The truth about denial

A recent Newsweek story: The Truth About Denial discusses who the climate change skeptics are and where their funding came from, as well as the industry-created and supported organizations that lobbied politicians and attacked research by climate-change scientists.

Since the late 1980s, this well-coordinated, well-funded campaign by contrarian scientists, free-market think tanks and industry has created a paralyzing fog of doubt around climate change. Through advertisements, op-eds, lobbying and media attention, greenhouse doubters (they hate being called deniers) argued first that the world is not warming; measurements indicating otherwise are flawed, they said. Then they claimed that any warming is natural, not caused by human activities. Now they contend that the looming warming will be minuscule and harmless. "They patterned what they did after the tobacco industry," says former senator Tim Wirth, who spearheaded environmental issues as an under secretary of State in the Clinton administration. "Both figured, sow enough doubt, call the science uncertain and in dispute. That's had a huge impact on both the public and Congress."

Newsweek then contrasts this information with research and reports from international climate change groups.

Newsweek says: "If you think those who have long challenged the mainstream scientific findings about global warming recognize that the game is over, think again." How right they are since their article has provoked attacks on Newsweek itself as well as the monies that go to scientific research. What a shame that we have to go down the same road traveled in the 70's and 80's when tobacco companies totally denied the health risks of smoking.