Global warming event includes debate between professors, Gore speech

By Althea Peterson

Transcript Staff Writer

This campaign isn't for the future presidency, but rather, for the future planet.

Al Gore, former presidential candidate and vice president from 1992-2000, will address global warming 3 p.m. March 1 at the University of Oklahoma's Catlett Music Center, 500 W. Boyd St. Gore is the best-selling author of "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Earth in Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit," which both focus on the environment.

"Clearly, the issue of global warming is of major importance to our society, and it is appropriate to have an understanding and broad-ranging discussion of the subject on the campus," OU President David Boren said in a release. "The view of Vice President Gore will allow our university community to hear first-hand from one of the most prominent and active leaders in the entire nation in this field."

The day also will include a debate between two OU professors who have expressed opposing scientific views on global warming. David Deming and David Karoly will take part in a free, public debate 1:30 p.m. March 1 in Meacham Auditorium at the Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave.

Deming is a geophysicist, an adjunct scholar with the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (ocpathink.org), and an associate professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. In a Transcript column published in October, Deming expressed his support for Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe's "skeptical stance on global warming."

"Sen. James Inhofe is not only correct in his view on global warming, but courageous to insist on truth, objectivity, and sound science," Deming wrote. "Truth in science doesn't depend on human consensus or political correctness. The fact that the majority of journalists and pundits bray like sheep is meaningless."

Karoly, who is the Williams Chair professor of meteorology and actively researches climate variablity and climate change, said he agrees with the scientific evidence supporting global warming.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to debate," Karoly said.

Karoly said he hopes the OU community also will take the opportunity to hear Gore speak.

"It's a great opportunity for OU and for the students to hear one of the people who spent a significant fraction of his time becoming more informed on global warming and informing the community."

The forum with Professor Deming and Professor Karoly is free and open to the public, while Gore's speech is open to OU faculty, staff and students, with overflow seating available to the public. For more information or accommodations on the basis of disability, call OU Special Events at 325-3784.

Althea Peterson 366-3539 apeterson@normantranscript.com