In the second round of Democratic presidential debates, the main difference between candidates was their level of passion about the “climate crisis.” Moderators asked no probing questions about the evidence for the crisis or the economic consequences of a Green New Deal.
Here are some questions that thoughtful reporters should ask:
- Where should the $2 trillion proposed by Elizabeth Warren or $400 billion by Joe Biden, to research alternative energy, be spent? What might the ROI (return on investment in dollars or gigatons of carbon dioxide saved) be, compared with using the money to build nuclear generating stations? (China can build one for around $3 billion each.)
- How much will it cost to replace our 260 million gasoline-powered cars with electric cars, or will they just be junked?
- Exactly how will food get from farm to supermarket without diesel-fueled trucks?
- What has happened to the price of electricity in green energy leaders such as Germany, Australia, and California, and how does this affect the poor and middle class?
- Candidates want to keep a “climate denier” out of the White House. What would they do with the 31,000 scientists who signed the Oregon Petition stating that there was no evidence that atmospheric carbon dioxide was causing catastrophic climate effects?
For further information, see the Climate Change IQ Test or “Green New Deal,” Civil Defense Perspectives, January 2019.