Will this be the end of the distortions, lies and misrepresentation of science by climate change deniers?

Question

Exxon announces that it (again) cut funding to climate change skeptics. Will this be the end of the vast distortions, lies, and misrepresentation of climate science?

“The groups Exxon has stopped funding include the Capital Research Center, Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, Frontiers of Freedom Institute, the George C. Marshall Institute, and the Institute for Energy Research, according to Exxon spokesman Gantt Walton.”[1]

http://www.businessweek.com/investing/green_business/archives/2007/05/exxons_climate.html

[1] http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN2328446120080523

Answer 1

I suspect the the end of the distortions, lies and misrepresentation of science will occur when the climate continues to cool and the promoters back off their stance that CO2 drives climate. Unfortunately the politicians will have established cap and trade / carbon taxes that will continue to damage the economy and we all know that they will find a reason to keep taking our hard earned money. The sad thing for my kids is that they will have to pay these high taxes while all of us baby boomers are retiring and the social security funds that we have been paying all our lives runs dry because the politicians didn't manage it properly and that burden will most likely be passed on to them.

Answer 2

Maybe Exxon should just suck it up and cut funding to right-wing global warming denying think tanks altogether!

Unfortunately the campaign of minsinformation will continue.  There's always Inhofe and groups like the OISM.  And of course the right-wing blogs and junkscience, etc.

I'm sure there will still be plenty of global warming misinformation coming from various deniers, but it's good to see that the main source of funding for the denial movement is finally drying up.

Answer 3

There is always climate change . The question is is man responsible ? Well they want to tax the people to death on this issue . Exxon is mostly owned by the Rockefeller's Who also control international banks . They have a vested interested in making money both ways on this issue . Whit 30 thousand scientists against the theory of global warming they are trying to silence those oppose it by cutting there funding .

Answer 4

It seems to me that the master of science has been out in the sun for too long. He should on the internet to see the works published by some of the leading scientists in the field. I will only sugest the great global warming swindel for now because of my personal moto. If you argue with a imbecile people might not recognize one from the other.

Answer 5

Probably no more than a similar announcement they made in 2007.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16593606/

But given the current surge of coal industry advertising, I suspect the coal industry will fund obfuscation for a long time.  Their "green" sounding commercials are so misleading it's ridiculous.

Answer 6

Really. This is a clear affront to scientific research, since different viewpoints definitely deserve consideration. It's called being open-minded. The nature of science means searching for the truth- that means that all viewpoints should be continuously considered and tested.

To answer your question, I doubt it is the end.

Answer 7

No.  Read their press release carefully, they're cutting funding to 9 groups, which leaves about 30 in place.  They also don't say they won't simply replace them with 9 more groups (or 30 new ones).

ExxonMobil made an announcement like this one last year.  This year's similar announcement proves that ExxonMobil didn't cut off their funding of these groups.  They're very slippery.

Boycott ExxonMobil.

Answer 8

I'm afraid that the damage has already been done to the sane discussion of what to do about climate change.  I see those ads from "wecansolveit.org" with Pat Robinson and Al Sharpton agreeing on the subject of global warming. Those are too little , too late!   We're already seeing the rapid decline in the climate! Look at the steady increase in tornadoes every year!

Answer 9

Oil companies, including Exxon, are profitting in a big way due to this global warming thing.  There came a time when their lust for money was greater than their interest in the truth.

Why would they support a movement that stands in the way of profit...even if they are right?  Supporting the g/w theory has helped drive prices up to record highs, for no valid reason.  And we all know the credibility of oil companies when it comes to operating in a fair and honest way.

Answer 10

No...Gore et al will use this as a rallying point, much like you are.  You did mean those who deny climate change is natural, right?

Answer 11

No.  Could it be that these are not " distortions, lies and misrepresentation of science by climate change deniers" but actual truth.  These accusations are nothing but an attempt to remove the debate from science.  Lindzen says so and so.  Very rarely do you hear counter arguments.  But rather you hear, you cannot trust him, he is in the pockets of big oil.  End of debate.

It will interesting to see what excuses believers will give when skeptical scientists continue to promote the truth.

Answer 12

I think I am missing the point. Tons of research has been done to spport natural warming without "Big Oil".

And I have yet to see why the funding is an issue. The facts of the research is the issue.

If your theory were true, then most AGW research would have to be ignored. Any thing done by IPCC, NASA Godard Institute and most other scientific agencies have an agenda. They have more to gain than oil co's have to lose.

If AGW theory goes away today, what happens to the IPCC? It's sole purpose is to promote AGW.