It's about Time

The March 27 U.S. edition of Time magazine may be historic because a momentous thing has happened: Time has admitted that global warning exists. It's hard to assess the impact that the Time capitulation on global warming may have, but it's likely big. This is the granddaddy of "mainstream media", one which has given acres of space to the on-the-one-hand, on-the-other-hand kind of reporting that has had the effect of giving credibility to the deniers and at least camouflaging the undeniable science. (Remember that the U.S. Senate defeated the Kyoto Accord 95-0 in 1997).

Now, Time's message couldn't be more stark: Be worried, be VERY worried. It acknowledges that the argument about this subject has essentially ended, has reached a "tipping point". Of course, whether this will now lead to drastic and immediate action is another question. But when Time says it's so, captains of industry and politicians pay attention and middle America may get onside. Even President George Bush may acknowledge that something is wrong.

Time Canada generally goes its own way from the U.S. edition of the magazine when it comes to cover stories, but this occasionally has a curious side-effect. The global warming story is not featured as Time Canada's March 27 cover story; rather, there is a worthwhile, interesting, but essentially timeless feature on the effects of the wired world on the younger generation. The global warming story by James Kluger is carried inside.