George P. Ahearn, Phd
Co-founder and Former President and CEO
GEO Specialty Chemicals, Inc.…

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Sea levels are rising but modestly and attempts to link this to use of natural gas or other fossil fuels or, for that matter, CO2, are just plain wrong.

Regardless of what you hear from the SW Florida Conservancy, and other sooth-sayers and saviors of the planet, data is mounting that change in sea levels has nothing to do with the use of fossil fuels and evidence should ally any fear that additional CO2 will increase sea-level rise.

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Dr. Fred Singer, professor emeritus of environmental science at the University of Virginia, and founder of the Science and Environmental Panel on Climate Change, concludes that “contrary to the general wisdom- the temperature of sea water has no direct effect on sea-level rise. That means neither does the atmospheric content of carbon dioxide”.

It is generally accepted that sea level rise is mainly caused by the thermal expansion of sea water, called the steric component. This can be measured fairly accurately over a short interval, however, over the long term there are complications such as “isostatic adjustment” as continents rise from overlying ice melts and subsidence of the shoreline as ground water and minerals are extracted and storms cause erosion.

The isostatic effects offset the steric effects over the long term but not completely and there has been a net increase in sea levels at the constant rate of 1-2 millimeters a year, regardless of the trends in CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

Dr. Singer attributes the rise to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets which began at the end of the most recent glaciation period some 12,000 years ago. Keep in mind that floating sea ice adds no water to the oceans and does not affect sea levels.

Since it is much warmer now than 12,000 years ago, the slow melting of the Antarctic ice at the periphery of the continent is the main cause of the current sea-level rise. Geologists are tracking this and glaciologist Robert Bindschadler predicts the ice shelf will be completely melted within 7,000 years, gradually raising the sea level as it goes.

Of course, a lot can happen in 7,000 years. For example, the onset of a new glaciation could cause the level to stop rising, or it could even fall 400 feet to the level at the last glaciation maximum 18,000 years ago.

The current rise will continue at the current rate and by 2100 the level will increase by another 6 inches or so – this is a far cry from the alarmist predictions of Al Gore, and that of Tony Ingraffea, who told a Naples audience at the Conservancy a few months ago that SW Florida would be underwater in 20 years!

Dr. Singer says we really can’t do much about the current sea level rise other than “building better dikes, and sea walls a little bit higher”. That sounds a lot better than ruining our economy and spending $20+ trillion as we eliminate fossil fuels and convert to much more expensive and inefficient alternative energy options. Since CO2 plays no role in this equation, why would we do that anyway?

Editor’s Note: Natural gas use, of course, is serving to moderate CO2 rates, but even so, the evidence is they have little or nothing to do with changes in sea levels that have been going on for several millennia. That is George’s point and Dr. Singer’s. Tony Ingraffea, on the other hand, who has zero credentials on the subject, continues his shameless anti-fracking advocacy on behalf of the Park Foundation, et al..

George P. Ahearn was the co-founder and President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of GEO Specialty Chemicals, Inc. from its inception in 1993 until he left in 2005. Prior to that time, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Hall Chemical Company, a maker of specialty metal-based chemicals from 1988-1992.  Mr. Ahearn was employed for 28 years by Exxon Corporation and Exxon Chemical from 1960-1988, holding various executive positions in research and the business.