Global Warming Controversy
In a follow-up interview to his May 31 interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep airing June 1, 2007 on NPR News' Morning Edition, Griffin said the following:
- "I have no doubt that global -- that a trend of global warming exists. I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with. To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn't change.
- First of all, I don't think it's within the power of human beings to assure that the climate does not change, as millions of years of history have shown, and second of all, I guess I would ask which human beings - where and when - are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take."
Some climate scientists referred to his remarks as ignorant. In particular, James E. Hansen, NASA's top official on climate change, said Griffin’s comments showed "arrogance and ignorance", as millions will likely be harmed by global warming. Jerry Mahlman, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said that Griffin was either "totally clueless" or "a deep antiglobal warming ideologue."
In a closed-door meeting on June 4, 2007 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Griffin said:
- "Unfortunately, this is an issue which has become far more political than technical, and it would have been well for me to have stayed out of it." "All I can really do is apologize to all you guys.... I feel badly that I caused this amount of controversy over something like this."
Read more about this topic: Michael D. Griffin
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