Cal Thomas (“Doubling down on crises,” PDN, Aug. 12) who has never claimed to be a scientist, illustrates that limitation once again with his comments on climate change.
The new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report does not “repeat what we have heard many times before.”
It makes a clear science-based assessment of the serious changes that are happening much faster than expected.
It shows clearly that the real-world evidence is far beyond the simple-minded accusations of Chicken Little behavior that Thomas ascribes to Al Gore, John Kerry and others.
His head-in-the-sand view has led him to excoriate Greta Thunberg for her challenge to the UN General Assembly.
Others may think differently.
She did win the Nobel Peace Prize.
His comments on COVID-19 are equally lacking in scientific awareness.
Science progresses by continually adding data to what is known and adjusting conclusions accordingly.
Holding rigidly to a previous position, rejecting all new information, is anti-science.
Changing perspectives on climate change and COVID-19 are exactly what scientists should be doing as more data is available on these complex issues.
Paul Wessel
Sequim