Government grants distort the climate change debate

Government grants distort the climate change debate « Thoughts on Freedom

Government money can also corrupt, just like private money. What about the incentives facing “Department of Climate Change” bureaucrats? If they exaggerate the threat of global warming, won’t their jobs become more secure? Indeed, public servants find it in their interests to be busy-bodies. The social-engineering required to “fix” climate change hands bureaucrats new powers and encourages the perception that they’re doing something worthwhile.

Instead of launching a one-sided attack on Exxon, McKnight should have simply said that corporate and government funded work should be judged on their individual merits. It’s anti-intellectual to try and discredit opinions because of the funding source: there’s no excuse for not putting in the hard yards and rebutting the substantive arguments.