Professor Steven Koonin, an energy expert and former US government adviser, believes politicians are exaggerating the climate emergency to scare people into adopting greener lifestyles.
He argues that repeated warnings of catastrophic climate collapse are politically motivated and not supported by scientific evidence.
Koonin says alarmist rhetoric has caused widespread eco-anxiety among young people, discouraging them from planning for the future.
While he acknowledges that the planet is warming and that human activity contributes, he calls for a more balanced and less panicked discussion of the issue.
Professor Steven Koonin, an energy expert and former US government adviser, believes politicians are exaggerating the climate emergency to scare people into adopting greener lifestyles
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Koonin, a theoretical physicist with experience in academia and industry, believes that dramatic language has rushed the move away from fossil fuels.
He emphasises that the actual IPCC data offers a far less dramatic picture than media summaries and political interpretations suggest.
According to Koonin, the term “climate emergency” is not used by the IPCC in its scientific reports, only in reference to media usage.
He contends that the idea of a looming climate collapse is a scare tactic, unsupported by scientific literature.
Koonin stresses that the full scientific reports do not indicate a climate emergency but instead show a more moderate situation.
He is concerned that exaggerated climate narratives are damaging the mental health of a generation already facing increased anxiety.
Speaking on a podcast, he said that children are terrified of the future due to extreme climate messaging in education.
He believes this fear fosters hopelessness and prevents young people from engaging with long-term goals. Koonin argues that a more hopeful message would be more constructive and empowering for youth.
He advocates for teaching resilience and adaptability in the face of climate change, pointing out that society has managed past changes effectively.
According to Koonin, temperatures have risen modestly since 1900, yet humanity has adapted and prospered. He criticises alarmist summaries in IPCC reports for being politicised and misleading.
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Koonin, who served under the Obama administration, says that while reports acknowledge human-driven warming, long-term trends remain within historical norms. He believes fear-driven narratives lead to reckless decisions about energy policy.
Koonin warns that a rapid transition to a carbon-free society would have severe economic consequences.
He points out the complexity and long-term development of existing energy systems, which cannot be quickly replaced. Replacing fossil fuels with unreliable renewables risks making energy more expensive and less stable, he claims.
Koonin disputes claims that hurricanes are getting more intense due to climate change, citing IPCC data showing no clear trend.
He argues that recent wildfires in California were primarily caused by human mismanagement rather than climate change.
Misattributing such disasters to fossil fuels could lead to policy failures in areas like land management, he warns.
He explains that suppressing natural fires can worsen future wildfire risks by allowing excessive fuel to accumulate. Koonin believes hysteria has stifled rational debate on climate issues.
He agrees human activity contributes to warming but stresses that climate systems are influenced by many factors.
He mentions water vapour, solar activity, and Earth’s tilt as significant but often overlooked contributors. Koonin claims that humans account for about half of observed warming, but many other dynamics are involved.
Some pollutants, such as aerosols from coal burning, have a cooling effect, partially offsetting greenhouse gas impacts. Koonin warns that climate models are flawed and based on uncertain assumptions, making long-term predictions unreliable.
Koonin says alarmist rhetoric has caused widespread eco-anxiety among young people, discouraging them from planning for the future
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He believes the challenge of accurately forecasting climate decades into the future remains unsolved.
Beyond science, he criticises the global push for net-zero emissions by 2050, particularly in developed nations. He argues that rushing decarbonisation risks severe economic harm, especially to the poor.
Koonin cites the UK energy crisis as a case where net-zero efforts have led to higher energy prices. He notes similar issues in Germany, where high energy costs are impacting industry.
Koonin criticises wealthy nations for pursuing net zero without considering the needs of developing countries.
He emphasises that fossil fuels remain the most reliable and affordable energy source for billions of people.
He warns that rapid energy transitions could deepen global inequality and poverty. He says the human cost of switching to renewables must be weighed carefully.
In response, the UK Department of Energy and Net Zero rejected Koonin’s claims, citing decades of scientific consensus.
The department argues that investing in net-zero policies now is essential to protect consumers from future price shocks.
It stated that delaying climate action would increase economic costs and worsen debt burdens. The Government maintains that climate leadership and clean energy are crucial for protecting current and future generations.
A spokesman for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero said: “This analysis is categorically false, ignores the benefits of clean power and significantly overestimates the costs of renewables.
“As shown by National Energy System Operator’s independent report, clean power by 2030 is achievable and will deliver a more secure energy system, which could see a lower cost of electricity and lower bills.
“Levies drive investment in renewables and other generation technologies, which will secure Britain’s energy independence and protect billpayers from future energy shocks.”
