TODAY I THOUGHT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME AND SPACE on the thriving denial industry — that band of enterprising and well-funded folks whose task it is to defy (and defile) science in the name of commerce; to so persuade or, at the least, so confuse the general public that ignorant bliss and corporate profit blossom in tandem.
For special attention I introduce Mark Morano, climate warming denialist extraordinaire, whose Climate Depot website is, with panache and flair, creating new realities every day. It is the current hot gathering place for denialists and their entourage.
I begin with the first sentence of a Dec. 27, 2012 Media Matters piece by Jill Fitzsimmons and Shauna Theel, “Misinformer of the Year”: “ClimateDepot.com founder Marc Morano has been called “the Matt Drudge of climate denial,” the “king of the skeptics” and “a central cell of the climate-denial machine,” and he revels in these descriptions.”
All the way back in December 2009, Newsweek declared Morano “is quickly becoming King of the skeptics!” then called Climate Depot the “most popular denial site.” Daily Beast described the site as “a bustling, one-stop shop for climate skeptics.”
A revealing sample of Morano’s wisdom from that bustling shop (“CO2 Nears 400 ppm — Relax! It’s Not Global Warming ‘End Times’ — But Only A ‘Big Yawn’ — Climate Depot Special Report”):
“… But despite the man-made global warming fear movement’s clarion call of alarm, many scientists are dismissing the 400 ppm level of carbon dioxide as a non-event. Scientists point out that there are literally hundreds of factors that govern Earth’s climate and temperature — not just CO2. Renowned climatologists have declared that a doubling or even tripling of CO2 would not have major impacts on the Earth’s climate or temperature.
“… Scientists also note that geologically speaking, the Earth is currently in a ‘CO2 famine’ and that the geologic record reveals that ice ages have occurred when CO2 was at 2000 ppm to as high as 8000 ppm. In addition, peer-reviewed studies have documented that there have been temperatures similar to the present day on Earth, when carbon dioxide was up to twenty times higher than today’s levels.”
Wow! Bring on that CO2! Party time!
Fix those numbers in mind. I will return to this issue below from a slightly different and possibly less jubilant perspective than Morano’s unique collection of experts.
But before connecting back to those lush periods when CO2 was primo and the livin’ was easy, a few more gems from Morano.
Part of Morano’s charm is that he has absolutely no scientific expertise and is thus unburdened by either traditional methodology or caution in generalization. He does, however, have a fascinating history in the game — well, several games. The following is the introduction to a June 8 piece on Morano in Rational Wiki: “Marc Morano is a propagandist and global warming denier. He kicked off his career by learning the tricks of the trade as a producer on Rush Limbaugh’s show in the early ‘90s.” (Limbaugh was, by chance, the winner of the 2011 Climate Change Misinformer award!)
“In 2006, preeminent denier and wingnut (Senator) Jim Inhofe hired Morano to be his ‘Director of Communications.’ Morano’s position got him into a number of climate conferences and policy hearings. Some scientists called for his resignation due to the (purported) number of distortions and lies about their work he promulgated. In 2009, Morano left Inhofe and became the proprietor of the website ‘Climate Depot.’”
Climate Depot is sponsored by the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), and surely this is a great fit. CFACT has received funding from ExxonMobil and Chevron as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars from foundations associated with that saint of right-wing causes and messaging, Richard Mellon Scaife.
While Morano is admitedly lacking in any scientific credentials, it would be extraordinarily difficult to find a richer background for a career in atmospheric science (or gas!) than an apprenticeship with Limbaugh and postgraduate experience at the right hand of the senior senator from Oklahoma. Few in Washington match their experience in climate commentary or in affection for CO2 and fossil fuels. Inhofe, you may recall, is one of the Senate’s chief beneficiaries of oil and gas sector largesse — which makes it easier to understand how he could say, infamously and with no apparent shame, that the threat of catastrophic global warming is the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.”
From the Fitzsimmons and Theel piece in Media Matters:
“As Inhofe’s communications director, Morano fed misleading talking points on global warming to climate contrarians, conservative bloggers and right-wing think tanks like the Heartland Institute.
“Morano gloated that in ‘the fall of 2009, more Americans believed in haunted houses than manmade global warming, and I’m not making that up. Science wins in the end.” (But that, of course, has to be with Morano playing quarterback!)
Another gem on this paragon of rational debate: “Morano Said Climate Scientists ‘Deserve To Be Publicly Flogged.’” And if they’re not going to agree with Heartland and Morano’s scientists, why not?!
I hate to break up a good party, but it’s time to add a concluding note to this ode to Morano. To wit:
Finally, hopefully even dramatically, we have run into a tiny problem with those hosannas to boom times on Earth with ratcheted-up CO2 (even 8000 ppm) — a “Gosh, that hadn’t occurred to us” moment.
In a piece published May 3 at Climate Central, “The Last Time CO2 Was This High, Humans Didn’t Exist,” by Andrew Freedman, we learn the following: “The last time there was this much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere … Megatoothed sharks prowled the oceans, the world’s seas were up to 100 feet higher than they are today, and the global average surface temperature was up to 11°F warmer than it is now.
“As we near the record for the highest CO2 concentration in human history — 400 parts per million — climate scientists worry about where we were then, and where we’re rapidly headed now.”
Freedman goes on to note that “CO2 levels are far higher now than they have been for anytime during the past 800,000 years” — which would appear to be a conservative figure, given other research noted in this report that shows that you have to go back much farther in time, well beyond 800,000 years ago, to find an instance when CO2 was sustained at 400 ppm or greater.
“For a 2009 study, published in the journal Science,” Freedman continues, “scientists analyzed shells in deep-sea sediments to estimate past CO2 levels, and found that CO2 levels have not been as high as they are now for at least the past 10 to 15 million years, during the Miocene epoch.”
Once again to Climate Depot’s claims. Summing up the reality of that 8000 ppm bit, human beings apparently weren’t exactly flourishing at the time — they were, in fact, almost certainly nonexistent. And Morano’s special scientists talking about a CO2 famine should perhaps be a bit more concerned about creating a climate for a people famine.
In short, this trajectory we are on, this pathway to ever-larger payoffs in the fossil fuel business and huge fortunes for a fraction of the populace is a form of collective insanity — a short term of living high for the few, to be followed by a very long-term stretch of painful reality for humanity.
But then again, think back to Morano’s glory days of the Miocene, pre-Miocene or thereabouts — gosh, if we had been around, what a wonderful time for sunbathing and sailboating!
Jerome Page is a Benicia resident.
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Thank you, Jerome: Some of our species still live in and enjoy the 12th Century—pb
Good article about Morano, who has, as far as a I have been able to see, lacked any significant peer review of his “scientific” findings, which is, of course, the very first thing that happens before a REAL scientists makes a claim that current CO2 levels are a big yawn. I also don’t see the names of any of the “scientists” he uses, but I have read that at least two of them are directly paid by oil/gas associations. The fact that anyone, in this day and age, rejects Climate Change is a scandal, particularly when you look at the makeup of the House Science Committee. Not a surprise, though, given the strong, anti-science strain running through pronouncements by these folks. Once again, we have policy-makers on the wrong, wrong side of history. And dang, those seat belts and emission controls will cause the auto industry to self-destruct and recycling or conservation isn’t necessary!
Right on! I find Border Collies to be much brighter and more credible than most anti-science cretins still walking the planet dripping oil and broken buggy whips, DDT cans, and shouldering dull and rusted whale harpoons…And Border Collies know how to bark!–pb
A wake-up call
Climate warming denialist vs. climate warming scientists
From the above article:
“As we near the record for the highest CO2 concentration in human history — 400 parts per million — climate scientists worry about where we were then, and where we’re rapidly headed now.”
A key excerpt from the article below about ” where we are rapidly heading now.”
Source; Dissident Voice
July 12, 2013.
“So far, steps to curb the ravages of climate change have been tiny baby steps, not big enough to tame a sleeping giant.
Excerpts of Letter Addressed to World Leaders from the Arctic Methane Emergency Group:
-Emergency intervention to stabilize Arctic sea ice and thereby Arctic methane is today a matter of our survival.
-The latest research expedition to the region… witnessed methane plumes on a ‘fantastic scale’… to equal methane emissions from all the other oceans put together.
-The latest available data indicate there is a 5-10% possibility of the Arctic being ice free in September 2013, more likely 2015, and with 95% confidence by 2018. This, according to the recognized world authorities on Arctic sea ice, Prof. Wadhams and Dr. Wieslaw Maslowski, is the point of no return for summer sea ice. Once past this point, it could prove impossible to reverse the retreat by any kind of intervention.
-The conditions that have long been recognized as potentially causing vast quantities of methane to be released in the Arctic are clearly developing. The calamitous impacts of inaction are well-known – runaway climate change.”
http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/07/the-sleeping-climate-giant/#more-49703
Thank you, Will! Keep up the good work. There are always those asleep or making squirrel noise at the back of the room. Leadership is a courageous business.–pb
I think that we still have the responsibility to persist in pointing out the errors in the denialists’ non-scientific reasoning. While I do not believe that doing this will change the hard-core denialists’ positions any more than people of opposing religious camps are likely to convert each other (and I do believe that much of the denialists’ POVs and premises are faith-based, for they appear to be outside of the purview of scientific challenge), perhaps we can swing opinions of some fence-sitters or others who can’t seem to make up their minds in this noisy and acrimonious debate.
Paul
We all live on the same Earth, what we do for or against it effects all of us…pb
That’s just so true pb, and now lets all hold hands and sing Kumbya…sniff… Lol!
The more you call us ‘denialists’ the more you only underline your sneering belligerence. To claim that Mr Morano (and CFACT for that matter) is ‘well-funded’ is to willfully side-step the inconvenient truth that no matter what sums of money skeptics might or might not receive, such sums (if they exist at all; – and I note no proof is offered to support the accusation) pale into absolute insignificance next to the truly gargantuan sums pro-CAGW causes receive every year from taxpayers via the likes of the UK, the EU and local governments. It has been estimated by Jo Nova that for every $1 dollar of ‘skeptical money’ those in the business of actually promoting CAGW receive almost $3000 (thanks to taxpayers who have no say in the matter).
But of course snide critics of climate skeptics never want to actually admit they are so well funded – even though the evidence for this is readily available – just go look up the annual accounts for the UN/EU’s spending on NGOs such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, WWF, and universities who greedily follow the approved CAGW narrative in order to grab their slice of the fat public cheque for ‘climate change research’.
Attacking Marc Morano – a journalist with no scientific training who has managed to create one of the most successful global rallying points for those of us who do not entirely support or accept the dominant climate ‘consensus’ – is so very typical of those who wish only to promote their CAGW agenda without the inconvenience of actually being called out on their bogus ‘science’, their sensational headline-grabbing claims or their evangelical, politically-driven doctrine.
Long may Mr Morano – and the many others like him such as Jo Nova, Anthony Watts and Lord Lawson – continue to resist the hateful, unscientific ‘consensus’ which seeks to silence, censor and criminalise free speech and dissent in the name of CAGW.
OTOH, if I hadn’t been called a denialist, I never would have taken up the war against modern day eco-socialist tyranny. The irony here is that I used to be an environmental activist, the old school kind. You know, the ones who protested for clean air and water, not like today’s’ world governance, commodity carbon trading kind.
We know that fraud, self-deceit and false consciousness run rampant in our world. That these exist is more evident than that a traditionally-conceived God exists. Fakery and reasoning on the basis of premises false to fact but accordant to wish or agenda is as common as fiat money. They have similar standing and use. Their usefulness is, of course, not equally beneficial to all, nor ultimately to any.
You know, I’m sure you have an interesting point to make in that comment. But I don’t get it. Could you repeat it but make it a bit more clear this time please?
I think he is saying, yes, and no. But as to what is yes and no, I have no idea.
I have multiple science degrees in computer science and geography (climate in particular). I watched as the pundits and so called scientists said we were all going to freeze to death in the 70s because of global cooling due to manmade pollution. I watched people say we are all going to die because of overpopulation. I watched people say Y2K is going to kill our economy. I watched when people said SARS was going to be a pandemic. Then I went back and did the research and in the early 1900s the press was saying global cooling. Then in the 30’s it was global warming. then in the 70’s global cooling. then in the 80s global warming. You have got to be kidding me. Anyone that believes this global warming, global cooling junk science should have their heads examined. I am not a denialists. I am a scientist who has a brain and doesn’t believe in the four horse apocalypse. There is no such thing. What I love is non-scientists telling scientists who don’t believe in global warming that they are against science. Give me a break.
And I suppose Dr. Hansen formerly of NASA is just smoking berry wine and fudge bars as the glaciers and polar ice caps recede? –pb
Hansen is a fraud. I will take these NASA scientists opinion over his…
http://www.therightclimatestuff.com/SummaryPrelimReport.html
They are the frauds. I will take Hansen.
See where this is going?
Simon, I posted their site and have been through their materiilas and have found them more accutate then Hansen’s hiding the decline in temps, his changing temperature records from the 1930s to be colder. there are lot’s of issues to discuss of Hanen’s dishonesty
If you have an open mind, the following link is a nice summary of issue of Climate Change
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/07/17/global-warming-climate-change/
It aways degenerates to the cardtable in the living room and the blanket on top of it and a Slumber Party Dialogue…Good luck with these “debaters,” Ringling-Barnum & Bailey must be in town again…pb
Hahahaha…and my puppy has bunny ears…How much petro and coal stock do those clowns represent collectively? Sorry, I don’t subscribe to your Right-Wing News…Good luck with PiAreNotSquaredAnyMore… and the Earth being the center of the Solar System–pb
Green energy can suck for the enviroment, Altamont Pass wind farms kills 30 eagles and 3000 raptors a year, wind power is killing stable electricity is Europe….Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Qubeec …people are in revolt over this bird blending wind farms that are not green…meanwhile China and India will add more coal plants that off set everything the US and Europe will do….
If you want to talk about clean, safe abundant and cheap power…read about Thorium LFTR at http://www.energyfromthorium.com. I would much rather build clean dense power than cover the world with bird killing wind farms, covering 10,000 acres with solar panels to get a meer 1GW of Power. Gov. Brown wants to build the Delta Water Tunnel project for $25B (2x or 3x) to steal northern CA water. Why not use LFTR to power desalination plants for costal cities…that what real clean abundant power can do for CA and the world…
As to climate check out sun cycle 25 and buy a coat as it will get cold.
We need to stop all bird deaths. Check out these numbers:
Associated bird deaths per year (U.S.)
Feral and domestic cats = Hundreds of millions [source 1=”AWEA” language=”:”][/source]
Power lines = 130 million-174 million [source 1=”AWEA” language=”:”][/source]
Windows (residential and commercial) = 100 million — 1 billion [source 1=”TreeHugger” language=”:”][/source]
Pesticides = 70 million [source 1=”AWEA” language=”:”][/source]
Automobiles = 60 million — 80 million [source 1=”AWEA” language=”:”][/source]
Lighted communication towers = 40 million — 50 million [source 1=”AWEA” language=”:”][/source]
Wind turbines = 10,000 — 40,000 [source 1=”ABC” language=”:”][/source]
I move that we stop all these activities immediately in order to let bird populations rebound to a healthy level.
Of the past 10,500 years of the Holocene the planet has been warmer than today’s moderate climate. Lucky we warmed up a little from the Little Ice Age. http://vimeo.com/14366077
Our sun is currently winding down to an inactive state, so it will get colder until at least 2030 if not longer. Sun cycle 25 is expected to be as inactive as the sun was in cycle 5. A warmer world is healthier for plants and people. CO2 is plant food. Cut its levels by 50% and plants start dying.
No matter what the US does with reducing its CO2 emissions, it will be insignificant with current China and India emissions growth.
True, China and India are building over 1 terawatt of coal fired power stations right now. That’s a lot of power, that’s a lot of CO2 emissions.
Nice to see some common sense being applied to this discussion.
Thanks Walter.
Looks like the Dutch are getting off the MCGW Express:
New satellite dataset finds global temperatures decreased from 1982-2006
A new peer-reviewed paper published in Energy & Environment analyzes 24 years of data from the European Meteosat weather satellite and finds global temperatures decreased over the period 1982-2006. According to the authors,
“Our observations point to a decrease in planetary temperature over almost the entire hemisphere, most likely due to an increase of cloudiness.”