A new Michael Moore documentary about green energy has been heavily criticised by climate scientists for being “dangerous, misleading and destructive”.
Planet of the Humans, written by Jeff Gibb, was released on the eve of Earth Day last Wednesday by producer Moore, well-known for award-winning documentaries Farenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine.
Calling itself a “full-frontal assault on our sacred cows”, the documentary claims renewable energy is no better than fossil fuels and accuses leading environmentalists of being influenced by corporate money.
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Moore made his name when he directed Farenheit 9/11 in 2004, criticising George W Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq
Viewed nearly four million times on YouTube in a week, the film concludes that population control, not clean energy, is the answer to battling climate change.
Leading climate scientists have signed a letter from environmental documentary-maker Josh Fox calling for an “apology and an immediate retraction” by the producers, director and advocates.
Oscar-nominated Fox, who says Moore has “always been a hero of mine”, accused the film of being a “blatant affront to science, renewable energy, environmental activism and truth itself”.
“The film is dangerous, misleading and destructive to decades of progress on environmental policy, science and engineering,” the letter concludes.
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It has been signed by dozens of scientists and activists, including leading climate scientist Michael Mann, who likened Moore to Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
He tweeted: “Michael Moore is now promoting the very same agenda of climate inaction that is being pursued by the fossil fuel-beholden Trump administration and Vladimir Putin.”
Leading climate activist Bill McKibben is one of the people accused in the film of being influenced by corporate money and supporting biomass burning for energy.
He has hit back at Moore and Gibbs, denying he has ever “taken a penny in pay” from any environmental group and said that he has previously changed his views on biomass energy, which he now sees as detrimental to the climate.
Mr McKibben, founder of the 350.org renewable energy movement, said: “I am used to ceaseless harassment and attack from the fossil fuel industry, and I’ve done my best to ignore a lifetime of death threats from right-wing extremists.
“It does hurt more to be attacked by others who think of themselves as environmentalists.”
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Leading environmental policy expert Leah Stokes said the documentary “peddles falsehoods” and uses old facts about wind and solar energy, while she questioned Moore’s motivation.
“My only hope is that this film will be buried, and few will watch it or remember it. Much like fossil fuels, it would be best left underground,” she wrote on vox.com.
Documentary distributor Films for Action released Planet of the Humans last week and has now said it is “full of misinformation”, but after taking it down for half a day decided to keep it up as they did not want to give the film “more power” by being accused of censorship.
It added that viewers should read reviews and critiques of the film to understand “how misleading it is”, as it is not completely obvious on first watching it.
Michael Moore has not yet responded to the criticism. Sky News has approached his agent for comment.
