OPINION/COMMENTARY

Biodiversity Discovered

The "Biodiversity Crisis" has gained significant attention in recent years as the worlds' leading ecologists and environmentalists warn us that plant and animal species are going extinct in ever increasing numbers; this demise, commonly referred to as "The Sixth Extinction", being largely caused by human destruction of habitat and the consumption of natural resources. Acting on this impending doom, governments worldwide have been greatly stepping up wildlife protection and habitat conservation measures.The Biodiversity treaty signed by 153 nations in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit, places species preservation at the forefront of the global environmental agenda, with staggering political, social and economic ramifications affecting virtually everyone.

Despite the emphasis placed on this dilemma, scientists concede that shockingly little is actually known about global biodiversity and extinction rates in the first place. Because of this, estimates are subject to wild speculations. Currently, these range anywhere from 10 million to upwards of 100 million species; based on these totals, ecologists have projected rates of 27,000 extinctions each year to as much as half of all living species to disappear in our lifetime!

For the first time, the total number of living species on earth, as well as actual extinction rates, have been calculated from reliable data. At most, there are 3.63 million species and the extinction rate is 3 to 5 species annually, vastly differing from the much higher estimates embraced by environmentalists and accepted by many policy makers.In light of the factual evidence presented herein, the entire issue of biological conservation needs to be reevaluated and various endangered species laws in both the United States and abroad reformed or abolished....

Thanks to eco-logic Powerhouse for the link to the Biodersity Discovered report.

Energy Insanity

It is absolutely amazing to see the political haranguing around America when it comes to the politics of oil and energy. In this election year, we hear of elaborate media conferences arranged by high-profile politicians who are complaining about increases in gas prices in an attempt to get political mileage with this issue. Like any consumer out there, I am annoyed with the steep price of gas at the pump (presently $2.35-$2.50 a gallon here in Southern California). The cost of gas is seriously squeezing most Americans financially.

The impact of this cost goes even farther. Some economists and politicians voice their concern for the U.S. trade imbalance (hovering around $44 billion in recent months). Yet, by far, the single most contributing factor to this trade imbalance of funds is the cost of imported oil. In the politics of oil and energy, this fact is never brought up -- and certainly not by media groups who would understand that this fact alone might make an even stronger case for domestic oil exploration....

Water World

The supply of fresh water is vital: as the world's population and economy expand, demand for water inevitably increases. The UN World Water Development Report "Water for People, Water for Life" should be, therefore, a timely and valuable document. Sadly though, it remains entrenched in the command-and-control paradigm, and so its policy recommendations will likely produce expensive failures, as have so many in the past. This is a pity, because there are several success stories from around the world where significant efficiency in water use has been gained at very low cost....

Atkins lawsuit pushed by meat hating animal rights radicals

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), the organization promoting today's lawsuit against the estate of the late Dr. Robert Atkins, has an undeniable animal-rights motive for attacking a wildly popular diet plan that features meat and dairy foods. And PCRM has clear connections to an animal-rights terror group whose seven leaders were arrested yesterday by the FBI.

Today the Center for Consumer Freedom outlined the connections between PCRM and Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), a subset of the terrorist Animal Liberation Front. SHAC members have bombed cars and office buildings, threatened the lives of innocent Americans, and beaten at least one medical researcher while his family watched in horror....

Europe to Russia: Ratify Kyoto or Else

Facing mounting evidence that Russia is prepared to strike a final deathblow to the Kyoto Protocol, European Union (EU) officials have told Russia they might approve or deny the country's admission into the World Trade Organization based on its acceptance or rejection of the global warming treaty.

Entrance into the World Trade Organization (WTO) is expected to aid the Russian economy. Currently, with Russia outside the WTO, EU economic protectionism punishes Russia with severe tariffs and bans on a wide variety of Russian imports. Before 2003, for example, Russia exported at least 5 million tons of grain each year to Europe, but the EU has since shut the door on more than 90 percent of Russia's grain exports.

The WTO does not forbid the EU from taking such actions against nonmember nations. Russia's entrance into the WTO would protect it against such predatory economic practices....

EU Nations Fail to Comply with Kyoto

As the European Union (EU) uses World Trade Organization membership as a threat against Russia, evidence is mounting that the EU itself is failing to uphold its end of the Kyoto Protocol bargain.

One of President George W. Bush's chief objections to the protocol was that it was crafted in such a way as to make U.S. compliance more difficult and economically punitive than EU compliance. For example, the baseline year of 1990 was chosen to pre-date the transition of many European nations from coal to oil, natural gas, and nuclear power, for reasons unrelated to greenhouse gas emissions. The choice of 1990 also punished the U.S. for significantly greater economic and population growth, and therefore significantly more greenhouse gas emissions, than Europe managed during the 1990s.

Despite the crafting of a treaty highly favorable to EU nations, data from Germany, France, England, and many other European nations show the EU itself is not abiding by the treaty it is attempting to foist onto Russia.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a 30-nation economic partnership dominated by the EU, reported on April 5 that its member nations are failing to meet their Kyoto emissions targets....

Target of the week

Animal-rights activists went to the home of a Chiron employee one night last year to send a message. They pounded on her front door, rang her doorbell and shouted, "Open the door," followed by an epithet. Another night, they shouted through bullhorns and then bragged about it on the Internet. Someone also exploded two pipe bombs in her workplace.

Her crime? She was a paralegal for the Chiron Corp. in Emeryville, Calif., which engages in animal research to develop vaccines and other lifesaving products. It was her bad luck that Chiron had contracted with the animal-research firm Huntingdon Life Sciences -- and worse luck that animal-rights activists had formed a group committed to putting Huntingdon out of business, a group that was willing to intimidate any individual toward that end.

Last week, the feds indicted seven members of the group Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty -- including three Pinole, Calif., residents -- for stalking, harassing and intimidating employees at Huntingdon, Chiron and other concerns. The courts will decide if these individuals are guilty as charged. A SHAC spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle the charges are "completely unfounded" and then said this is "a classic First Amendment case."

Environmentalists want your property

Topping the list of laws that originally sounded good, but today destroy people's lives and livelihoods are those governing protection of endangered fish and other species. They are also the most vivid examples of what happens when you pour oil on a slippery slope. There is just no way to climb back up. Although many members of Congress recognize this, there's not one alive who knows how to negotiate the slope.

As new species are listed and habitat restrictions imposed, more citizens are damaged. Property owners lose rights to their land if an endangered woodpecker comes to visit, but the people who got the woodpecker listed lose nothing; in fact, they gain power, money, and prestige.

If you think an endangered "something" is waiting in the wings for your next development proposal, you're right. As of last December, 1,260 plants, bugs, birds, fish, and animals were on the federal threatened or endangered species list. More than 3,000 more are "candidates," in case some greedy human might consider turning over a shovel of sacred dirt....

Tall Tales In PETA's 'Dear Senator' Letter

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard stinging testimony that documented People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' increasingly confrontational tactics. The committee was also informed of PETA's ties to underground terrorist groups -- courtesy of a Center for Consumer Freedom letter read by Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT). As we predicted, PETA is justifiably concerned. PETA Vice President Lisa Lange recently submitted a reply to the Judiciary Committee in a vain attempt to defend the group's practices. Judging by her written statement, it looks like PETA's only defense is to distort the truth -- even if it means misleading the U.S. Congress....

Strange green John McCain

McCain is admittedly pinning his hopes on pressure that he expects will be generated by the publicity surrounding "The Day After Tomorrow," the just-released disaster movie based on a book by a Whitley Strieber, who has said he was warned of what is going to happen "by aliens." The movie posits a future in which hell freezes over as a direct result of our failure to do what the McCains of the world want.

Most of the commentary examines the "science" on which the movie is allegedly based as if its producers are in the documentary rather than disaster-flick business. Anyone who takes it seriously must still be wondering when the real Godzilla will surface to ravage our coastal cities, and when Fay Ray can come down from the ice-encrusted Empire State Building.

The scary question is: Why is a supposedly serious person like McCain relying on something as absurd as this movie to garner votes for his bill? One can understand Gore's fascination with such foolishness, but bringing up a bill in the hope that the hoopla surrounding a science-fiction disaster film will change the votes of men and women entrusted by voters to sit in the U.S. Senate has to mean he thinks his colleagues don't have the sense to come in out of the rain....

A Nice View for Boaters, but at What Cost?

Ban houses so boaters can have pristine views of the coast? Incredible as it sounds, the California Coastal Commission is actively implementing this policy in the name of protecting “scenic resources.”

Seems the commission got fired up about the idea after a boat owner complained about seeing homes along the coast on a recent voyage. So this month, the commission’s executive director, Peter Douglas, issued a memorandum expressing his determination to help the poor boaters by restricting any development that might break up offshore views of the coast....

PETA Denies 'Traumatizing' Kids

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals certainly has a strained relationship with the truth. Just days after unleashing a testimonial of tall tales on the U.S. Congress, PETA let loose with another doozie. In an attempt to reassure parents that their children are in good hands when PETA's predators are around, the group's new campaign coordinator Matt Rice recently told the Associated Press (presumably with a straight face): "We would never use shock tactics with children; it wouldn't be right." Rice may as well have added that the sky is purple and the earth is flat. As PETA's track record shows, the group reserves some of its most shocking tactics especially for children.

Here are just a few examples of PETA's attempts to shock kids into adopting its warped worldview....