Meet the Money Behind The Climate Denial Movement: Smithsonian

Climate Criminals

Nearly a billion dollars a year is flowing into the organized climate change counter-movement

The overwhelming majority of climate scientists, international governmental bodies, relevant research institutes and scientific societies are in unison in saying that climate change is real, that it's a problem, and that we should probably do something about it now, not later. And yet, for some reason, the idea persists in some peoples' minds that climate change is up for debate, or that climate change is no big deal.
 
Actually, it's not “for some reason” that people are confused. 

There's a very obvious reason. There is a very well-funded, well-orchestrated climate change-denial movement, one funded by powerful people with very deep pockets. In a new and incredibly thorough study, Drexel University sociologist Robert Brulle took a deep dive into the financial structure of the climate deniers, to see who is holding the purse strings.

Go to original Smithsonian article

See also:

Climate impact must be measured in new major developments: Greens

Protesting Trump is Essential to the Survival of Life on the Planet : The Green Market Oracle

Global Heating Denying Trump

"The climate crisis and the rapid degradation of the Earth's biodiversity represent existential threats. In the face of these interrelated catastrophes the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth is exacerbating these realities.
Early in June, American President Donald Trump's visit to the UK was met by hundreds of thousands of protestors. In total the visit spawned more than two dozen anti-Trump protests across the UK. During his stay Trump also added more lies to the over 10,000 he has told since becoming president. Despite a protracted discussion on climate change with Prince Charles, Trump remains stubbornly resistant to the facts. During this visit the liar-and-chief used the occasion to once again deny the reality of global warming.

Towing a caravan with an electric car – can it be done? - THE DRIVEN

Towing with an electric vehicle

"So, we have bought a Kona Electric and are towing with it.
Hyundai couldn’t bring themselves to fit a towbar for us so we got an off-the-shelf one from an Australian manufacturer (the ones made for the petrol model fit perfectly).

The tow bar is rated for 1.3 tonnes but we only intend to use it for trailers up to 500kg.

We have considered the safety, warranty and legal issues and feel comfortable that there are negligible risks involved. Of course we take precautions and drive carefully when we are towing as anyone should.

The car is just brilliant by the way, and is doing a wonderful job of towing whenever we need to."

Read the RenewEconomy article

Brace for impact - climate change litigation is fast approaching : The Canberra Times

"Under the current legal regime, company directors may only be liable if found to be in breach of their duty of care or for failing to address a foreseeable risk. However, guidance from case law suggests that it is difficult to establish that the actions or omissions of a particular entity or director caused or contributed harm to be suffered by another. With the arrival of climate change litigation 2.0, this will all change. 

 

Supporters US federal courthouse, climate change lawsuit

There is a rising wave of climate change-related litigation globally which is headed for Australia ... it will sink Australia, unless drastic measures are implemented."

Read the Canberra Times article

Oil And Gas Giants Spend Millions Lobbying To Block Climate Change Policies [Infographic]: Forbes

By Niall McCarthy 

 

Every year, the world's five largest publicly owned oil and gas companies spend approximately $200 million on lobbying designed to control, delay or block binding climate-motivated policy. This has caused problems for governments seeking to implement policies in the wake of the Paris Agreement which are vital in meeting climate change targets. Companies are generally reluctant to disclose such lobbying expenditure and late last week, a report from InfluenceMap used a methodology focusing on the best available records along with intensive research of corporate messaging to gauge their level of influence on initiatives to halt climate change. 

Go to Forbes article

Latest data shows steep rises in CO2 for seventh year : The Guardian

US Earth System Research Laboratory, measurements from Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Readings from Hawaii observatory bring threshold of 450ppm closer sooner than had been anticipated.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by the second highest annual rise in the past six decades, according to new data.

Atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas were 414.8 parts per million in May, which was 3.5ppm higher than the same time last year, according to readings from the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, where carbon dioxide has been monitored continuously since 1958.

Scientists have warned for more than a decade that concentrations of more than 450ppm risk triggering extreme weather events and temperature rises as high as 2C, beyond which the effects of global heating are likely to become catastrophic and irreversible.

Read The Guardian article

Updated - Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Web Sites :Skeptoid

"You've seen it on Facebook or other places a million times: Someone makes some untrue medical or science or conspiracy claim, and to give it the appearance of authority, attach a web link to it. And where is that web link from? As often as not, it turns out to be a site that specializes in terrible misinformation; and such sites are, all too often, far more popular than sites dedicated to correcting the record or presenting data. Pseudoscience is, unfortunately, more sensational, compelling, and fun.

A few years ago on this show, I gave a list of the top ten websites that promoted the worst bad science, as a resource for those hoping to stand up to such web links. Times change, sites come and go, rise and ebb, and we're ready for an update. And so here are this year's winners, my picks for the worst sites on the Internet to which your friends are likely to link you, organized by their Alexa popularity rating, tweaked a bit by me for how bad their information really is. Let's begin with:


10. Heartland.org

The Heartland Institute is a free-market think tank, preparing research and reports for whatever clients want it. That's an important role in society and I respect the freedoms of every think tank no matter where they are on the political spectrum. Promoting the policies that support an ideology is a right, but denying hard science in support of that ideology is a no-no. And that's what you'll find on Heartland.org, one of the web's best funded and most comprehensive attacks on climate science. Resources like this are a very real problem for science, because they have the expertise and the means to change people's minds, but lack the ethics to change those minds for the better. This year they held their 10th annual "International Conference on Climate Change" in Washington DC, which they describe as the "the largest gathering of global warming 'skeptics' in the world," and strangely they put quotes around the word skeptics, which I would have done if they hadn't, since their process is certainly not one of skeptically interrogating the climate models. Instead, they start from their preferred conclusion, then work backwards collecting cherrypicked bits of information to build a path to get there.

For a healthy alternative to Heartland.org, try SkepticalScience.com, a site dedicated to combatting global warming misinformation. It will equip the layman with the tools needed to rebut the type of misinformation Heartland publishes."

Go to Skeptoid article