Still many of the posts here are suggesting that this debate is one of political leanings. I'm personally not a 'left wing voter' and am not likely to become one. Up until Tony Abbott became the leader of the Liberal Party, there was general agreement amongst Aussie political parties that an emmissions trading scheme would be desirable due to the scientific evidence of global warming. Tony Abbott came to lead the Liberals and reputedly described the science as "crap". When later, under pressure, he proposed a different approach to emissions control involving direct action, some economists said that such a scheme would be too expensive. Tony's response then was to dismiss economists also. (Possibly because he is a staunch Catholic, he doesn't have quite the same regard for science or economics compared to faith.) Whatever is the case, it is certainly frustrating for scientifically inclined people to listen to scientists being demonized as a group and they may be forgiven for taking their political support elswhere while such leadership is predominant. (I seem to remember pilots being described in very derogatory terms 'as a group' back in the unmentionable year. Certain politicians on the Labor side decided that demonising 'pilots' served their political aims at that time.) Group demonization is a good tool for stifling debate. The point is that politicians don't generally lead. They are mostly opportunistic and move where votes are possibly more abundent. Leaders on both sides come and go, so similarly the debate on climate will appear to have different political ownership according to those changes. I'm still with the science. Suggestions of plots, new world orders, money making schemes, secret agendas, biased political leanings or any other smoke screen is going to have me ditching science for histrionics. Research and fact finding eventually equates to knowledge. Complex modern aircraft certainly weren't invented by dismissing science. Hopefully understanding the issues of carbon in the environment will lead to greater efficiencies in propulsion design, which in turn will allow us to enjoy ever more sustainable aviation.