Timothy D Calvin
Melbourne, FL 32901
November 5, 2008
The Reverend Mark Hanson, Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631 Subject: The Importance of Carbon Dioxide
Dear Bishop Hanson:
Again I come to your doorstep. May God be with you in the intense
responsibility of your position in His Kingdom, granting you good health and sincere
introspection to the science and consequences about which I write!
I read with interest and excitement your October 24 letter pertaining to the
world’s economy and the many people who are currently damaged in it. As an economist and former National Bank Director I am very optimistic about the ultimate solution of the economic problems, even though I am sure there will be bumps and missed targets before there is a solid comeback. Progress will be under the control of the new administration.
Today I bring to you several matters for your thinking as President of both
the ELCA and the LWF. That thinking will include far more poor and very poor people in the LWF than in the ELCA. They are:
1. Progress in the scientific understanding of the likelihood that carbon
dioxide is of little significant influence on global temperature.
2. The need for more Carbon Dioxide to produce more carbohydrates
which are the bricks and mortar of food, forests fiber and flowers we all need for body,
comfort, and shelter.
3. What must be done for God’s People in the policy and political sense
to bring to those People Wellbeing ; the assignment for each of us.
1. Since the late 1980’s there has been a ground swell of acceptance that carbon
dioxide is the “main greenhouse” gas. Many believe it is increasing because of the profligate use of fossil fuel and thereby increasing global temperatures, 1 degree to 5 degrees Celsius. Further, this rise might pass a “tipping point”, scorch the earth and all species in it to some degree. End of life as we know it ! This acceptance has encompassed, intellectuals, most media, paper and electronic, many religious professionals, environmentalists, and politicians of townships to nationals.
In the 20th century a few scientists variously determined that there could be
a temperature rise of 1-4 degrees Celsius, most of it in the night season, mostly in winter, and in “upper latitudes” only, 40 – 70 degrees, (New York to Northern Canada) if the Carbon Dioxide Doubled, which would be at the end of the 21st century,. We have had about 0.6 Celsius rise since 1860 when we were still coming out of the Little Ice Age, 1550 – 1850. What has been projected and what is experienced is a small fraction of the daily variance of temperature. 1
Despite this hard evidence of a very small temperature rise in this long
period, recorded by both modern satellite daily readings of the whole earth and continuing readings of the consistent old thermometers, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change has been insistent that the temperature rise has been essentially caused by Man’s burning of fossil fuel and that burning must be substantially reduced very soon, or the planet would be greatly and irretrievably harmed in many ways. It is quite apparent to many of us that this well publicized and accepted scare is really in the UN’s support of its intention to extract “ money and technology” from the richest 20 % of the nations and deliver it to the
80 % of the nations that are “developing” or poor !
Two men in the USA have been extreme professors of the dangers of
heating, flood, species extinction, cyclones, droughts, etc. Al Gore has published two books and made an Academy Award movie An Inconvenient Truth. Many scientists have found fault with it, but they say little other than publishing many essays. Also there is James Hansen, head of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Both men have testified several times before the Congress. Scientifically, both have apparently exaggerated facts. Al Gore is the founder of a London company, Generation Investment Management, which trades in “Carbon OffSets”, ie. permits to emit Carbon Dioxide, directly or indirectly and participates in that growing market in Europe and the USA. Such a market would grow rapidly in the USA if “Cap and Trade” legislation were to be passed in the USA. James Hansen received a
multi thousand dollar grant from the Heinz Foundation in support of the environmental
movement.
These two men, with their considerable exaggerations are not the whole
support of the global warming alarmism. The greatest credit goes to the Chairmen of the IPCC writing of the Summary for Policy Makers, especially the latest, Dr Pachauri who has lead the alarming side by fact selection out of the thousands of pages of reportings of the whole group and the faulty results of “models”. These selections are reworked by a large committee of political delegates from many nations, approved by all, not necessarily scientists and issued to the press and policy makers with significant alarm. This process is well described by Dr Roy W. Spencer, Principal Research Scientist, University of Alabama, Huntsville, author of Climate Confusion, Encounter Books. 2008, on page 150:
“The Summary for Policy Makers is artfully worded in such a
way that it does not obviously contradict the science, yet it man-
ages to convey the maximum amount of alarm over global
warming. You might remember that James Hansen’s 1988 con-
Congressional testimony for Al Gore started this particularly effective
approach. Any uncertainties associated with predicting climate
change are either downplayed or ignored. Potential natural
sources of climate variability are treated only superficially, and
the bulk of the report deals with a variety of estimates of what
will happen to the climate system for various assumed future
scenarios of manmade greenhouse gas emissions.
As previously mentioned, after the Kyoto Protocol was devised
by the United Nations, the U S Senate in 1997 had a brief attack
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of rational thought and action. They unanimously passed a reso-
lution, 95-0, stating that they would not ratify such a treaty
because of the huge negative economic impact it would have
on the US and the fact that the treaty would exclude the large
and most rapidly developing countries, India and China.”
The reality is that once this concept of global warming is accepted by many, others accept it
even more heartily and it has become a religion. As faith, no further proof is required.
2. Now we come to my Faith, which is supported by my learning of Paleozoic
geology, chemistry, and biology and several more detailed disciplines.
About 400 million years ago the Carbon Dioxide was 4.000 parts per million
in atmosphere, (compared with 385 today), the average global temperature was perhaps 22 degrees Celsius (61 F) compared 59 F today. Large plants grew in swamps and fell down into water, preventing oxidation, and coal was created when the area shifted under the ocean and limestone formed on top of the plant matter during the Silurian period 300 million years ago. Carbon Dioxide fell to today’s levels. When it is this low there is not much plant growth. We are “carbon dioxide deprived today”! Pangea did not start to break up into the present continents until 180 million years ago.
Now, with nearly 7 billion people, we need lots of food, which takes lots of
carbon dioxide to make not only the carbohydrate for food but also for trees and fiber.
(Cotton is a lot nicer than polyester ! ) Not long after Man was, He discovered fire made from trees, for heat and tenderizing meat and vegetables. Then coal for heating, then whale oil for light and extending the hours of visual acuity, then petroleum for light and transport, then electricity for light. God gave us a brain to do all that, and the sequence is increasing the available carbon dioxide. We need more electricity for more manufacturing and comfort for more people, and especially electricity for developing people so they can cook with it instead of poisoning their lungs with dung and wood fire in a dwelling. God saved Coal and Oil in the Ground for 21st to 25th century needs of His People ! This faith and belief of mine
protects the poor of the world, and leapfrogs all of the science pro and con, going right to the final truth of what God has provided for us, His People If possible. we need to approach 2000 parts per million of carbon dioxide and we can do that in about 200 years (6 generations ), but that requires increasing the annual rate of increase of CO2 in the atmosphere from the present 0.5% increase to 0.7 %, as soon as possible. More Coal/Electric plants are needed. The sooner we are on that road the sooner we will have more food and lower prices, which is what the poor people need, not just in the USA but all over the world. That will beat any kinds of charity and tax payer supported gifts.
3. So! What must we do to reverse, correct and change the present thinking so
we can carry out this mission that I perceive is before us? I am sure it consists of teaching, prevailing, convincing, preaching, showing and telling what is contrary to the faith in UN’s IPCC. A key point of course is overcoming the lack of understanding that carbon dioxide and water make the carbohydrates, AND that a limitation or reduction of carbon
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dioxide is limiting the food that can be produced and consumed.. I have found well educated people who were astounded to be reminded of high school and the fact that CO2 and H20 make food !
Considering the Faith that I have expressed, I am shocked and offended that
the domineering writers of the Summary for Policy makers. under the strong willed
Chairman, have been able to depredate and malign Gods gift of Carbon Dioxide; considering it a Demon Gas and a pollutant, requiring reduction or ending its presence in such a very well propagandized way that their Following has produced a new Religion, contrary to our belief in One God, Jew and Christian alike. Additionally two false prophets have erupted who have the personality to convince millions, Al Gore and Jim Hansen. Probably the fastest most extensive Religion ever propagated. One of my teachers, (in absentia) Richard S Lindzen, (Alfred P Sloan professor of meteorology, Dept of Earth, Atmosphere and Planetary
Sciences, MIT ) a once muzzled writer of the Summary for Policy Makers recently said:
“What historians will definitely wonder about in future centuries is how deeply
flawed logic, obscured by shrewd and unrelenting propaganda, actually enabled a
coalition of powerful special interests to convince nearly everyone in the world that CO2 from human industry was a dangerous, planet-destroying toxin. It will be remembered as the greatest mass delusion in the history of the world – that CO2, the life of plants, was considered for a time to be a deadly poison.”
The “Time” is “Now” to end this slap in God’s face, detach ourselves from any concept that God does not know what He is doing. His gift of Carbon Dioxide which is over 70 % of all plants and continues the life of every animal on the planet is to be respected and treasured, not eliminated nor pumped into the ground at fantastic expense. Coal comes to us “clean” and does nothing but benefit humanity in an inexpensive compact form. Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide are the two life supporting gases. Life cannot do without either.
Limiting or controlling Carbon Dioxide can be acceptable to an atheist or an
agnostic, but not a Jew nor a Christian nor a Muslim who has faith in God ! The followers of the New Faith in the distorted science of IPCC, can and will do great economic harm to all the people of the world unless it is exposed as a fraud.
I urge, even implore you to meet with some of your trusted colleagues and
begin this discussion. I know from my experience with some (now many years ago) that “reduction of production/consumption” is of great interest in the “preservation” of God’s orld and His Gifts. This is often accompanied with the earnest need for “sustainability”. These are usually derived from respect for the “environmental” faith and sounds noble, but they too often deprive the poor.
I enclose some writings that might help
A. A Wall Street Journal clip reporting China’s “cooperation” with the UN
regarding “who will foot the bill for costly cleanup”. Later expansion of that
news indicated that China was expecting the richest 20 % of countries to pay
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$300 billion annually to developing nations including China to pay for the
technology needed to produce “clean” energy, anticipating that the new USA
government would install “cap and trade” or a straight carbon tax, either of
which would raise the price of electricity and transport for the USA. The
result of that would be the removal of energy intense USA production
businesses (aluminum, steel recycling, tires etc ) to China where energy will
be cheaper, without such an energy tax !
B. Research that reports improved forest growth with increased temperature as
well as increased CO2.
C. Manhattan Declaration following NYC meeting of scientists and economists
The Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change, in March
2008.
D. Nature, Not Human Activity, Rules the Climate. Summary for Policy Makers
from that meeting. (A more complete reporting of the NIPCC is available
from: The Heartland Institute, 19 S LaSalle St, Chicago, Ph 377 400
E. Speech of Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic at that meeting.
F. Introduction to paper by Dr Glassman re warming of solar wind and
El Nino.
G. Opinion by an Australian scientist who was, formerly a proponent of GW
H. Essay on Alaska Glaciers, by Dennis Avery Coauthor with Dr S Fred
Singer, Unnstoppable Global Warming, Every 1,500 Years.
J. 13 pages of quick readings on related warming/cooling writings, most
identified
K. Announcement of Cornwall Alliance publication:
L. A Call to Truth, Prudence, and Protection of the Poor: An Evangelical
Response to Global Warming. By 4 accomplished authors:
E Calvin Beisner, Where Garden Meets Wilderness, Evangelical Entry
Into the Environmental Debate, Published by the Acton Institute
1997
Paul K Driesen, Esq., author of Eco-Imperialism, Green Power.
Black Death (I previously sent to you)
Ross McKitrick, PhD, Statistics, who demolished the published
“Hockey Stick” Temperature graph that purported to show 1998 as the
hottest in a millenium, ignoring earlier warm periods,published in UN
IPCC penultimate report.
Roy W Spencer, Ph.D., (mentioned and reported above)
M. Finally, A CD by CO2 Science Carbon Dioxide and the Climate Change,
Reality or Illusion. A casual assembly of real researchers telling a few
of the important facts that they know, 53 minutes.
I sincerely hope that these writings will help you and yours break away from
the epitome of anti God demonization of God’s Great Gift to us, Carbon Dioxide.
In your Service, if I may be,
( Signed ) Tim Calvin