With the release this past Monday of new Environmental Protection Agency directives to cripple coal-fired power plants, the effort continues to rid the U.S. of the disease of low-cost energy.

A big new concern being pandered by the EPA is the effect of coal-induced climate change on public health.  But, what if fossil fuels aren't as big a burden on long-term global climate change as so many that mix politics, ideology, and science believe?  And, what if, as real-world data is proving, the predictions of such “climate disruption” is more fantasy than fact?  The real issue then becomes a mismatch or "dysfunction" of climate knowledge with climate reality.

So, sadly, it appears that mainstream climate science models, infected by leftist politics and ideology, are currently experiencing an embarrassing condition properly diagnosed as Climate Dysfunction or CD.  This condition can very well be linked to Low T (lower global average temperatures than predicted).  (Note that CD is not to be confused with RD or Reptile Dysfunction, which is easily cured by provision of a new terrarium.)

The actual global average temperature trend has been rather flat for quite some time (about 17 years, in fact).  The problem is that this flaccid condition was not at all predicted by vaunted climate models.

Now, before panic sets in and all kinds of pusillanimous explanations are given for the impotent performance, try revitalizing the climate change hypothesis using remedies from the youthful days of climatology--days when humility was more in vogue.  Renewed vigor might include more emphasis on issues such as the complex role of water as a climate regulator and the sun’s contributions (including solar variability and “cosmic-ray theory”), and generally allowing reasonable challenges that bring fresh ideas to the ongoing research (rather than simply dismissing challengers with schoolyard name calling).

Finally, a warning:  For CD lasting more than 14 years (which it already has), seek attention to reality… Immediately! 

Meteorologist Anthony J. Sadar is author of In Global Warming We Trust: A Heretic's Guide to Climate Science (Telescope Books, 2012).