By Jay Lehr and Tom Harris
OTTAWA – OPINION – For many of the entities driving the global warming debate, the goal has never been about climate. Their long-term goal is to unite the world under a single socialistic government in which there is no capitalism, no democracy, and, ultimately, no freedom. United Nations’ treaties such as the Paris Agreement on climate change are the flagships of the global governance agenda. By controlling carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, they are in fact controlling the world’s energy since over 80% of our energy comes from CO2-emitting fossil fuels. And controlling the world’s energy effectively controls the world.
Individual freedom is fueled by access to affordable energy. So, for those seeking global governance, a shorter-term goal has become to limit the amount of energy that is available and place it under government control. The wide availability of inexpensive fossil fuels is a serious obstacle to this vision.
Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power are incapable of ever meeting the world’s energy needs. Their cost, which must be heavily subsidized by the taxpayer, their intermittency (power generation is interrupted when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun goes behind a cloud), and their limited capacity rule them out as major energy sources. The public needs to wake up to this reality because energy impacts every facet of our lives and the war against fossil fuels is already taking a high toll.
Yet, in many states, energy costs are rising because public utilities are being forced by governments to replace some existing economical power with solar and wind farms. As usual, low-income families and small businesses are the biggest losers.
Under the Obama administration, nearly 75,000 new federal regulations restricting energy providers were created, costing America hundreds of billions of dollars per year. The good news is that President Trump has reversed this dangerous trend, weakening or outright cancelling many of the Obama era rules.
This may be difficult to sustain beyond the Trump presidency since the objectivity of major government agencies has been seriously compromised by the global warming movement. All agencies that handle activities relating to climate, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and the Environmental Protection Agency have become so heavily politicized that any project, scientist, or activity that can be remotely connected to global warming is forced to align with the alarmist movement.
The integrity of science and scientists has also declined in recent years. Scientists understand that, if they want to receive research funding, publish papers, and even retain their jobs, they must support the global warming movement. The net result is a loss of credibility for all scientists and the propagation of numerous falsehoods regarding global warming. Even so, a broad spectrum of meteorologists and other scientists have spoken out to say that there is no compelling evidence to support the hypothesis that humans are the cause of any climate changes observed in modern times.
Personal freedoms are declining as a result of the climate scare as well. Socialists are using global warming to attack freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Several U.S. states are trying to pass unconstitutional legislation that would make it a crime to speak out against man-caused global warming. The California Climate Science Truth and Accountability Act of 2016 would have permitted prosecutors to sue think tanks, fossil fuel companies, and others that have “deceived or misled the public on the risks of climate change.” After passing two state Senate committees, it was finally taken off the Senate floor but can be reconsidered at a later date.
Socialists are also trying to place all energy sources under government control using a ‘smart grid’ that will eventually be able to monitor and dictate the energy use of all Americans.
Global warming represents the most pervasive and damaging example of scientific fraud in history. It has already seriously damaged the United States and other free-market economies. While our economy is booming now, it will continue to be threatened as long as our government bases any of its policies on the global warming movement.
Dr. Jay Lehr is the Science Director of The Heartland Institute which is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Tom Harris is Executive Director of the Ottawa-based International Climate Science Coalition.
Portions of this article have been excerpted with permission of the publisher and author of the 2018 book THE MYTHOLOGY OF GLOBAL WARMING by Bruce Bunker, Ph.D., Publisher: Moonshine Cove.
