Are Hanson’s ideas on climate fueled by donations?

There is near universal consensus, not only within the international scientific community but also amongst many decision makers of all sorts, that global warming and consequent climate change is a consequence of human fossil-fuel use and carbon dioxide and methane byproducts. There is little doubt that climate change threatens catastrophic disruptions in food production and social and political systems throughout the world. And sooner rather than later unless seriously addressed..

Victor Davis Hanson, not for the first time, expresses reservation about anthropogenic climate change where no such doubt exists amongst qualified observers of the ample evidence (op-ed Oct. 4). It is irresponsible for an influential person of considerable learning and intelligence to repeatedly promote what are at best distortions of the facts or are outright untruths.

Perhaps his attitudes on this are influenced by the fact that the Hoover Institute at Stanford is funded in large measure by many right-wing entities as, for example, ExxonMobil, with considerable financial interest in fossil-fuel enterprises and attendant resistance to necessary changes in energy use and procurement.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 5:15 AM with the headline "Are Hanson’s ideas on climate fueled by donations?."