Climate Promotion: Seriously Failing

As an out and out promotion, climate concerns seemed to peak with Copenhagen in December 2009. The media was full of countdowns to the "end of the world". England’s prime minister proclaimed "There are only 50 days to save the planet". A newspaper headlined "Sun Going Down on Climate Skeptics".

And then there was the recent magnificent signing of the Paris Agreement, which was opened for signing on Earth Day, April 22, 2016. Christina Figueres at the UN stated that the agreement was "not to save the world from ecological calamity, but to destroy capitalism". This was widely reported and described the full truth about climate activism.

So far as the promotion goes, a Google sweep finds no headlines about "Only 50 days...etc." preceding the Paris confab.

This week, the Daily Mail reported "NOAA breached its own rules on scientific integrity when it published the sensational but flawed report, aimed at making the maximum possible...on the UN climate conference in Paris".

The tide seems to be changing against glaringly corrupt science whereby the sun is going down for the promoters of climate hysteria. Researchers with integrity could become less threatened by political pressures and become more open in criticizing government research.

If so, it prompts a question about what will happen to a very energized political movement when it begins to lose momentum and, worse, disciples and converts.

Will it quietly fade away, or will there be a great disappointment?

History suggests both.

Soaring prices and political ferment brewed up in the middle of the 1800s. In England, there were grave concerns that rapid population growth would lead to a shortage of coal and civilization would collapse. Such shortages were imaginary and concerns faded away. In the US, a religious fervor about the end of the world also erupted. It failed, which was recorded as the "Great Disappointment".

Bereft of any foundation in science convictions about AGW have become religious catechism. Even if Paris delivered all that the faithful could hope for, there would be a post-mania let down.

Historically, the warming mania is another example of millenarianism, which is described as "The belief by a religious, social, or political movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed, with the true believers being rewarded."

There have been a number of examples and a couple in the 19th Century are instructive. The 1840s to the 1860s was a period of social and financial turmoil and one of the world's leading economists, Stanley Jevons, had a personal vision that the Western world was going to run out of coal.

Civilization, as it was appreciated in 1865, would collapse:

The impatience of his persuasion is shown with "I am convinced that this question must be before long force itself upon our attention with painful urgency."

Then he flatters his readers with "This is a question of almost religious importance which needs the separate study and determination of every intelligent person."

Based upon diligent research, including coal reserve calculations down to the 4000-foot depth, Jevons sold books and gained fame. Grave concerns about threats to civilization soon faded from the front pages as concerns about the "Great Depression" that began in 1873 changed the headlines.

A charismatic American leader with more lasting effect was William Miller. Miller had many accomplishments that led him to becoming a militant Baptist fundamentalist. In the 1820s he became convinced that scripture revealed that the "Second coming of Christ is near, even at the door, even within twenty-one years, - on or before 1843". His vision spread such that by 1840 it became known as Millerism, and in the hands of an able and experienced publisher it grew from little-known regional movement into a national campaign.

Eventually his calculations led to an exact date and the New York Herald, always in search of sensationalism, asked Miller how the world will end on March 21, 1843. The response was "By fire". This passed without incident and another date was set for April 18, 1844. Thousands of the faithful gathered on hill tops to be nearer for the journey to heaven. With extended deadlines, followers amounted to more than 500,000 and Miller grew prosperous on the lecture circuit as well as by selling tracts and "ascension" robes, designed for Armageddon.

Eventually, the date was set for October 22, 1844, and with the sunrise the day became known as the "Great Disappointment". Because the world did not end.

The story about corrupt climate data is getting wider attention. The Committee on Space, Science, & Technology is reviewing the issue. On February 5th, it published the story with the headline "Former NOAA Scientist Confirms Colleagues Manipulated Climate Records".

The promotion of man-caused climate change has been a key to a compulsive experiment to control every facet of life. An old saying in physics sums it up "That which is not compulsory is prohibited". In practical terms, this explains the real ambition behind the United Nations interest in climate, which Figueres described as ending capitalism. The invention of a new "original sin" of climate crime has been to control people, of course always for their own good.

This seems to be climaxing as a significant opposition is developing. In other articles, this writer has noted that authoritarianism takes a full-on 24/7 imposition of force. On the other side, is the submission of complacency. Then, there seems to be a moment when government loses its will. And this is at the same time as the public has had enough.

This was the case symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, Brexit in June and the US election in November.

The latter two are the early stages of a Great Reformation whereby all institutions will become responsive to the public, instead of the other way around.

Ending the climate promotion is in very early stages and will be part of the major reform of government without limits.

As for climate zealotry, it won’t fade away but denied funding it will be less intrusive.