by Hannes Wessels
“World must triple efforts or face catastrophic climate change,” screamed the Guardian earlier this week, while warning that if emissions are allowed to continue rising, the world will experience “sea-level rises, droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.”
Pope Francis, in a thinly veiled attack on the usual suspects – the US and capitalists in general – has warned that “An economic system centred on the God of money also needs to plunder nature to sustain the frenetic rhythm of consumption.”
The UN, which takes its cue from a powerful lobby of perpetually dysfunctional Third World countries, many of which are in Africa, is warning apocalyptically that, “…the window of opportunity to act on climate change is almost closed.”
All this hysteria comes to a head in early December when a group of celebrities including Sting and Jeff Goldblum will join former US Vice President Al Gore for a 24-hour global broadcast aimed at raising awareness about climate change.
These are the same people who predicted Manhattan would be underwater, seaboards around the world would be swamped, the polar ice caps would melt, polar bears would be extinct and we would be living through a new ice age by the year 2000. ‘Global warming’ has now morphed into ‘climate change’ to suit the inconvenient defeat of their earlier predictions.
What makes little sense is why so many of the ‘Lefties’ and their ‘virtue-signalling’, celebrity disciples live in Manhattan and on the east and west coast of America. If this threat was so urgent and real, why have none of them moved to higher ground? And why have coastal property prices not collapsed? Who wants to own an apartment in a swamp?
I have to concede climate science (along with most science) is way beyond me; I have tried to analyse and understand some of the data and information produced by the so called ‘experts’ and have had to gloomily concede I am woefully out of my depth, so on the specifics of the debate I am too dumb to comment. But where I do feel I am entitled to have a say is with regard to my dismay at the gutless hypocrisy of these people who routinely lambaste Trump, America and Europeans in general while ignoring the catastrophic environmental consequences of atrocious governance in Africa and Asia? These countries seem to attract little or no opprobrium from any of the above-mentioned organisations or people.
Unlike Trump’s America where deforestation is strictly regulated, pollutants are proscribed, wildlife is heavily protected and arson is a serious criminal offence the continent of Africa is being turned into a man-made desert. Pollution is rampant, wildlife is being decimated and virtually the entire land-mass is intentionally set ablaze in an annual fire-frenzy that kill millions of creatures while sending mega-tons of carbon billowing into the atmosphere. I may have missed something, but I don’t think this is happening in the US or in Europe. But, nary a word about this from the environmentalists or the climate change activists simply because it does not fit their liberal, politically correct agenda and none of them have the courage to face up to unpalatable facts that don’t fit the narrative that they are so comfortable with. Much easier to pillory Trump who is in terrible trouble with Al Gore and the ‘lefty’ doomsayers because he withdrew America from the Paris Climate Accord last year. He counters with the undeniable fact that American carbon emissions are in fact down with the dramatic surge in natural gas supply thanks to the ‘Frackers’ but none of his critics are listening.
My anger is intense because, as an African, I am the regular recipient of depressing news of the slaughter of wildlife and reckless environmental destruction all over Africa. For those few of us here who care and are exposed to these entirely man-made horrors we are rendered almost helpless by lack of resources, lack of right-minded people and probably most importantly; the lack of political will on the part of the people charged with governing this benighted continent. And the single most important reason that political will is lacking is because African leaders and officials are completely unaccountable to anyone. They are under absolutely no pressure to act responsibly and protect the environment because the Al Gore’s, Bono’s and Pope Francis’s of this world don’t dare to criticise Africans for fear of being called ‘racist’ and the fact is this entire campaign is about extorting money from guilt-ridden Europeans who must forever shoulder the blame for all that’s wrong with this world.
Very well written article as usual. The pervasive myth of man made global warming is a subject I have been deeply interested in for a long time. There is a saying that goes like this, “The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it”, and this is certainly so on the subject of “man made global warming.” The author does himself an injustice saying “I have had to gloomily concede I am woefully out of my depth, so on the specifics of the debate I am too dumb to comment.” This writer is not a scientist or any kind of intellectual but once a little research is done on this subject and the hysterical claims of leftist propaganda and corrupt scientists pandering to a political agenda with false data are put to one side one soon realizes what it is all about. It is simply this – A POLITICAL AGENDA. All one needs here is good old COMMON SENSE. As there is too much information on this subject to include here, I would refer anyone interested to the following information:-
The Great Global Warming Swindle (Documentary)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Mx0_8YEtg
The Global Warming Deception (Book)
https://waterbrookmultnomah.com/books/204719/the-global-warming-deception-by-grant-r-jeffrey/
Plus there is much, much more information on the subject out there on the internet and in book form for those interested in the truth about this gigantic scam which, if followed, has the ability to drastically change the world in which we live for the worse. The agenda is multi faceted.
Readers interested in this subject might also be interested to glean some information on “United Nations Agenda 21” and also do a search on “Climategate”, the scandal surrounding the falsifying of climate data by scientists who have been conforming to a political agenda. Of course none of these corrupt activities are talked about on the MSM.
Thanks again for all your very interesting and well written articles.
Alistair Hull.
Harare.
For the most part of this article you seem to be denying the fact that climate change exists. You appear to believe that the media, the UN, the pope and various celebrities are in on this gimmick for some apparent gain. You then, in your own words, lambast the media attacks on Trump and Europe for the inaction on climate change, as though it isn’t fair to demand better governance and policies of them, but then are frustrated by “the lack of political will on the part of the people charged with governing” in Africa to deal with the very climate issues you seem to be in need of convincing exist? It’s confusing as to whether you want a better environment, better governance of the planet as a whole, or just in Africa where it upsets you? It’s common knowledge that if the entire population of the planet consumed resources the way America does we would need 4 earths to sustain us. So yes, they do have a role to play in a global community, and opting out is neither beneficial to their interests nor those of the rest of the planet.
Surely the argument isn’t either/or, but a better way of utilising (and perhaps even developing sustainable) resources globally without destroying the one planet we have to live on? There are so many contradictions in this article, and so much aggression but I fear it is misdirected. Pointing fingers and shouting loudest about how not fair for Trump this is will not engender any cooperation and positive progress on environmental issues. Educating ourselves, reading what science is available and demanding better governance from ALL fronts is the only real shot at creating a planet whereby we are not constantly consuming more and more resources, all in the interests of growth of economies. How’s about we grow plants, grow our biodiversity, grow our communities, grow our collective goodwill and stop squabbling over who is getting the last resource as we take our last breath? We are in a position to fix this and I just feel that negating media coverage is simply avoiding tackling the bigger issue here.
I think the climate is changing but that has been happening since the beginning of time and will continue to do so but to what extent are humans to blame? I don’t believe anyone knows and those that claim to have incontrovertible proof are being found wanting. I know the Americans are big consumers but they are also very clever innovators and big producers of renewable commodities. Africans, sadly are not and they are destroying the continent’s natural resources to feed their growing families because they use very unsophisticated farming methods and they consume recklessly with little thought given to more sustainable usage of resources. I am critical of the people I mention because they conveniently ignore these excesses.
Right on the button again.
It may be pertinent to add that the Paris accords simply allow for hundreds of billions of dollars to be transferred annually from the “rich” (read western) countries to the poor under developed countries “so they can catch up” with the developed countries technology’s and standard of living.
Whilst this transfer of funds is underway there is no restriction on the poorer countries to curb their environmental destruction. None.
It is just a transfer of wealth. This is the reason why Trump pulled the US out of the program.
Well said Hannes!
Absolutely EXCELLENT Hannes- I love reading your submissions – they are like a drug – habit forming! Keep it up.