Stay Cool; Stay Very Cool: A Commentary on Time’s “Special Report” on Global Warming

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The cover of Time magazine’s April 3, 2006 issue tells readers to “be very worried” about climate change. The issue features a “special report” on global warming. The cover shows a polar bear on a patch of ice amidst much water and many smaller patches, conveying the impression that the bear’s habitat is literally melting away.

True to its sensationalistic cover, Time’s special report is not a “report” but a diatribe—one-sided advocacy from start to finish. Scientists who take a non-alarmist view of global warming do not get a word in edgewise. Neither do economists who view the costs of regulatory climate policies as out of all proportion to their benefits, if any. Time, one of the world’s most respected news magazines, is now pushing activism in the guise of news.

This paper presents a running commentary on Time’s special “report.” It reproduces Time’s entire article in a series of indented segments, and comments on each segment in turn. Many of the comments feature links to supporting literature.