Tony Abbott dares us to reject evidence on climate, but reveals a coward | Graham Readfearn

The former Australian prime minister’s misleading speech to a London thinktank was full of climate denial mythologyTony Abbott titled his London speech on climate change “Daring to Doubt” – a challenge, if you will, to reject mountains of evidence and instead lick your fingers and shove them into the plug socket of denial.Go on, I dare you. Related: Tony Abbott says climate change is 'probably doing good' The @thegwpfcom wouldn't let me attend @TonyAbbottMHR's speech. But here's what he said https://t.co/cutUHcZZ4L pic.twitter.com/peDjtdveC4Abbott presents an absurdly and intentionally distorted viewpoint, reminiscent of a conspiracy theorist Related: Tony Abbott's climate frolic is strange and sad – and all about politics | Katharine Murphy Environmentalism has managed to combine a post-socialist instinct for big government with a post-Christian nostalgia for making sacrifices in a good cause. Primitive people once killed goats to appease the volcano gods. We’re more sophisticated now but are still sacrificing our industries and our living standards to the climate gods to little more effect.Beware the pronouncement, ‘the science is settled’. It’s the spirit of the Inquisition, the thought-police down the ages. Almost as bad is the claim that ‘99% of scientists believe’ as if scientific truth is determined by votes rather than facts. Continue reading...