The New York Times is pleased with Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 438-page, $20 billion plan to protect New York from the effects of future hurricanes. It notes benignly that the cost is probably an underestimate but agrees with the mayor, “Whether you believe climate change is real or not is beside the point; the bottom line is we can’t run the risk.”

Really? Imagine the argument: “Whether you believe zombies are real or not is beside the point. … We can’t run the risk.” Clearly one’s willingness to undertake these sorts of preparations depends completely on whether the perceived danger is real.