Top News

by Don Shelby
(WCCO) Scientists see it: melting ice caps and glaciers, catastrophic changes in the ocean currents, an enormous rise in sea levels.

The certainty seems to have happened all of a sudden.

Vanity Fair, Time and even politically right-leaning, U.S. News and World Report in just the last two weeks have made the issue their covers.

Global Warming is happening. But, the debate hasn't ended about how it has started, and how involved humans have been in its development, and what should be done in response.

Radio talk show host Bob Davis, frequently says the religion of global warming has silenced legitimate critics of the theory. On the other side of the argument, climate scientist J. Drake Hamilton says global warming non-believers are fewer and fewer.

"It's documented and there's no disagreement whatsoever that the temperature has already increased, primarily, not solely, but primarily because of humans burning coal and oil," Hamilton said.

Davis said there is no absolute agreement on that theory.

"There are ideas that global warming can be caused by the sun cycle. It could be caused by temperature cycles on earth...," he said.

As far as the Bush administration goes, Davis said cautiousness until more can be learned.

"Once again, we're making policy on something we're not really sure about. And that's what concerns people who say 'I'm not jumping on the bandwagon,'" Davis said.

Hamilton sees a need for action – now.

"The market is allowing coal to be burned and carbon to be released with no penalty. The penalty is not being paid on my electric bill. But it's being paid with kids who have asthma in school … and species that are being lost," Hamilton said.

Davis disagrees. "Again, all theories, all hypotheses," he said.

"That's something that's documented by the World's Health Organization, Bob," Hamilton adds.

The debate goes beyond those who are closely watching the issue. Don Shelby sat down with Minnesotans — Betty Albitz, Chad Amon, Stephanie Igtanloc and Al Alexander — and all agreed global warming exists. But…

All agreed global warming exists, but...

"I'm in that camp that says we are contributing to it. I don't think we're solely responsible for it, I think some of it's natural," Alexander said.

But the National Academy of Sciences analyzed more than 900 scientific papers and concluded, global warming exists, and man is the primary contributor to the problem.

It's almost common knowledge that scientists disagree on exactly what is causing global warming. They say they will take action when scientists finally settle the issue as fact.

If people are going to wait for science to have a total conclusion, people will wait forever, said former University of Minnesota President Ken Keller. Keller now teaches energy police and has become a leading figure in the debate over global warming.

"I think the consensus in the science, in the scientific community is overwhelming today. Nothing is ever 100 percent in scientific consensus. There will always be people in the nature of science who remain skeptical…," Keller said.

But science has convinced the most unlikely people, like Xcel Energy CEO Dick Kelly, who has become a believer.

"I personally do believe in global warming...," Kelly said. His company burns a lot of coal, which scientists suggest is the leading cause of global warming.

If people find ways to use less electricity, less coal, more wind — Xcel will still make money. Kelly said it's up to individual Minnesotans to ultimately decide how much coal his company burns.

"This is our home. This is where we live. This is our community. And we will do everything we can to make this the best place to live, including having the cleanest air we can possible have," Kelly said.

Individuals, businesses like Kelly's, and government — each have responsibilities.

Last year, and again this year, Minnesota legislators proposed one way that the state government could cut global warming.

A renewable energy standard, or RES, calls for 20 percent renewable energy in the mix in the state by 2020 mandated by law.

Renewable energy sources like wind, water, solar, biomasses don't contribute to global warming. Nearly 20 other states including Wisconsin have a mandated renewable energy standard.

In a recent poll, 81 percent of Minnesotans support electricity from renewable sources. Yet in the Minnesota legislature, a bill failed by 24 votes last year.

The number one opponent on the proposal was a statewide organization who told us they represent the people.

That opponent was the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, said Rep. Aaron Peterson, DFL-Madison, author of the Renewable Energy Standard.

"Government has the responsibility to provide market certainty and that's what the renewable energy standard would do. It would drive investment in Minnesota renewables," Peterson said.

Peterson showed us the "scorecard" put out by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Voting for renewables was, according to the Chamber, a wrong vote.

Bill Blazar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, lobbies for state business at the state Capitol.

Development of Minnesota's renewable market is already strong, Blazar argues.

"The mandate, it sends up a red flag because in effect the legislature — and for that matter the governor — are ordering me to buy something that I might not otherwise buy," Blazar said.

Not everyone agrees with the Chamber's position that a vote for renewables is a wrong vote.

Bill George is the former CEO of Medtronic, the author of the book Authentic Leadership and a professor at the Harvard School of Business.

"That doesn't strike me as right," George said. "I think that we have to address the national energy problem and we might as well start right here in Minnesota."

"I clearly think that there is a role for government, I think government can be way overreaching with things. I'm a free-market person very strongly. But I think government has to set parameters of what is and what should be, and certainly things like environmental regulations," George said.

Maybe it does require faith to believe in global warming, faith in the science, and something else.

In the 17th century, a man named Pascal suggested that if you had to make a bet on whether God existed, if you believed it or not, the smart money would be on God.

If you bet he exists, and it turns out you're right,you go to heaven. Bet against God, only to find out later he does exist, your loss is infinite.

Whether you believe in Global Warming is a Pascal wager.

And whether or not global warming exists, in the end -- we'll conserve energy, develop alternative sources that don't pollute, and grow independent of foreign oil.

We'll have made the right choices.

Some legislators and a majority of Minnesotans think one of those right steps is that renewable energy standard the Chamber of Commerce and more than a hundred registered lobbyists oppose.

When it comes up for a vote this year, you'll be able to go to our Web site and see who voted for it and against it.

We will see whose interest prevails - the majority of the people of Minnesota, or the lobbyists and the businesses they represent.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)