The Fossil Fuel Industry and Republican Climate Change Deception

Sen. Whitehouse attributes climate misinformation to the fossil fuel industry and their Republican minions. He points to the scientific inaccuracy of the climate change hiatus as a classic case in point. Such lies are deliberately woven to prevent us from acting. The science is clear and comprehensive. Global warming is caused by carbon pollution. However, for decades the fossil fuel industry has bought off Republicans in the Senate who proceed to use their position to undermine the facts and obstruct action on climate change.

The fossil fuel industry has provided massive contributions to Republicans who are in effect owned by the dirty energy industry. Republicans have thwarted climate action while ignoring the pleas of scientists, national security leaders, businesses, and religious leaders.

There is widespread corruption in the fossil fuel industry and recently the industry’s own document has revealed evidence of disinformation. The evidence is clear, the world is warming. We know that 17 of the 18 hottest years on record and 2014 was the hottest year on record, although it is expected 2015 will eclipse last year’s record heat. Many studies have confirmed the finding that there is no hiatus in warming and there is no stall in year-to-year temperature increases. The fossil fuel industry and Republicans cynically cherry-pick a handful of statistical data to deceive the American public.

While Whitehouse should be commended for his advocacy of climate science, the fossil fuel industry and Republicans are the incarnations of the worst form of short-sighted self-interest. The fossil fuel industry’s control of Congress and obstructionism on climate action is a national shame and an international catastrophe. Generations to come will look at the Republican party as some of the most villainous political forces ever unleashed on the earth. Although some Republicans have broken ranks because they can no longer countenance the anti-science subterfuge of their own party, they are the tiny minority.

In this video, Sen. Whitehouse discusses the bogus, debunked “global warming hiatus” aka the “climate pause” that deniers continue to tout. As Whitehouse says, now is the time for courageous actions and strategies. It is time for us to wake up, time to come together in good faith to tackle the threat of climate change.