Back to the Dark Ages…

Elements within the German government are poised to take the authoritarian step of suppressing and restricting scientific discourse.

Germany’s online Apollo News reports that in Baden-Württemberg, five CDU (Christian Democratic Union) members of parliament—including former Consumer Protection Minister Peter Hauk—have submitted a parliamentary inquiry to the state government calling for an evaluation of a public register for alleged climate “disinformation” spreaders.

The initiative stems from an advisory opinion issued by Baden-Württemberg’s Consumer Protection Commission in October, which proposed establishing a publicly accessible list to track individuals and organizations repeatedly accused of spreading false information about climate change.

Notably, the commission’s definition of climate disinformation extends beyond denying global warming or its human origins; it also includes claims that climate protection policies are “ineffective or harmful.”

This broad scope touches directly on the political debate regarding the viability, costs, and benefits of specific climate measures.

Advocates climate censorship

Moreover, the commission advocates for additional measures, such as forcing social media operators to delete automated accounts spreading false claims and legally penalizing AI chatbots for propagating climate disinformation.

The CDU lawmakers are now asking the state government whether it considers such a registry to be sensible and legally feasible.