Although the issues surrounding “climate change” are among the most consequential ones in our politics, you have probably noticed that head-to-head debates on the subject are quite rare. The main reason is that proponents of climate change orthodoxy generally refuse to debate anyone who questions any aspect of the dogma.

So you will be glad to hear that a real debate between significant figures on the two sides of the issues will shortly take place at — where else? — the Soho Forum. That’s the organization where daughter and frequent Manhattan Contrarian contributor Jane Menton is the Chief Operating Officer. The date of the debate is Monday, August 15.

The debaters will be Andrew Dessler and Steven Koonin. Here are pictures of the two:

Dessler is Professor and Director of the Texas Center for Climate Studies at Texas A&M University. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the subject of climate change, including the textbook Introduction to Modern Climate Change, now in its third edition. Koonin was Undersecretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy during the Obama Administration, and currently is Professor and Director of the Center for Urban Science and Progress at New York University. Koonin is the author of Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters.

The two men recently gave back to back interviews on Joe Rogan’s podcast, but this is the first time they’ll be going head to head.

The proposition for the August 15 debate is “Climate Science compels us to make large and rapid reductions in green house gas emissions.”

The debate will take place live and in person at the Sheen Center, 18 Bleecker Street, in Manhattan, at 6:30 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM). Tickets for the live event are $12 - $32, with the higher priced tickets including a reception afterwards. Alternatively, the debate can be viewed by livestream for a bargain basement price of only $6. To get tickets, you can go to this link.

I am one of the sponsors of this event, and I will there in person, as of course will Jane. We’re hoping for a big audience, both in person and online. If you come to the live event, it will be your chance to meet Jane and me in person.

I want to congratulate the Soho Forum for putting this debate together, and also express my appreciation in particular to Mr. Dessler for being willing, unlike many of his colleagues in the “climate” community, to put himself out there to face the critiques of his adversaries. At the present time I have no comprehension of how science “compels us” to do anything, but I’m looking forward to hearing Mr. Dessler’s explanation.