| Dr. Wittwer is the "godfather" of the greening of planet earth hypothesis,
that is, increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are an environmental
benefit because of their impact on plant life. His research review is an antidote to fear
of catastrophic changes in climate brought on by humankind's CO2 emissions. It is in vogue to refer to carbon dioxide as a pollutant because it is the inevitable consequence of carbon (fossil fuel, wood, peat) combustion. Dr. Wittwer correctly observes that it is the elixir of life on earth and a universally-free premium because of its stimulation of plant growth, its contribution to water-use efficiency in plants, and the way in which it helps plants resist a variety of environmental stresses. This aspect of the climate change debate has been for too long ignored, overlooked or denigrated. Thoughtful readers will find the research reviewed by Dr. Wittwer to be extremely compelling. He anticipates his skeptics and makes an overwhelming case firmly rooted in empirical research carried on throughout the world. |