Exxon Mobil Says Transition From Oil Is Century Away (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

May 27 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., the world’s largest refiner, said the transition away from oil-derived fuels is probably 100 years away.
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Tillerson, 57, said lawmakers are hurrying to restrict greenhouse gases when many scientific questions surrounding the global warming issue remain unresolved.

“The point of conflict that I find more often than not are the projections that some make regarding how serious the problem may become and at what pace of acceleration it may occur,” Tillerson told investors at the shareholders meeting. “All of those models have deficiencies in the way they’re constructed and the assumptions that go into the models and the limitations of the data.”

Tillerson, a University of Texas-trained engineer, said climate change is a “serious risk-management issue” for Exxon Mobil. The company will continue to fund scientific research into climate science and the impact of greenhouse gases on the atmosphere, he said.

“We’re going to be very forthright in not accepting something that is not completely scientifically proven,” Tillerson said. “We’re not skeptics. We’re just approaching this the way we would approach any scientific challenge, and it’s a serious challenge.”

Chicago Botanic Garden: Alarmist rewarded with funding?

The Garden is pleased to announce that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has just awarded a $148,000 grant, payable over two years, to implement the Climate Change Education Project at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Jennifer Schwarz, Ph.D. is the primary author and Principal Investigator responsible for project management. Dr. Kay Havens is the science PI and will provide science expertise for curriculum and web site development.

Chicago Botanic Garden: If spring comes about a week early one year, can we assume that it'll come about a year early in 50 years?

Data indicated in 2008 that forsythia in Chicago opened their first flowers from April 17 to 19 — almost a week earlier than the 2007 flowering dates of April 23 to 25. “While we cannot say anything definitive about climate change with just two years of data, the first bloom for several species was earlier in 2008 than 2007. This is what we would expect as temperatures warm. Many people may welcome an earlier spring, but plants could be in trouble if they bloom before their pollinators are present,” said Dr. Kayri Havens, director of the Division of Plant Science and Conservation at the Chicago Botanic Garden.