Op/Ed by Stephen Heins, The Practical Environmental, LLC
Recently, I have written that credibility isn’t an ordinary word. In particular, the recent Newsweek piece below is a classic example of a new form of “news,” which can only be described as paid advertising for climate extremism. Unsurprisingly, Newsweek is known for its one-eyed approach to reporting on climate issues.
Check the headline: “The Oceans Appear to Be Stabilizing. Here’s Why it’s Very Bad News | Opinion
By Michael Mann on 9/28/20″:
And then there is “That’s bad for marine productivity. It means the potential interruption of food webs and fish populations that provide the main source of protean for more than three billion people” is hyperbole without a modicum of semantic precision. The two quotes have their problems of equivocation and scare tactics: the ocean “APPEARS…”; and “It means the POTENTIAL interruption'” which are in the same category as: could, might, possibly, projected, etc.
Without meaning too much disrespect, The Environmental Defense Fund received over $156,000,000 from donations in 2017 and lord knows how much money in public and private grants that year. It is safe to say they receive more money now, for satellites and atmospheric grants. Their studies about the amount of methane in the earth’s atmosphere and its effect on climate change have been mostly hypothetical from the beginning.
Harvard, Yale, Columbia, George Mason, Princeton, Syracuse, and Duke have the same conflicts of interest, especially with large amounts money available NGOs/Foundations, and grants for professors and the University itself. In fact, Duke was fined $112 Million by the EPA for mishandling data.
Then, there is the problem of quoting a scholar claiming he was a Nobel Prize winner, with a history of exaggerating cataclysmic Climate Change, using the famous “Hockey Stick” as proof of global warming. Over the years, there are many examples of environmental catastrophes occupying his mind, although Mann will not allow anyone access to his Hockey Stick research, by claiming it is proprietary.
Is it possible that the environmental doomsday narrative has seduced its proponents with grant money and notoriety?
Then, there is the matter of a China University playing a significant role in the above mention study on stable ocean waters, hurricanes and climate change. China and credibility aren’t exactly synonymous these days, given Covid 19 and environmental promises.
When one adds up the sources involved in magazine article, (Newsweek, two extreme climate change professorial advocates, and China), it isn’t hard to suspect there are conflicts interest and credibility problems. CNN, The New Times, Washington Post, the Guardian, BBC, National Geographic, Time Magazine and many other large media sources have the same problem.
Environmental credibility has almost become an oxymoron.
In conclusion, I would like to end with a quote from Michael Palin – “You can’t get a suit of armor and a rubber chicken just like that…you have to plan ahead.”
Stephen Heins
The Energy Pragmatist, Inc.
steve@heins.net
thepracticalenvironmentalist.com
Spread the word. Support the industry. Share the energy.
If you have a chance, check out The Crude Life Podcast!
