Friday, August 18, 2006

Global Warming: Pascal's Wager

PD Jonson, the founder of HenryThorton.com muses about Global Warming and Australia.

A highly respected Australian scientist said recently of global warming: "It’s like Pascal's wager. The consequences if we worry and take action about global warming will be minor if we are wrong. If we do not take action and we are wrong, the consequences will be devastating."

As I nodded off in the front of a blazing log fire, I mused about the future of Australian politics. I imagined bipartisan agreement on monetary and fiscal policy, virtual agreement about health and education and on the desirability of running a lean government with all activities that could be provided by private contractors so provided. The big future political divide is about the environment – one party wanting a greener, quieter, cleaner and if necessary materially poorer future and the other effectively advocating an Australia that is browner, noisier, dirtier but materially richer.

What of the debate about global warming? It seemed in my dream to be accepted as fact by both major parties, the evidence having become incontrovertible. Strenuous efforts were being made to restore water to the Mighty Murray, to protect endangered species and to clean up polluted streams and parks.

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