Is climate science correct?

Climate change is a very controversial subject that has been heavily politicized. On one side of the spectrum people believe it is scientific fact that we are causing it and we are all going to die in the year 20xx. On the other side people believe anything from “it's all lies” to “we aren't causing it.” Before we can answer the question we must first ask:

Is climate change real?
Do we affect climate change?
Is it actually a problem?
If so, can we solve the problem?

Is climate change real?

There is a massive amount of research being done on climate change and the consensus is yes the climate is changing. Roughly 10,000 years ago we were in an ice age. Survival was rough in those days and all of our energy was spent on survival and we pulled through. Last time I checked we are not in an ice age, in fact our climate is very mild and this allows us to spend more of our energy enjoying life.

Data shows that since the industrial revolution we have been on a warming trend. But that trend didn't necessarily start there, in fact our climate has been even hotter in the past.

Do we affect climate change?

Yes there are many contributing factors to climate change and we are certainly one of them. Vehicle emissions and energy production do contribute to the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. However, we are not the sole cause of climate change. Volcanic activity alone dwarfs the amount of CO2 humans produce.

Is climate change a problem?

This is really the most important question. Certainly a climate that is too cold is an absolutely miserable existence. Subsistence living is a constant struggle just to survive. If our climate is too hot we could end up with droughts and the collapse of our ecosystem. But what is the ideal temperature for life on Earth? I don't believe we have an answer to that question. Is the temperature pre-industrial revolution the ideal temperature? Probably not. Can we survive a hotter climate? I think so. Will it kill us all if we don't do something? It is possible.

What can we do about climate change?

Can we look to government for the solution? Will a carbon tax solve the problem? No and no. Even if I concede that we are causing climate change and it will be the death of us all, taxing people will not stop climate change. Stealing people's money and giving it to the ruling elite will only serve to lower our standard of living and even slow innovation needed to find better solutions to our energy needs. Government doesn't innovate, entrepreneurs do. It is only through the free market that we can solve any crisis that is presented to us. People are already innovating and finding ways to pull carbon out of the air and it’s just a matter of time until we find a viable energy source (solar panels are not viable without massive subsidies).