Some fascinating Gallup research showing that 41% of Americans think that global warming is exaggerated (for that read, a hoax). What's fascinating here is that the numbers are on the rise. Two years ago, it was 38%.
What's bringing this on? Particularly at a time like this when scientists are meeting in Copenhagen to lay the foundations for some sort of global accord on the climate crisis. Economist Nicholas Stern has warned that the effects of global warming would be worse than he predicted in his 2006 report on the economics of the problem. In that report, Stern said a rise of 4C would increase coastal flooding, reduce water availability in southern Africa and the Mediterranean, result in a 15%-35% reduction of agricultural yields in Africa, and see 20%-50% of animal and plant species facing extinction. Now he is warning that temperatures could increase 6C. Added to that, you have Prince Charles claiming that the effects of climate change will be worse than the recession.
Thomas Friedman makes a similar point where he points out that Mother Nature doesn't do bailouts. "Let's today step out of the normal boundaries of analysis of our economic crisis and ask a radical question: What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession? What if it's telling us that the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years is simply unsustainable economically and ecologically and that 2008 was when we hit the wall – when Mother Nature and the market both said: 'No more.' "
So why is the number of climate change deniers on the increase. The answer is pretty obvious. Look at the politics. The Gallup survey shows that a growing number of Republicans think global warming has been exaggerated by the media. As Buzzle reporter Suzanne Goldenberg points out, the sceptics are getting together in response to the legislation of Obama and Congress to rein in greenhouse gases. "Unlike Obama, who owed his victory to millions of supporters and donors, the climate change deniers operate within narrow bands of support: the conservative wing of the Republican party and the extreme end of the Christian Right. According to DeSmogblog, an environmentalist website, the 50 or so thinktanks linked to this conference between them have received $47m in funds over the years from Exxon and the Koch and Scaife families, who are the leading patrons of conservative causes in America. Both families made their first fortunes in the oil business. But on one point, environmentalists and their opponents agree: after the skirmishes of the last decade about the science explaining the causes of climate change, and policy debates about carbon trading in Europe, the stage is set for a final showdown in Washington."
This is going to be one fascinating battle. Watch this space.
no comment untill now