Former NASA Scientist James Hansen urges young people to threaten fossil fuel CEOs with criminal prosecution for supporting skeptics
'It it is a crime in many states for one to wittingly take action that one knew or should have known may harm other people. Thus young people could inform fossil fuel industry CEOs that their activities will have devastating effects. The resulting threat that the CEOs could be subject to criminal prosecution might have a beneficial effect. CEOs who allocated funds to discredit climate science would seem particularly vulnerable to prosecution.'
Hansen: I do not advise young people to get arrested, even though I have been arrested in protests against activities such as mountaintop removal and tar sands development. My aim, as an older person willing to accept the consequences, is to draw attention to an unjust situation or policy. Our government has shown that it is ready to heavily punish illegal acts, even if those acts are justified on moral grounds, as shown by the Tim DeChristopher case. It seems that this situation will not change much as long as the number of young people standing up remains small.
