Interpretations

There are certainly a lot of contentious issues that bring out fierce debates between the right and the left, but an important one is Global Warming. Now, empirical evidence clearly supports the idea that there is climatic change going on. However, like most facts, it is interpreted by people in dramatically different ways. Here are some excerpts from a fairly objective article on Arctic Warming.

Fact

Arctic temperatures are rising at almost twice the global average and could leap 4-7 Celsius (7-13 Fahrenheit) by 2100, roughly twice the global average projected by U.N. reports. Siberia and Alaska have already warmed by 2-3 C since the 1950s.

Opinion

Possible benefits like more productive fisheries, easier access to oil and gas deposits or trans-Arctic shipping routes would be outweighed by threats to indigenous peoples and the habitats of animals and plants.

I also looked at a different article on Junkscience.com, a Fox News affiliate, about Global Warming. Of course, I couldn't really find that many facts in this article, but here are some interesting tidbits.

Fact

After a four-year-long campaign, the RAN pressured Citigroup to restrict its lending practices in the developing world, including: not lending to projects that might adversely impact natural habitats; banning logging in tropical forests; avoiding investment in fossil fuel energy projects; and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from power projects in its lending portfolio.

Opinion

And, sadly, the environmental activists seem to be doing their best to make sure that poor countries stay poor.

Second Opinion

Global warming may or may not be occurring. Humans may or may not be playing a role in any ongoing climate change. What is certain is that poor countries need economic development and environmental activists are blocking their way.

I just found it really interesting to see how facts can be twisted in any which way, and how often people aren't even concerned with making honest arguments. To persuade people, we must always present the cold-hard facts and make sure to keep our opinion in line with these facts. Only then can we actually influence others.