I had long wondered why all those who deny climate change seem to be on the right of Genghis Khan and Alan Jones. There’s overwhelming scientific evidence that climate change is all too real, and happening faster than expected, and measurable. The ice-caps are melting, wilder storms, acidic sea water, rising sea-levels, rising temperatures and all the other problems of pollution we have come to fear. I thought, how can so-called intelligent folk remain so dumb?
Failing to see the benefits of solar and wind, pressing on with highly-polluting coal-fired power stations? Even the methane readings from so-called clean natural gas are sky-high – 17% in some instances.
It all became clear on watching that great SBS documentary, ‘Years of Living Dangerously’ – incidentally, the DVDs are on sale at ABC bookshops – well worth a watch.
The answer to all this denial is simple enough – human greed. Isn’t it always? If there’s a buck being made people deny there’s a problem for as long as possible, while the dosh pours in and people die, as in the case of asbestos, and arsenic in wallpaper killing people.
In the Climate Change case, multi-millionaires are pouring millions into organizations like the Heartland Institute, employing prominent climate change skeptics, like James Taylor, with no scientific qualifications, to crusade against clean energy. Despite the harm being done to our planet, these people continue peddling feel-good lies, no doubt well- paid by their masters. What good is untold wealth if the earth becomes unliveable? Where do these people expect to go?
