Editorials
Monday, September 29, 1997JUST when it seemed that a consensus was developing on global warming, the increase in temperatures around the world over the last century, with mankind's emissions of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse" gases targeted as the culprit, it turns out that it may be mistaken. There's another serious candidate -- the sun. Finding the culprit
behind global warmingSolar variations -- seasons, storms, rhythms of activity, sunspots and flares -- seem to be connected to climate changes on Earth. A growing number of scientists contend that these variations might rival or exceed mankind's actions that pollute the atmosphere in changing the climate. Some even think virtually all the warming may be explained by solar variations.
There is a worldwide campaign to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly by restricting the burning of coal, oil and wood, in the hope that this would stop global warming.
In the Clinton administration, Vice President Al Gore is the leading advocate of this position.
But the connection between man's activities and increasing temperatures is not universally accepted by scientists. Some experts point out that most of the last century's warming occurred before 1940, while most of the gas buildup came later, indicating that only part of the rise in temperature can be attributed to human activity.
William J. Broad, a New York Times science reporter, writes that three solar variables are being studied as possible agents of climate change on Earth: the sun's overall brightness, which could affect temperatures; its ultraviolet rays, which could affect winds and ozone production in the atmosphere; and sun storms of magnetic fields and subatomic particles, which could affect rainfall and cloud cover.
Most mainstream scientists, Broad reports, say they aren't sure how much of the global warming is due to natural causes and how much to human activity. With interest growing among scientists in the theory that the sun is the source of much climate change, it seems highly premature for governments to decide on specific reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases, as they plan to do in a conference in Japan in December.
The price of such decisions in terms of damage to the U.S. and other industrial economies could be great and the benefits small. It would be folly to act while the scientific jury is out.
THE state attorney general is big on openness and the public's right to know what is going on -- at least when it comes to the investigation of trustees at Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate. But it's a different story for the official meetings of the governor's Economic Revitalization Task Force. Despite compelling reasons offered by a citizens' watchdog group, Attorney General Margery Bronster has concluded that the task force does not have to open its proceedings. Secretive task force
Despite the AG's ruling, Governor Cayetano, Senate President Norman Mizuguchi and House Speaker Joe Souki should throw open the doors of the task force's meetings to the people of Hawaii.
TWO of the deaths of infants and small children here recently, allegedly at the hands of their mothers, occurred in military families. The armed forces are aware of the strains that military life can place on families, particularly long deployments away from home and isolation from relatives. Many parents are young and inexperienced, making them particularly vulnerable. Preventing child abuse
In the civilian community, families in distress often can seek support from relatives. But child abuse knows no distinction between civilian and military. Child Protective Service workers are overloaded with cases. In its efforts to reduce spending, the state must ensure that this essential function is not neglected.
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
