Chamber of Commerce Wants Another Monkey Trial on Climate Change

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been fighting hard to prevent cap-and-trade legislation from passing the Senate. But is equating itself with the anti-evolution side of the 1925 Scopes monkey trial really the best strategy?

From the Los Angeles Times:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, trying to ward off potentially sweeping federal emissions regulations, is pushing the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a rare public hearing on the scientific evidence for man-made climate change.

Chamber officials say it would be “the Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century” — complete with witnesses, cross-examinations and a judge who would rule, essentially, on whether humans are warming the planet to dangerous effect.

“It would be evolution versus creationism,” said William Kovacs, the chamber’s senior vice president for environment, technology and regulatory affairs. “It would be the science of climate change on trial.”

It’s hard to see how this analogy is going to score the Chamber any points. A few member companies in the Chamber, as well as local and regional chambers of commerce, have already pushed back on the Chamber’s strong opposition to efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Moving even further from the mainstream of science will likely continue to splinter the business coalition.