North Carolina tries to outlaw some calculations

North Carolina's legislature tries to outlaw some calculations, because their results would demonstrate a rise in sea level.

Post 1

Friday, June 1, 2012 - 4:36pm

Kate,

It'd be interesting to get N. Carolina's reasoning. We get the official science reasoning (geometric rise in sea level), but not N. Carolina's reasoning (linear rise in sea level). Besides positive feedback, there is also negative feedback. I wonder if N. Carolina was thinking about that.

Ed

Post 2

Monday, June 4, 2012 - 4:38am

Some of the comments to that article suggested that real estate lobbyists campaigned to pass that legislation. That strikes me as the most likely explanation. This goes back to crony capitalism combined with a mixed economy that externalizes risk onto the backs of taxpayers. If people want to build or buy on land that will be underwater according to the most widely accepted scientific models, they should take that risk themselves and pay the insurances premiums accordingly -- if they can get insurance at all. Outlawing the models will not alter the outcomes of nature though they will affect the economic impacts adversely for some at the benefit of others.

Post 3

Monday, June 4, 2012 - 5:20am

Before we go any further with this, could someone tell me where the state outlawed calculations? I read the linked-to bill, and, as I understood it (not being a lawyer or legislator), it defined jurisdiction over the sea-level question. What did I miss?

Post 4

Saturday, June 9, 2012 - 1:24pm