Summarised by Centrist
Framing the climate crisis narrative as a pretext for expanding state power, author and former US Congressman David Stockman dismisses the link between the Los Angeles wildfires and Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW).
He contends that forest mismanagement, such as the reduction of controlled burns, has allowed flammable materials to accumulate, turning California into a “tinderbox.”
He also critiques water policies prioritising endangered species like the Delta Smelt over essential firefighting resources. Coupled with population growth and poor urban planning, these factors have heightened wildfire risks in coastal areas.
Dismissing the AGW narrative as a “monumental hoax,” Stockman argues that historical data undermines claims of a climate-driven wildfire crisis.
He notes that California burned six times more annually during pre-industrial periods than it does today, attributing recent wildfire increases to human mismanagement rather than fossil fuel use.
Stockman positions AGW as a political tool, accusing its proponents of fabricating crises to justify government overreach.
“The modern economy and global living standards are products of fossil fuel use,” he writes, calling the vilification of hydrocarbons economically reckless.
