Climate change deniers focus on renewable energy

Over the past decade, it has become increasingly difficult to firmly deny climate change. Why? Two big reasons. The science has become stronger, and the effects of global warming, once only a predicted threat, have undoubtedly arrived. People are noticing stronger storms, downpours causing flash floods, record temperatures, oppressive and dangerous heat waves, and longer and more intense fire seasons.

As the consequences of a warming world are stark to us, some ideologues have simply ignored reality. In Florida, for example, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill eliminating all mention of climate change from state law and policy. So this begs the question: Does the average Floridian find it strange that their state spends hundreds of millions raising seawalls and roads to prevent floods that are officially caused by… nothing?

DeSantis’ willful political blindness has earned him well-deserved ridicule. But astute climate activists have spotted a more subtle approach by deniers: attempts to sow doubt about the various clean energy technologies needed to transition to a greener era.

“The fossil fuel industry and other stakeholders are making a concerted effort that is no longer really attacking the science of the climate crisis, but is trying to slowly erode trust in technology solutions,” said Joe Curtatone, president of the Northeast Clean Energy Council, a nonprofit group based in Somerville, which aims to accelerate the transition to clean energy. “This will feed into people’s fear and uncertainty and undermine confidence in our ability to meet our climate goals. That’s what’s really dangerous.”

Curtatone sees a pattern in the false or hyperbolic claims being made, with the opposition excited about everything from offshore wind farms electric vehicles to bring Canadian hydropower to New England. In the latest case, NextEra Energy, a diversified company that has spent big on wind and solar power but also owns gas and oil-fired facilities and owns the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant, used a number of front groups and shell companies in the trial. to block plans to introduce Canadian renewable electricity into the New England power grid.

It’s a strategy of distraction, deception and delay, University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann, one of the fathers of the famous hockey stick graph showing that the rise in global temperature closely follows the era of industrialization, noted via email. In March, investigative reporter Rebecca Burns produced a must-read piece for Sierra, the Sierra Club’s magazine, documenting how shady characters and shady groups, often financed by the fossil fuel industry, have worked to spread misinformation about clean energy and stoke opposition to clean energy energy. projects and technologies.

Her story begins with prominent climate change denier Marc Morano and his colleagues conducting a boat-borne protest against wind energy, ostensibly to protect whales from the alleged dangers posed by offshore wind farms. Scientists say there is no evidence that wind farms cause whales to die or become stranded.

There have been similar concerns that onshore wind turbines are destroying bird populations. Now these designs are actually killing birds; one renowned environmentalist estimated that wind turbines kill at least 1.17 million winged creatures each year. However, this must be weighed against the benefits of renewable energy and estimates that the U.S. bird population is over 7 billion. For the perspective of 60 million every year, cars kill 90 million birds and cats kill about 1.3 billion.

The The Northeast Clean Energy Council has decided to play a role in combating this type of misinformation.

“If we don’t attack the lie with facts, the lie will become the truth,” Curtatone said. “That’s why this fall, NECEC will take action to combat misinformation, provide the facts, promote the benefits of a clean energy economy and engage stakeholders in this fight.”

In the meantime, there are other useful resources for those who want to help correct misinformation and misinformation. Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law recently published a report titled “Debunking 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind and Electric Vehicles” that lays it out concisely and persuasively. FactCheck.org has an entire section dedicated to climate claims. Skepticalscience.com is full of climate information and rumor debunking.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher with this upcoming election,” Mann said. “There is no way to address the climate crisis, pandemics or any of the major challenges we face as a civilization if there is no functioning democracy.”

Even if you don’t believe that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy – and I do – climate represents a continental divide between President Biden and Trump. Biden has taken important steps to catalyze social change toward clean energy. Not only does Trump lack the appetite for the task, but he actually expresses aversion to Biden’s programs.

This is all the more reason why those who care about the climate should be ready with the facts whenever disinformation comes to light.

Scot Lehigh is a Globe columnist. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him @GlobeScotLehigh.