“AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH” – THE TRUTH ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING

“AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH” – THE TRUTH ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING

We saw Al Gore’s movie last night and we were spellbound. We had read reviews that were glowing. We knew that it was Al Gore’s movie. We weren’t quite sure what to expect because Mr. Gore, the man who “used to be the next President of the United States” had never previously kept us enraptured. But for one hour and fifty minutes we were spellbound. We were spell bound by the former Vice President and presidential candidate. We were spellbound by the science that supports every claim and statistic that he cited in support of his claim that this country and the world are on a collision course with ecological disaster from global warming. We were spell bound by documented patterns of the ever escalating levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that clearly correlates the with rise in global temperatures that in turn explains the recent dramatic increase in tropical storms, tornados, changes in the patterns of water flow in the oceans, the melting of the polar ice cap, the loss of drinking water and farm land around the world and the threat of dramatic increase in ocean levels that will threaten low lying geographical areas including lower Manhattan including the former site of the World Trade Center. And we were spell bound by some wonderful cinema photography.

Now you may ask yourself: “Why does a personal injury lawyer from Stamford, Connecticut care about global warming in a way that justifies including this information on his law firm’s Blog.” That would be a very good question.

As lawyers who routinely go to court and try cases in front of juries, we are trained to think and analyze scientific data looking for “holes” in arguments. Moreover, we are governed by and work routinely with a series of important court decisions issued by both the United States Supreme Court (the Daubert rule) and here in Connecticut the Connecticut Supreme Court (the Porter rule) (many other states have their own version of similar rules) that command us to examine scientific claims on the basis of opinions and data published in peer reviewed scientific journals to see if the claims being made in court are consistent with accepted science. We do this in all types of cases where the claims involve some assertion of novel scientific theory. We look to these rules in medical malpractice cases, car accident cases, claims involving dangerous medications, traumatic brain injury case and toxic substance cases. The significance of a peer reviewed journal is that it is widely accepted as a standard authority in its field and the articles published are consistent with rigorous scientific standards but then before publication, the articles are also reviewed by panels of experts from the same field who also apply rigorous third party review as a form of “checks and balances”. According to Gore, the facts, theories and conclusions that he cited during “An Inconvenient Truth” concerning global warming are supported by well over 900 peer reviewed scientific journals and there are no peer reviewed journals that refute this science.

For me, Mr. Gore’s reference to peer review was the critical element that convinced me that “An Inconvenient Truth” should not be viewed as environmental propaganda. Rather it should be viewed as Gospel. I am convinced that we are on a collision course with environmental disaster that has been fomented by bad habits and economic interests that resist change. Our failing auto industry and our oil and gas industry resist change despite the threat of environmental disaster. Our auto industry claims it cannot meet stricter emissions standards when such stricter standards are already being met in other countries including China. The petroleum industry resists change to protect its economic interests.

It is a moral and political imperative that we all take steps to improve the environment. To ensure that it is safe and clean for future generations. I hope that you will see “An Inconvenient Truth”.

Stewart M. Casper, Esq.

Casper & de Toledo LLC

1458 Bedford St.

Stamford, CT 06905

Tel. 203-325-8600

http://www.casperdetoledo.com

email: scasper@cadetlaw.com