The Patriot Post® · French Forecaster Punished by the Government Over Climate Views

France’s state-sanctioned media is trying to mend the ruckus created by the country’s chief forecaster, whose new book directly challenges the mainstream views held by the government. In a video promoting his writing, Philippe Verdier, the recalcitrant head meteorologist for television station France 2, daringly declared, “Every night I address five million French people to talk to you about the wind, the clouds and the sun. And yet there is something important, very important that I haven’t been able to tell you, because it’s neither the time nor the place to do so.” According to Verdier, “We are hostage to a planetary scandal over climate change — a war machine whose aim is to keep us in fear.” That audacity landed him in hot water. Verdier, who The Telegraph says “decided to write the book in June 2014 when Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, summoned the country’s main weather presenters and urged them to mention ‘climate chaos’ in their forecasts,” is now being censored by his employer for ridiculing climate “research” institutions like the IPCC.

“I received a letter telling me not to come,” he revealed. “I’m in shock. This is a direct extension of what I say in my book, namely that any contrary views must be eliminated.” It’s no wonder. Paris is hosting COP21, the alarmists’ most promising UN climate summit yet, beginning next month, which explains the government’s swift and severe reaction. At least here in America climate dissenters still have a voice — for now. Some lawmakers, like Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and climate academics have openly called for climate dissenters to be reprimanded (even imprisoned) under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act for publicly advocating viewpoints like Verdier’s. If nothing else, France elucidates the danger of government-funded media. A government that’s willing to silence whatever opposition necessary to ensure a successful summit.

> Update: Mr. Verdier has been fired.