Chamber: Global Warming is Good for You

[ensho]

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/more-chamber-commerces-climate-denial


After losing several high-profile members over its climate policy, the US Chamber of Commerce spent much of this week attempting to convince the public that it does believe global warming is a serious concern that Congress should act upon. But in comments recently submitted by the group to the Environmental Protection Agency, the group advanced a very different view. In its submission, the Chamber questioned the science behind the phenomenon of climate change, suggested that humans are now less vulnerable to rising temperatures because of the growing use of air conditioners—and theorized that even if the planet is getting warmer, that might be a good thing.

The Chamber's comment was submitted to the EPA on June 23 in response to the agency's finding in April that carbon dioxide is a hazard to human health. The 86-page document is packed with claims that cast doubt on that conclusion. An excerpt:

The Administrator has thus ignored analyses that show that a warming of even 3 C in the next 100 years would, on balance, be beneficial to humans because the reduction of wintertime mortality/morbidity would be several times larger than the increase in summertime heat stress- related mortality/morbidity.

-snip-

The Chamber also submitted a supporting document, "Detailed Review of EPA’s Health and Welfare Scientific Evidence," that includes even more bizarre statements about climate change, including:

Humans have become less susceptible to the effects of heat due to a combination of adaptations, particularly air conditioning. The availability of air conditioning is expected to continue to increase.

--snip holds further ridiculous statements-
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insanity! or have the Barons stuffed their pockets with money?

[ananda]

1. The new catchphrase:

Let em use A/C.

Ick.

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. the reduction of wintertime mortality/morbidity would be several times larger than the increase

in summertime heat stress- related mortality/morbidity.

How about factoring in the mortality rate as dengue, malaria, and other tropical diseases become endemic in the mid-atlantic states like Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC?

There is more to 'global warming' than hot summers.

Oh, and BTW, though the winters may be shorter they may also be much harsher - instead of gentle snows, we see ice storms, so there is not necessarily going to be a reduction in winter cold-related deaths.

[alfredo]

3. I'm glad Apple has walked away from the C of C.

[fascisthunter]

4. our number one life support is dying and yet they still protect their bottom line

these people are sick.

[elocs]

5. There are those here in Wisconsin who think that and welcome milder winters

which in 100 years should be like winter in Arkansas without an equivalent rise in summer temps. Of course, it doesn't matter much that other areas of the country will be under water or unbearably hot.