I intended to write something positive about environmentalism this time round. But that will have to wait. Here we go.
The year – 2016.
The place – The International Criminal Tribunal for Climate Change, The Hague.
The mandate – Bringing all climate change deniers, skeptics and parties involved in “disinformation campaigns” to justice for their “crimes against humanity”.
..
..
Prosecutor: Have you indulged in the use of incandescent bulbs, even after bans were imposed on them, and use of CFL bulbs was highly recommended?
Accused: Yes.
Prosecutor: Have you ever tried to offset your carbon footprint?
Accused: I always thought that it was a stupid idea. Never really thought people would take it that seriously.
Prosecutor: Do you hold shares in Exxon Mobil?
Accused: Yes.
Prosecutor: Have you ever denied the now proven fact of “climate change”?
Accused: Well, I did have doubts on whether humans were responsible for the whole thing.
Prosecutor: That is a Yes.
Accused: Is it?
Prosecutor: Yes.
Accused: Well, ok.
Prosecutor: Do you deny that you and your uncaring attitude towards the climate contributed in some way to acts of God such as the Indian Ocean tsunami?
Accused: I deny such nonsensical accusations. Absolutely deny them. You think I caused the tsunami?
Prosecutor: Final question. Have you ever called global warming a hoax or a scam, tried to influence others and make them agree with your point of view?
Accused: Many times. I still feel it is a scam. But people don’t seem to get it.
Prosecutor: Well, one more question. Do you agree that by not accepting the fact that humans have changed the climate of the Earth, you are committing a heresy….what?
Assistant Prosecutor: (this is not the Spanish Inquisition dammit)
Prosecutor: Oh, forget that question. When the whole world agrees that climate change is not a theory but a fact, who the hell do you think you are in opposing us?
Accused: I know that I am right. And well, I think you all are a bit, you know. Also, Mahatma Gandhi once said, “even if I am a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.”
Prosecutor: Gandhi? Did he ever win the Nobel Peace Prize?
Accused: He did not, but..
Prosecutor: There you have it. We have plenty of Nobel Peace Prize winners on our side. So you are wrong. I rest my case.Judges: We have come to the conclusion that by denying that climate change is occurring, the accused is guilty of unpardonable crimes against humanity. And we therefore sentence him to hundred years in prison. Finis.
…
Don’t think this will happen? Read Bjørn Lomborg’s The Green Inquisition. I got the idea for my post title from this Swami article.
Aristotle The Geek 
Comments
Your scenario is so highly unlikely as to be ridiculous. They will just class anti-envirofascist behavior as “crimes against humanity” and use the existing ICC to enforce their agenda. ;)
Howsoever ridiculous my post may appear, there is one thing that cannot be denied. Some of these people have gone mad – stark raving mad.
True. I was just being sarcastic. After all, why would they create a separate court when they already have one that regularly oversteps its intended authority?
Just wait – soon they’ll decide that homosexuality is better because it doesn’t create carbon emitting children. ;) Think The Forever War
I completely agree. I know from experience that merely questioning the details of climate change leads people at best to ridicule you, and at worst to become irrationally defensive. Most of those people don’t even understand how global warming works, they just want to make it look like they’re concerned.
Jonolan,
Don’t know much about it, but as far as I know the ICC does not have jurisdiction over US and India. Anyway, I just cooked up something for dramatic effect. But what might be considered stupid today can easily become the standard tomorrow – its scary.
I thought you were being sarcastic (the smiley), but since sarcasm has become a precious commodity in this PC world, you never know; a problem for me and my writings because I hate emoticons.
My exposure to sci-fi is pretty limited – I haven’t yet read Isaac Asimov. Yes. That bad.