Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

It seems for the past several years, as we draw closer to mid summer, there’s a drastic increase in the use of sunscreen and the application of media stories on Global Warming. A quick perusal of recent media stories suggests, at least on the national level, that many in the news business have given up on the question of whether the Earth is warming and have simply moved on to a discussion of what’s going to happen when the North Pole melts.

Recently, ABC news posted a solicitation on its Web site asking readers to write in with “interesting examples” of people coping with global warming in their daily lives.

” We want to hear and see your stories. Have you noticed changes in your own backyard or hometown? The differences can be large or small – altered blooming schedules, unusual animals that have arrived in your community, higher water levels encroaching on your property,” the site reads.

Two weekends ago, Parade magazine’s cover story seemed to dismiss any notion that global warming isn’t occurring and isn’t completely manmade. And, of course, Al Gore’s new movie “Life in the Balance,” is showing around the country, intended to serve as a wakeup call for global warming.

But I wondered how the global warming debate shapes news – specifically weather coverage – at the local level. In short, do any of our local television meteorologists deal with this perceived phenomenon and how does it affect coverage. I asked “the big three” for their take on this issue. Only WPMI TV-15’s David Glenn responded, writing via e-mail while out of town.

“This is indeed a hot topic in the scientific community and especially the media. As for whether or not I believe in Global Warming, it depends on how the question is asked. To answer with a simple yes and no just isn’t possible. Here is what I mean….Do I believe that warming is occurring, then I would answer ‘yes.’ This is based on data over the past century that does show that a slight warming has occurred (around 1 degree) globally,” Glenn said.

“However, the term Global Warming in the media often refers to ‘man-made’ warming. I am not ready yet to claim that the warming we are experiencing is 100 percent man made.”

Glenn said climatological studies show the planet has gone through warming and cooling cycles both before and after mankind started burning fossil fuels. He says some folks may not be giving the planet enough credit for its own heating and cooling processes.

“While it is true that CO2 levels have increased, the amount to which fossil fuel burning has produced is still small compared to the amount the natural forces of Earth creates – volcanoes, plant life, lightning, etc. So, there is still a major question as to how much of an effect man is actually creating. There are many computer model forecasts put out by varying environmental groups.

“This model data is trying to show a forecast of global temps 50 to 100 years from now. This is where the forecast output comes into question. Many of these models do not take into consideration the global ocean circulation patterns, which are a major driving force of transferring heat across the globe. That circulation is a major variable, that if left out of the equation, will not give a realistic output. Heck, I deal with computer models everyday with some many different variables. Most of these models cannot accurately predict out to 72 hours, and on some days not even 24 hours. So, a model predicting 100 years out, is always going to be met with some question by me.”

Glenn says he is all for more research on the matter and that he fully supports cleaner burning fuels, but that, for him, the jury is still out. But on to the big bugaboo for any weatherman – is global warming causing more severe hurricanes?

“As to how it is affecting us here locally, that’s a tough question. The only time the subject of Global Warming comes up is during hurricane season. While it is true that lately, the number of landfalling hurricanes has increased in the US, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before. We just came out of a very quiet cycle that lasted from the late ‘60s, through the middle 1990s,” Glenn said.

In fact, Glenn says that while there is a big media focus on the increased frequency and intensity of hurricane strikes on the U.S., it isn’t necessarily being duplicated elsewhere.

“Since 1995, the number of landfalling hurricanes has increased in the Atlantic. At the same time though, the number of hurricanes/typhoons in the Pacific has actually decreased. So, not exactly a global increase. Climatology again shows that we have seen such cycles before, the last of which was in the 1930s-1950s. This multi-decadal cycle of ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ has occurred since records have been kept in the last 1850s. What has made the past few years so dramatic is that our coastal population is higher than ever before, much higher than the last ‘up’ cycle in the 1930’s-1950s.”

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

Archives