Schellnhuber’s Legitimization Of A Soft Dictatorship: “Above-The-Law State Of Emergency”

German publicist Dr. Cora Stephan has a very worthwhile perspective on Hans Schellnhuber, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Chancellor Merkel’s no. 1 climate advisor.Ms Stephan is concerned about Schellnhuber’s extreme views and has good reason for that. She begins by quoting Schellnhuber on freedom of science and democracy:

Core questions such as these, and questions on human rights, deserve a place in the Constitution. That would mean there would be judges who would vote against the majority when it is right to do so in regards to our constitutional consensus. This would require a very few ethical elites.”

Stephan puts Schellnhuber’s dictator-speak in plain language:

On the subject of climate change, democracy has to be switched off in favor of control by ethical elitists because most people are too removed from the long-term future (and its possibly dying children with whom Schellnhuber likes to threaten us.”

Schellnhuber claims that a few select elites (like his mates at the PIK) can see 100+ years into the future and to assess the impacts that our actions today will have. Either we do as he tells us, or millions of future children will die. (Ironically, much of what Schellnhuber proposes means millions of children would be denied birth, so I’m not sure how unborn lives could be saved).

Ms Stephan calls Schellnhuber’s type of climate activism an attempt at creating an “above the law state of emergency”, and involves a new climate religion operated by “high priests”:

The new religion promises the Last Judgement already today – that is we endeavour one last huge and dramatic effort to save humanity from a well-deserved downfall. As is the case with other religions, the best is repentance, humility and self-restriction – preferably through emission payments without end.”

Stephan writes that the new climate religion fills a void left behind by other religions, and tells us to feel guilty about prosperity.

Eventually, we fear, we’ll have to pay the price for our prosperity – be it to God or Nature, – with Biblical plagues such as storms, huge tidal waves, floods, fire-spewing volcanoes, in short: death and demons”.

Stephan warns us not to doubt the elite prophets who have the powers, tools and instruments to see deep into the future:

The new priests who proclaim these scenarios have attracted billions of followers with their announcements of world downfall. And, like all other prophets, they do not tolerate any doubts about their predictions. Those who dare express doubt are nothing more than egotistical wretches, appeasers and trivializers, block-headed deniers or worse, or to the least paid agents of evil.”

As the climate zealotry and hysteria spread though society, it’s only logical that the obstacles that prevent necessary action, like democracy, be removed and replaced globally by an “authoritarian regime of experts”. The “projected global downfall is the state-of-emergency that justifies every measure and it distracts us from every other unfinished business. There is no alternative.”

But all is not bleak in Germany. Cora Stephan writes that “the dire projections of global gloom and doom by the climate gurus have begun to crumble”. Clever citizens know where to check up on the facts.  Trust in those in high places is melting away along with their once assumed moral authority. Indeed they’ve squandered their authority – as is always the case with individuals who over-reach.

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Cora Stephan is the author of: Angela Merkel – ein Irrtum (Angela Merkel – a Mistake). Knaus Verlag, München 2011