Just how insane was the early 21st century CO2 hysteria?

Another exhibit comes from page 294 of Tim Flannery's book "The Weather Makers":

Inevitably, one day some commissioner will suggest that their work would be more effectively done were they to concentrate on the root cause of the issue--the total number of people on the planet.  And with such a move the Earth Commission for Thermostatic Control will have transformed itself into an Orwellian-style world government with its own currency, army, and control over every person and every inch of our planet.  As horrific as such an outcome is, if we delay action to combat the climate crisis, the carbon dictatorship may become essential to our survival.

From page 8:

What we need now is good information and careful thinking, because in the years to come this issue will dwarf all the others combined. It will become the only issue.

Tim Flannery: Information from Answers.com

Professor Tim Flannery (born 28 January 1956) is an Australian mammalogist, palaeontologist and global warming activist. Flannery was named Australian of the Year in 2007 and is presently a professor at Macquarie University.