The demise of the earth: A fundamental error in logic

As I listen to world leaders from today's International Climate Summit, I am once again struck by a gross error in their logic.

Fundamental premise: It is unequivocal that use of non-renewable energy sources (primarily oil, natural gas, and coal) is ultimately catastrophic for earth, its only a matter of when, not if. The catastrophe could come from economic, political, or scientific bases, but it will come.
Arguable premise: It is debatable whether global warming/global cooling/climate change is the result of human activity, there are scientific data and scientists on both sides of this issue. If you accept this arguable premise as true, it is also unequivocal that such climate change is primarily a result of the use of non-renewable energy sources.

If we focus our efforts on renewable energy, we solve both the fundamental problem as well as the climate change problem if indeed it exists.

If we focus our efforts on climate change, we risk solving the wrong problem (or not a problem at all, depending on the outcome of that premise). More importantly, many of the methods being put in place to solve climate change are wrong or short-sighted at best (carbon sequestration, carbon tax trading, Waxman-Markey Climate Bill, etc.).

Regrettably these are politicians and self-serving individuals (not scientists) bringing much more attention to climate change than that of use of non-renewables. Will we look back 50 years from now and have missed the mark?

Institutional Trust

Trust is difficult to establish, easy to fracture, and takes a long time to restore. Media outlets are filled with reports of trusts that has been betrayed by individuals - politicians, school teachers, clergy/pastors/imams/rabbis/monks, spouses, significant others, etc.

Trust betrayal by individuals can be eclipsed by that of institutions - Wall Street, banks and financial institutions, religious organizations, political parties, governments, and, most recently, community service organizations. Regrettably these failures arise more from a shortfall of benevolence or honesty than from a lack of competence. Its apparent when the institution breaks from its core principles of service and instead becomes focused on self-perpetualization of the institution itself. The social implications of such are significant, and can lead to societal decay.

Sometimes trust is so badly broken that the institution must re-birth itself. In the mid-80's Datsun Motors changed its design philosophy and quality targets, changed its name and advertising to re-emerge with its parent company name, Nissan Motors. Most people didn't know that Nissan was once the manufacturer under the Datsun brand.

So who do you trust and why? What institutions do you trust?