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Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science

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Incorrigible Lomborg: Defending the right of rich people to pollute

The Disingenuous Environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg has once again celebrated a public epiphany on climate change, bringing him. once again, to the conclusion that the globe is warming, that humans are to blame and that we - especially we rich people - shouldn't do anything about it.

In Lomborg's latest feint, he suckered some reporter at London's Financial Times into reporting that he has broken common cause with the "climate sceptics" and called for an a global agreement on climate change in this December's Kyoto negotiations in Copenhagen.

But if you read the details, his position is the same as ever: that it would be a "mistake" to try to get rich countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Lomborg's choice is to concentrate on every other thing - and especially to think about ignoring the problem in the short term, putting our energies into adaptation and "weighing up whether emission cuts are cheaper to do now or later."

This is insincere drivel, typical of everything that Lomborg has been saying about climate change for years. He has positioned himself as an "environmentalist" - as someone who acknowledges the danger of climate change. But he has then built carefully contrived arguments that totally ignore the cumulative nature of the climate change threat. His "let's-do'nothing-soon" strategy also serves perfectly the agenda of the big energy producers - and the think tanks that so frequently hire Lomborg as a guest speaker - all of whom want to maintain the profitable status quo, leaving the problem to be solved by developing nations or by future generations.

There is nothing new in this "new" position. It's straight out of the Exxon playbook and the Financial Times should be embarrassed to have been led by the nose to reporting this as if it is a legitimate update.

What's next?

About the climate cover-up

About the climate cover-up

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

Although all public relations professionals are bound by a duty to not knowingly mislead the public, some have executed comprehensive campaigns of misinformation on behalf of industry clients on issues ranging from tobacco and asbestos to seat belts.

Lately, these fringe players have turned their efforts to creating confusion about climate change. This PR campaign could not be accomplished without the compliance of media as well as the assent and participation of leaders in government and business.

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James Hoggan - Black and WhiteRichard LittlemoreHoggan, Robertson, HarcourtJames Hoggan - Colour

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