To what extent is the debate over climate
change influenced by a variety of agendas?
– 33 Marker
I would argue to a large extent that different agendas
shape the debate of climate change over time.
Financial agendas specifically by fossil fuel companies
have shaped debates surrounding climate scepticism.
Political agendas involving politicians like Al Gore and
Donald Trump have polarised climate change factoring
to the debate. Moreover, financial and political agendas
can be seen in how the media represents the climate
change debate. Geopolitical agendas between the
major foreign powers have shaped the climate change
debate. However, I would also argue that one factor
that influences climate change but doesn’t necessarily
have an agenda is scientific uncertainty surrounding
models and science.
Financial agendas have shaped the climate change
debate as seen through the use of the media. Many
newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and the New
York Times have financial connections to fossil fuel
companies leading to increased airtime of climate
sceptics. ExonMobile a fossil fuel company has funded
many climate sceptics think tanks to discuss their views
on a national scale despite knowing the science. The
influence these fossil fuel companies on the climate
change debate is astronomical. CNN viewers have said
they are 5-10X more likely to see adverts about the oil
industry than headlines about climate change. A growth
in climate scepticism has been seen in America where
despite 97% scientific consensus only 70% Americans
, believe in climate change and 50% of Americans never
talk about global warming. With incidents like the
California wildfires burning 1 million acres, Glacier
National Park glaciers falling from 250 to just 15 due to
global warming; it is clear that financial agendas and
the use of media have played a huge role in changing
beliefs as despite visible effects of climate change,
there is high amount of debate and scepticism.
Political agendas have influenced the climate change
debate. The politician Al Gore played a huge role in
politicising climate change. His 2006 film ‘An
Inconvenient Truth’ discussed that the oceans were
burning and that all the Arctic Sea Ice would be gone.
He played a huge role in fuelling the climate change
debate, as many of his hypothesis did not manifest and
people felt he was sensationalising climate change for
his own vested interest: advancing his political career
and making money. Another way in which political
agendas have shaped climate change seem like
something only left-wing parties believe in. In America,
many MAGA and republican’s voters support and
believe Donald Trump’s stance on climate change
(“that it’s the greatest con job ever to perpetrate the
planet”) because they like his other policies on
immigration and finance. Moreover, with right wind
news channel like Fox News calling climate change
“radical left lunacy” political agendas have made
climate change appear to be something contestable
fuelling climate debates. As a result, political agendas
shape the debates of climate change substantially.
change influenced by a variety of agendas?
– 33 Marker
I would argue to a large extent that different agendas
shape the debate of climate change over time.
Financial agendas specifically by fossil fuel companies
have shaped debates surrounding climate scepticism.
Political agendas involving politicians like Al Gore and
Donald Trump have polarised climate change factoring
to the debate. Moreover, financial and political agendas
can be seen in how the media represents the climate
change debate. Geopolitical agendas between the
major foreign powers have shaped the climate change
debate. However, I would also argue that one factor
that influences climate change but doesn’t necessarily
have an agenda is scientific uncertainty surrounding
models and science.
Financial agendas have shaped the climate change
debate as seen through the use of the media. Many
newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and the New
York Times have financial connections to fossil fuel
companies leading to increased airtime of climate
sceptics. ExonMobile a fossil fuel company has funded
many climate sceptics think tanks to discuss their views
on a national scale despite knowing the science. The
influence these fossil fuel companies on the climate
change debate is astronomical. CNN viewers have said
they are 5-10X more likely to see adverts about the oil
industry than headlines about climate change. A growth
in climate scepticism has been seen in America where
despite 97% scientific consensus only 70% Americans
, believe in climate change and 50% of Americans never
talk about global warming. With incidents like the
California wildfires burning 1 million acres, Glacier
National Park glaciers falling from 250 to just 15 due to
global warming; it is clear that financial agendas and
the use of media have played a huge role in changing
beliefs as despite visible effects of climate change,
there is high amount of debate and scepticism.
Political agendas have influenced the climate change
debate. The politician Al Gore played a huge role in
politicising climate change. His 2006 film ‘An
Inconvenient Truth’ discussed that the oceans were
burning and that all the Arctic Sea Ice would be gone.
He played a huge role in fuelling the climate change
debate, as many of his hypothesis did not manifest and
people felt he was sensationalising climate change for
his own vested interest: advancing his political career
and making money. Another way in which political
agendas have shaped climate change seem like
something only left-wing parties believe in. In America,
many MAGA and republican’s voters support and
believe Donald Trump’s stance on climate change
(“that it’s the greatest con job ever to perpetrate the
planet”) because they like his other policies on
immigration and finance. Moreover, with right wind
news channel like Fox News calling climate change
“radical left lunacy” political agendas have made
climate change appear to be something contestable
fuelling climate debates. As a result, political agendas
shape the debates of climate change substantially.
