflect some of the sun's rays from getting to get to the Earth, cooling the planet back down. Sounds like science fiction. With NASA funding, University of Arizona professor Roger Angel is researching using small discs to create a giant sun shade in space."
Roger Angel: "The effect would be, could be, to take our temperature back to pre-industrial level."
Champion: "But these ideas are still considered a last resort. Most scientists believe we need to focus on reducing carbon emissions before looking into alternatives in space."
Mike MacCracken (Climate Institute): "Well, I don't think geo-engineering is a magic bullet. We just haven't found anything that has really come close to being able to do anything that doesn't have other side effects that you just wouldn't want to have happen."
Champion: "But some say we already may be at a point of no return. On Monday, Indonesia's environmental minister warned that rising sea levels may cover some 2000 of his country's more than 18,000 islands in just 23 years. And we'll be talking about other stories about global warming all this week as we count down to the release of that full report on Friday. And I'll be there in Paris on Friday for the release of that report."
Cuomo: "We hear about timing, but to have all these scientists on the same page about how soon? That's rare, isn't it?"
Champion: "That's what's new about this. No one’s really gotten together to blame it on humans--this big of a crowd."
Nobody has gotten together to blame this on humans? Perhaps the ABC meteorologist missed the concerted effort that was "An Inconvenient Truth." (Also, it's interesting to note that the plan cited by University of Arizona professor Roger Angel to use space discs is straight out of a Futurama episode, "Crimes of the Hot.")
So, while the East Coast continues to suffer under a cold snap, Americans should probably expect more global warming propaganda from GMA’s weatherman.
