Babbitt warns of CO2 effects

Although he graduated from "the small Irish institution across the state line," Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt said he was excited to speak about global warming at the University last night.

"It's urgent that I clear out of Ann Arbor before Saturday's game," Babbitt said.

Babbitt said the University was an important stop on his anti-global warming campaign tour.

"This problem has to be discussed among leaders from college campuses," Babbitt said.

The speech, organized by SNRE students and faculty, comes a few months before representatives from developed nations meet in Kyoto, Japan, to negotiate a treaty that would reduce pollutants that cause global warming.

Within the next century, global temperatures are expected to rise between three and five degrees, and sea levels are expected to rise between one and three feet, Babbitt said.

"This is one of the most ominous, pervasive environmental problems we have ever confronted," Babbitt said.

Babbitt identified a $13 million campaign being launched by American industries - including the Detroit auto makers - as a major obstacle in his campaign to combat global warming. The industries claim that reducing carbon dioxide-producing methods of production would ultimately damage the economy.

Before his speech, Babbitt conducted a classroom discussion about global warming with University natural science professors and students. Many of them agreed the University community must work to educate the public about issues related to global warming.

"There's a big persuasion job to be done," said geology Prof. Henry Pollack. "It may mean going out and talking to people you don't normally talk to."

Steve Rowe, an executive at Holnam, the nation's largest cement manufacturer, contended that reducing pollutants can also increase efficiency.

"The environment and economics are not at odds," Rowe said. "It just takes some creativity."

One reason Babbitt cited for low public concern for global warming is that it is not an immediate problem that can be easily sensed.

"You can't taste carbon dioxide." Babbitt said. "You can't smell it. You can't see it."

One point of the anti-global warming campaign that the automobile industry campaign attacked is the lack of a specific time frame of damage to the environment by carbon dioxide.

"The precise impact is not clear," Babbitt said. "But the general outlines are pretty clear."

In addition to environmental hazards, Babbitt said global warming causes health problems - including malaria.

"As the temperature change begins, the mosquito vector is moving north," Babbitt said.

Babbitt recalled visiting Glacier National Park in Montana and not being able to find glaciers easily.

Within the past century, the glaciers have been reduced 50 percent due to higher temperatures.

"Soon they'll have to rename Glacier National Park," Babbitt said.

The recently released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which was conducted by thousands of scientists worldwide, contends the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double by the middle of next century.

Some scientists, however, dispute those findings and agree with the automobile companies that there is no need for global warming reform.

"There will always be a few scientists who believe in aliens in Roswell," Babbitt said. "But I know there aren't any at the University of Michigan."

09-24-97