Blogging Tory flogs climate skeptic vid; tries to cover up

Tags: blogging tories, craig smith, Desmogger, General

As Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government prepares to abrogate Canada's Kyoto commitment, it's a concern to see his political backers also promoting a climate change disinformation campaign on the sly. It smacks of political dirty trickery - tawdry and vaguely dishonest.

The principal disinformation vehicle this time around is a video series created by the oil-and-gas apologists at Friends of Science. Climate Catastrophe Cancelled: what your'e not being told about the science of climate change (see here, here, here, here and here) is available on the FOS website and has popped up a couple of times on YouTube.com. Whenever it does, we at the DeSmog have appended a comment, pointing out the degree to which FOS has been exposed as a pseudo-science astroturf group fronting for the Alberta energy industry.

Read more: Blogging Tory flogs climate skeptic vid; tries to cover up

» Richard Littlemore's blog 3 comments

What's next?

| Subscribe:

| Comment:

| Tools:

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.