Twenty years after his first testimony to congress about the dangers of
climate change James Hansen is back. According to the New York times he
is back with attitude. Or more seriously, he has long since run out of
patience with obstructionist politicians and companies that are pushing
us all down a destructive path that we need not be on. The timeline of
climate change and its public presentation durning the last twenty
years is here.Hansen called for the trial of oil company CEO's who
where involved in spreading misinformation about climate change in an
attempt to stifle decisive action. An attempt that worked and that we
are not paying the price for. Interestingly the NYT ignored this aspect
of the story! We have to cross the channel and read the Telegraph or
the Guardian to find out about Hansen's statements on the parralles
between big oil and big tabacco and how they delt with science.Hansen
tells the Guardian:When you are in that kind of position, as the CEO of
one the primary players who have been putting out misinformation even
via organisations that affect what gets into school textbooks, then I
think that's a crime.Against this backdrop it is rather sad to see
Gordon Brown begging for more oil. New Labour don't seem to get it--The
opportunities of greentech, and the need for action, that is.

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Posted By Calvin Jones to Climate Change Action at 6/23/2008 09:37:00 PM