Battle Over Global Warming Centered in Colorado

Two climate scientists, separated by a few miles, represent both sides in the global warming debate:

The words "global warming" provoke a sharp retort from Colorado State University meteorology professor emeritus William Gray: "It's a big scam."

And the name of climate researcher Kevin Trenberth elicits a sputtered "opportunist."

At the National Center for Atmospheric Research, where Trenberth works, Gray's name prompts dismay. "Bill Gray is completely unreasonable," Trenberth says. "He has a mind block on this."

Only 55 miles separate NCAR's headquarters, nestled in the Front Range foothills, from CSU in Fort Collins. But when it comes to climate change, the gap is as big as any in the scientific community.

At Boulder-based NCAR, researchers project a world with warmer temperatures, fiercer storms and higher seas.

From CSU, Gray and Roger Pielke Sr., another climate professor emeritus, question the data used to make those projections and their application to regional climate change.

Given Dr. Gray's knowledge and expertise in hurricanes, I tend to go with him.

The debate's not just going on in Colorado. On the Senate floor Senator James Inhofe gave a speech on global warming that Al Gore certainly wouldn't approve of. You can read it here.