Global Climate Coalition
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Suite 1500 - North Tower
Washington, DC 20004-1703
Tel: 202.637.3158
Fax: 202.638.1043
Alt, Fax: 202.638.1032

Dear Journalist:
TIME agazine has authored a
In the blink of a planetary eye — five years to you and me
It's getting warmer...or is
pair of articles that characterize the current debate on clime
it getting cooler? How well do scientists really know how to predict climate changes into the
next century?
In the Jan. 2, 1989 issue of TIME that paid tribute to the "Endangered Earth" as Planet of the
Year, the newsweekly covered the so-called "global warming" story and echoed what some
scientists advised then and now, "The possible consequences are so scary that it is only prudent
for governments to slow the buildup of CO2 through preventive measures."
Conversely, while covering the recent Arctic chill story in the Jan. 31, 1994 issue, TIME asks,
"What ever happened to global warming?" Five years after the earlier story on wamfing, the
report states that "it might be more to the point to start worrying about the next Ice Age instead.
After all, human induced warming is still largely theoretical, while ice ages are an established
part of the planet's history." Continuing, "the next one -- for there will be a next one... may have
already started."
Is this part of some scientific conspiracy to confuse the public? No, but it does point out the fact
that the science of climate change continues to be uncertain. The data, and interpretations of that
data, change almost daily. That is the process of science. Develop a theory, test it, improve the
theory and test it again. Computer predictions of a dangerous global warming sometime late in
the next century are still in the theory stage.
One of our concerns, as we watch the scientific drama play out, is that the public and policy
makers may misinterpret today's analysis for tomorrow's fact. There is, I'm told, no
environmental liability in waiting the ten years or so scientists say it will take to separate fact
from theory regarding climate change. Even so, the Global Climate Coalition supports doing
now whatever we can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that also makes good economic
sense -- which is a lot. If you would like to hear more about the Coalition, please give me a call.

Sincerely,

Executive Director

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