An Inconvenient Truth vs.

Exposed 1

An Inconvenient Truth vs. Exposed: A Climate of Fear

Global Warming has been a big topic in recent years. According to

www.America.gov, under Glossary of Environmental Terms, Global Warming is defined

as an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere, especially a

sustained increase sufficient to cause climatic change. There is a lot of controversy

over Global Warming and whether or not it is driven by man. “Leading climate alarmists

claim that global greenhouse gas emissions need to decrease to 60 percent below

present levels by 2050 if humans are to avoid catastrophic climate change.” (William

Yeatman, 2009). Former United States Vice President Al Gore is featured in a film titled

“An Inconvenient Truth” where he expresses his support over Global Warming and the

Greenhouse Effect. However, Glenn Beck is in disagreement over Gore’s theory.

In Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” he refers to Global Warming as a palnetary

emergency. He says he has been telling his story for a long time and feels like he has

failed to get the message across. He says good people in politics hold the issue at arms

length. He believes that human beings are responsible for the greenhouse effect, which

causes global warming. He believes we are filling up the thin shell of our atmosphere

with pollution. He thinks that people view the earth as being so big that we cannot have

an impact on it. He says our atmosphere is vulnerable because it is so thin. It is so thin

that we can change its composition. He states that carbon dioxide goes up and down

because when the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, as it is during our

spring and summer. At that time, the leaves come out and breathe carbon dioxide, and

the carbon dioxide goes down. In addition, during the fall and winter, the northern
 An Inconvenient Truth vs. Exposed 2

hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and the leaves exhale carbon dioxide, so the

amount goes back up again. It is as if the earth is breathing in and out. Carbon dioxide

started being measured in 1958. He gives examples of how the glaciers in Glacier

National Park are retreating year after year due to the rise in carbon dioxide. He thinks

people will face a water shortage as a result. He shows a few pictures of glaciers that

have melted over time. He claims that there is a correlation between temperature rise

and the rise in carbon dioxide levels, over the past 1000 years. When there is more

carbon dioxide the temperature gets warmer because it traps more heat from the sun

inside. He claims, currently, carbon dioxide is way above where it has ever measured

before (above its natural cycle). The 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the

past 14 years. 2005 was the hottest. Ocean temperatures have risen as well, which

cause more storms. He claims his presidency loss brought into clear focus what he

needed to do, which was to start giving the slide shows on global warming again.

In Glenn Beck’s “Exposed: A Climate of Fear” he puts up an argument to

discredit Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”. Glenn Beck begins by stating that the world

“is” getting warmer, and that the temperatures have increased by 7/10 of a Celcius

degree over the past 100 years. He states that the only way to truly judge global

warming is to look back many generations. He says the Kyoto protocol is the gold

standard of worldwide efforts to limit the emissions of green house gasses, like carbon

dioxide, by industrialized nations. He attempts to expose all of the holes in this protocol.

He calls it a joke. He states the U.S. is responsible for 20 percent of the world’s

greenhouse gasses, yet three-fourths of the total expense would fall on the United

States. It does not include China, India, and Brazil. He shows a clip of President George
 An Inconvenient Truth vs. Exposed 3

W. Bush stating the Kyoto Protocol is not well balanced. He also showed a clip of Vice

President Al Gore, in 1997, stating that the United States will not comply with it as long

as big polluters like China do not have to. Beck stated that Clinton signed the protocol

and announced his commitment to it, but he never sent it to congress to be ratified

because he knew 95:0 it had already been voted down. Beck mentioned that only 2 of

the 15 countries that ratified it said they would meet their target, and 7 said there was

no way they would ever meet their target. John Christy, the director of the earth’s

system science center at the University of Alabama, and the state’s Climatologist,

played a major role in directing the Kyoto Protocol in 2001. He was the lead author for

the 2001 report by the IPCC. He said that behind the scenes what he saw was more

alarming. He said that he had lunch with three European lead authors who told him that

they were trying to make the report so dramatic that the US would “have” to sign off on

it. An expert on the economical impact of global warming, Bjorn Lomborg, stated Kyoto

is inconsequential when it comes to the environment. He said it would do very little good

at a very high cost. The Delaware State Climatologists had his job threatened if he were

to speak out against global warming. Beck proceeds to explain how dramatic the media

makes things, even when it is not that bad. He says the element of fear plays a major

role in getting people’s attention. He claims that this is what Al Gore did in his film. Beck

points out two newspaper headlines from the New York Times in 1957. One read “A

Warmer Earth Evident at the Poles” and then just two years later another read “Scientist

Agree World is Colder.” Beck reflects on Gore’s film when Gore claims there is no

disagreement among scientist about global warming. And, Beck introduces several

scientists who do not agree that we are causing climate change. Beck goes on to prove
 An Inconvenient Truth vs. Exposed 4

Gore’s charts, graphs, video, etc are all altered and incorrect. He points out how often

Gore uses the word “if” and that he has no evidence of anything he is saying. One of

Beck’s guests states that we spend more money on research for global warming than

we do on cancer. Beck gives statistics that state kids are more concerned now-a-days

with the effects of global warming than they are with terrorists’ attacks and car crashes,

due to the impact of the media.

Based on the evidence given in both films, I find Glenn Beck’s reasoning to be

more compelling. Beck presented more evidence to support and back up his points.

Gore’s points were theory based with no hard evidence. Al Gore seemed to over-

dramatize all of his points, which appears to make his points false. For example, he

used huge charts and images, which were clearly edited by computer software. He even

went so far as to say there are no scientists who disagree with his theory, which is

completely false. According to the Bible, in Matthew 7:20 Jesus said, “Wherefore by

their fruits ye shall know them.” In my opinion, due to all of his drama and falsifying, Al

Gore shows poor character, and gives way to a poor reputation. I find it very difficult to

believe anything he has to say. Beck did a good job exposing the Kyoto Protocol. I am

convinced that it is a costly protocol, which will yield minimal results. I agree with Beck

that the climate change is very small and not enough to warrant a costly plan that will

take away from more important needs such as cures for HIV and cancer. I believe the

media and alarmists make global warming out to be bigger than it truly is. I also believe

that, over several generations, our climate can be seen going up and down. Therefore,

if the truth is ever going to be at the forefront, research is going to need to be done over

several generations.
 An Inconvenient Truth vs. Exposed 5

Finally, I believe the Lord does not want us to live day-to-day in fear and worry

over Global Warming. It is a theory based on fear. And, the Bible clearly states in 2

Timothy 1:7 that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Therefore, unless science proves

otherwise, I choose to ignore the insignificant topic of Global Warming.

 An Inconvenient Truth vs. Exposed 6

References

Yeatman, W. (2009). Global Warming 101: Costs. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from

http://www.globalwarming.org/2009/02/04/global-warming-101-costs/