"I certainly agree. But tell me. Whatis global warming, as you understand it?"
Evans tried to conceal his surprise. He hadn't expected to be quizzed. "Why do you ask?"
"We ask everybody who comes here. We're trying to get a feel for the general state of knowledge. What's global warming?"
"Global warming is the heating up of the earth from burning fossil fuels."
"Actually, that is not correct."
"It's not?"
"Not even close. Perhaps you'd try again."
Evans paused. It was obvious he was being interrogated by a fussy and precise legal mind. He knew the type only too well, from law school. He thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Global warming is, uh, the heating up of the surface of the earth from the excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is produced by burning fossil fuels."
"Again, not correct."
"Why not?"
"Several reasons. At a minimum, I count four errors in the statement you just made."
"I don't understand," Evans said. "My statement--that's what global warming is."
"In fact, it is not." Balder's tone was crisp, authoritative. "Global warming is thetheory --"
"--hardly a theory, anymore--"
"No, it is atheory, " Balder said. "Believe me, I wish it were otherwise. But in fact, global warming is thetheory that increased levels of carbon dioxide and certain other gasesare causing an increase in theaverage temperature of the earth'satmosphere because of the so-called 'greenhouse effect.'"
"Well, okay," Evans said. "That's a more exact definition, but..."
"Mr. Evans, you yourself believe in global warming, I take it?"
"Of course."
"Believe in it strongly?"
"Sure. Everybody does."
"When you have a strongly held belief, don't you think it's important to express that belief accurately?"
Evans was starting to sweat. He really felt like he was back in law school. "Well, sir, I guess...not really, in this case. Because when you refer to global warming, everybody knows what you are talking about."
"Do they? I suspect that even you don't know what you are talking about."
Evans felt a burst of hot anger. Before he could check himself, he had blurted, "Look, just because I may not be expressing the fine details of the science--"
"I'm not concerned aboutdetails, Mr. Evans. I'm concerned about thecore of your strongly held beliefs. I suspect you have no basis for those beliefs."
"With all due respect, that's ridiculous." He caught his breath. "Sir."
"You mean you do have such a basis?"
"Of course I do."
Balder looked at him thoughtfully. He seemed pleased with himself. "In that case, you can be a great help to this lawsuit. Would you mind giving us an hour of your time?"
"Uh...I guess so."
"Would you mind if we videotaped you?"
"No, but...why?"
Balder turned to Jennifer Haynes, who said, "We're trying to establish a baseline for what a well-informed person such as yourself knows about global warming. To help us refine our jury presentation."
"Sort of a mock jury of one?"
"Exactly. We've interviewed several people already."
"Okay," Evans said. "I guess I could schedule that at some point."
"Nowis a good time," Balder said. He turned to Jennifer. "Get your team together in room four."
"Of course I'd like to help," Evans said, "but I came here to get an overview--"
"Because you've heard there are problems with the lawsuit? There aren't. But there are significant challenges," Balder said. He glanced at his watch. "I'm about to go into a meeting," he said. "You spend some time with Ms. Haynes, and when you're done, we'll talk about the litigation as I see it. Is that all right with you?"
There was nothing Evans could do but agree.
VANUTU TEAM
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24
11:00 A. M.
They put him in a conference room at the end of a long table, and aimed the video camera at him from the far end. Just like a deposition, he thought.
Five young people drifted into the room and took seats at the table. All were casually dressed, in jeans and T-shirts. Jennifer Haynes introduced them so quickly that Evans didn't catch their names. She explained that they were all graduate students in different scientific disciplines.
While they were setting up, Jennifer slipped into a chair beside his and said, "I'm sorry John was so rough on you. He's frustrated and under a lot of pressure."
"From the case?"
"Yes."
"What kind of pressure?"
"This session may give you some idea what we're dealing with." She turned to the others. "Are we ready?"
Heads nodded, notebooks flipped open. The camera light came on. Jennifer said, "Interview with Peter Evans, of Hassle and Black, on Tuesday, August twenty-fourth. Mr. Evans, we'd like to go over your views about the evidence that supports global warming. This isn't a test; we'd just like to clarify how you think about the issue."
"Okay," Evans said.