He suggests other greenhouse gases such as methane are to blame. This is a curve ball, since controlling the CO2 emissions that are the result of burning fossil fuel has been the main focus of national and international meetings. The ESA research shows that temperature increases previously blamed on the burning of fossil fuels could, in fact, be largely due to an increase in solar radiation. They serve as well to illustrate the uncertainty that makes global warming such a complex policy challenge. Fundamental scientific questions remain unanswered.
Questions remain about the proposed cure, too.
Instead of wrestling with scientific uncertainties, policy-makers pretend that we know that global warming is caused by human activity and that we know that the consequences of not addressing it will be dire. These fairy tales could prove very expensive. If we are to meet our Kyoto targets, these costs will be only the beginning, as major reductions in our use of fossil fuel will be required. Some would argue that these costs are warranted in spite of the uncertainty. But, economic resources are scarce and, in light of that scarcity, trade-offs are constantly being made.