As swathes of southern Europe were ablaze, parts of North Africa approached 50C and Antarctic sea ice fell to record lows, a thought crossed my mind — where have all the climate deniers gone? So many of the things they dismissively said would never come to pass are not only happening, but even sooner than projected.
A few holdouts remain, clinging grimly to the concept of natural fluctuations in temperature or pointing to the odd cold December, but what of the others — have they repented or withdrawn from public life in quiet shame? Of course not. Many had long moved on to pursue other interests, such as falsely comparing Covid-19 with the flu, reassuring voters that a trade deal with the EU would be the easiest in history or predicting that pre-mini-Budget Liz Truss was being dangerously underestimated.
