How Bad Is Global Warming?

[Agent Orange Cooper]

Of course, there is no more credible source on climate science than the Attorney Generals of the USA! Who could ever doubt their motivations...

[Iamwhomiam]

Attorneys General Will Investigate Energy Firms For Climate Deception

Attorneys General from 18 states and territories joined New York AG Eric Schneiderman in saying they would investigate oil and coal firms for misstatements to investors about the risks of global warming.

Originally posted on Mar. 29, 2016, at 12:53 p.m. Updated on Mar. 29, 2016, at 3:07 p.m.

Dan Vergano
BuzzFeed News Reporter


BuzzFeed

Joined by Al Gore, attorneys general from 18 states and territories announced a coalition on Tuesday aimed at joint investigations into whether fossil fuel firms such as ExxonMobil misled investors about the risks that climate change posed to its investors.

“We have heard the scientists and we have heard what is happening to the planet,” said New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman at a briefing for reporters. “Every fossil fuel company has a responsibility to be honest with its investors.”

Schneiderman started an investigation last year into ExxonMobil’s past statements casting doubt on climate models under securities fraud regulation. Attorneys general from Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands joined him to convene the multi-state effort, along with legal representatives from 11 other states.

“What these attorneys general are doing is extremely important,” former vice-president Al Gore said at the briefing. He compared fossil fuel firms to tobacco companies that suffered a huge legal defeat in the 1990’s over their misstatements about cancer and heart disease risks of cigarette smoking, in lawsuits started by states over health costs. “These brave members of this coalition are doing their job like they did in the tobacco case,” Gore said.

Expansion of the investigation to more states is required because of the widespread nature of past misstatements by energy firms about global warming, Schneiderman said. The investigation will go beyond ExxonMobil and Peabody Energy, which last year rewrote its financial statements after an investigation by Schneiderman’s office. Attorneys general from Iowa, Tom Miller and Vermont, William Sorrell, who were instrumental in the tobacco lawsuits, are members of the newly-announced climate coalition.

The “AGs United for Clean Power” group are largely members of states that have supported the Obama Administration’s clean power plan that would cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants nationwide. The plan is opposed by many coal states.

A Greenpeace investigation last year revealed that ExxonMobil had made payments to climate critics despite a 2007 pledge to stop funding PR campaigns aimed at generating doubts about global warming. Historical investigations by Inside Climate News and the Los Angeles Times also showed that the firm’s scientists had explained the likelihood of global warming as far back as the 1970’s to Exxon’s leadership.

“The allegations leveled against ExxonMobil again today are politically motivated and based on discredited reporting funded by activist organizations,” Exxon’s Suzanne McCarron said in a statement emailed to BuzzFeed News. “The investigations targeting our company threaten to have a chilling effect on private sector research.”

New York, Massachusetts, California and the U.S. Virgin Islands have started investigations already, Schneiderman said at the briefing.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/danvergano/attorneys-general-will-investigate-energy-firms-for-climate

The bullshit btia posted didn't address the issue prompting the Attorneys General to take action. Sorry, but I won't be wasting my data reviewing any video he offers on this topic.

It is astounding to find supporters of the oil and gas industry here who feel they should remain immune from harm for delaying positive action to reduce anthropogenic carbon emissions. An unnecessary delay that will cost millions their life.

But it's clear the industry's propaganda has convinced some their lies are truth.

The comments to btiam's article should be compared, if you're in need of reading fiction.

[DrEvil]

The Inquisition has spoken. We have a new religion. Heritics will be burned at the stake. Al Gore, Inconvenient Hockey Stick Daddyo will help lead the burnings.

News flash: The hockey stick is real. Over twenty different reconstructions of the temperature trend has come to that conclusion, so will you pretty fucking please stop spreading lies?

Climate change is also very real, and it's caused by humans. The science has been settled for ages. The only thing to debate is how bad it will get. Actively lying about it is what got the AGs to go after the energy companies. If it wasn't for these fuckers throwing millions upon millions at the kind of shitbags you're so fond of posting we might actually have started doing something substantial years ago.

But noooo, money talks and you and your fellow travelers fell for it hook, line and sinker and now spend your time spreading lies and bullshit (doesn't it make you feel special, having this enlightened insider information, just knowing that every single climate scientist is a liar and a fraud?) , just so big energy can suck the last few drops from mother Earth. You're a useful idiot for the oil and coal companies, a voluntary schill. Go read the fucking science and stop posting garbage.

PS! When "discussing" climate science, mentioning Al Gore as a bogeyman is generally considered the same as holding a giant sign reading "I'm an ignorant fuckwit who don't know what I'm talking about".

[Pele'sDaughter]

I think it's just easy for people to forget the difference between the government (and others) exploiting a crisis and the crisis itself. Regardless of the cause, climate change is happening and will have to be dealt with just like other impending crises that we've been ignoring or impotently arguing about (not an RI ref): climate, energy, bees/food, pollution, etc. There seems to be a relatively few working actively in mitigation and a huge number of people in denial or ignorant completely.

[smoking since 1879]

Of course, there is no more credible source on climate science than the Attorney Generals of the USA! Who could ever doubt their motivations...

1. They are not claiming to be a 'credible source on climate science' - “We have heard the scientists and we have heard what is happening to the planet,” said New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman

2. I would presume that what 'Attorney Generals of the USA' are good at is evaluating evidence.

3. Anyone that takes a stick to the oil companies is, in my book, a good thing.

[Agent Orange Cooper]

would presume that what 'Attorney Generals of the USA' are good at is evaluating evidence.

Really? I would presume that what the 'Attorneys General of the USA' (my mistake) are good at is lining their own pockets and climbing the political hierarchy. And if it takes pushing Gore's carbon BS to accomplish either of those things, you can bet your ass that's what they'll do.

[smoking since 1879]

would presume that what 'Attorney Generals of the USA' are good at is evaluating evidence.

Really? I would presume that what the 'Attorneys General of the USA' (my mistake) are good at is lining their own pockets and climbing the political hierarchy. And if it takes pushing Gore's carbon BS to accomplish either of those things, you can bet your ass that's what they'll do.

while i kinda agree, this time i'll put my scepticism aside and hope for the best

[Iamwhomiam]

And if it takes pushing Gore's carbon BS...

What are you referring to specifically, as being "carbon BS", AOC?

Are you one of those deniers who claims there is no warming or changing climate, that it's all a fraud, or are you of the type who accept our climate is changing and our world is warming, but not due to anthropogenic causes, but due to some other reason, like being caused by our Sun?

[backtoiam]

Iamwhomaim said

Are you one of those deniers with no claims there is no warming or changing climate, that it's all a fraud, or are you of the type who accept our climate is changing and our world is warming, but not due to anthropogenic causes, but due to some other reason, like being caused by our Sun?

No sense in considering the Sun, for Zues sake.....

[coffin_dodger]

^^ OT, but reminds me - gorgeous looking book: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/18 ... =home_potd

[Agent Orange Cooper]

Are you one of those deniers who claims there is no warming or changing climate, that it's all a fraud, or are you of the type who accept our climate is changing and our world is warming, but not due to anthropogenic causes, but due to some other reason, like being caused by our Sun?

Yeah I'm closer to the latter camp, though not exactly. I think it's obvious that the "climate" is "changing." I'm kind of expecting another ice age fairly soon to be honest. I'm not denying the possibility that it is being driven by humans, but I doubt very much that it is happening the way Al Gore and the UN's international consortium of science™ has so helpfully explained it. The reasons are likely far more complex, and sinister, than excess CO2. They've been mucking around with geo-engineering tech for decades now, I have no trouble believing that altering the planet's atmosphere has had some effect on the Sun in turn.

the Sun may be a living being for all I know, literally responding to human activity in conscious fashion (like, Sun: hey, what the fuck Earth, why are you heating up your own ionosphere? that's kind of annoying Earth: it's these humans they've figured out how to mess with the atmosphere, I can't seem to get rid of them Sun: oh ok let me take care of that. this may hurt *belch*). that one's pretty out there though.

At the end of the day I'm concerned with questioning all media-driven narratives, which is what "global warming" has always been.

[PufPuf93]

^^ OT, but reminds me - gorgeous looking book: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/18 ... =home_potd

Wow.

That artist and book are awesome.

[DrEvil]

Are you one of those deniers who claims there is no warming or changing climate, that it's all a fraud, or are you of the type who accept our climate is changing and our world is warming, but not due to anthropogenic causes, but due to some other reason, like being caused by our Sun?

Yeah I'm closer to the latter camp, though not exactly. I think it's obvious that the "climate" is "changing." I'm kind of expecting another ice age fairly soon to be honest. I'm not denying the possibility that it is being driven by humans, but I doubt very much that it is happening the way Al Gore and the UN's international consortium of science™ has so helpfully explained it. The reasons are likely far more complex, and sinister, than excess CO2. They've been mucking around with geo-engineering tech for decades now, I have no trouble believing that altering the planet's atmosphere has had some effect on the Sun in turn.

...

We are heading into another ice age, or rather, we should be, but instead we're warming up. Strange isn't it?

What you call "the UN's international consortium of science™" actually consists of thousands of scientists from all over the world who voluntarily contribute their research to the IPCC. The IPCC's only job is to summarize and make recommendations based on the conclusions reached.
The UN doesn't pay for any of the science (and neither does Al fucking Gore), they just facilitate a world-wide effort (which is why it's done through the UN in the first place) to get at the big picture.

If you have a problem with the science please say what your problem is and leave the UN and Al Gore out of it, as they have fuck all to do with it, and tbh I'm sick to death of hearing those same bullshit "arguments" repeated over and over again. They're straw men and a stupid fucking thing to focus on (same goes for "climategate" and "hockey stick". Just don't).

And no - changing the Earth's atmosphere won't affect the sun any more than changing Mars' atmosphere will affect the Earth.

[Iamwhomiam]

Almost 20 Attorney Generals are wanting to prosecute people for debating a topic and thats the best you can do? ^^^

Tell it to this guy. I'm seeing more and more of this as a pattern in our society today. BLM flopped in more ways than one.

No one is interested in prosecuting anyone for debating a topic, btia. Perhaps if you read the article you would understand the reason for the press conference. They will prosecute oil executives for committing fraud, a fraud that dupes investors into believing their investments aren't toxic, when they are. Hucksters brought to justice, deservedly so.

I thought it was nice that your grandkids attend NYU and made a video, but then I watched it and realize it wasn't made by anyone remotely affiliated with NYU, but linked back to the NY Post article on youtube.

It was torturous, but I watched it to its end. Which really makes me wonder about you, btia, and your viewing choices for aggregating crap is astounding. Totally off-topic to this thread and totally off-topic to the posting it responded to.

Oh, it's clear to all of us you're seeing patterns! Tell me, what does "the BLM flopped in more ways then one" have to do with How Bad is Global Warming?

[Iamwhomiam]

Iamwhomaim said

Are you one of those deniers with no claims there is no warming or changing climate, that it's all a fraud, or are you of the type who accept our climate is changing and our world is warming, but not due to anthropogenic causes, but due to some other reason, like being caused by our Sun?

No sense in considering the Sun, for Zues sake.....

Classic! The 100% guaranteed honey pot snags 'em every time!