Naomi Oreskes: ‘Discrediting science is a political strategy’

The Harvard professor on science and scepticism - and why climate deniers have run out of excuses

In her new book Why Trust Science? Naomi Oreskes, professor of the history of science at Harvard University, argues that if more people heard scientists talk personally about their values, it would help turn back the creeping tide of anti-science sentiment. The former geologist recently gave evidence both to a US House of Representatives subcommittee hearing, "Examining the Oil Industry's Efforts to Suppress the Truth about Climate Change", and a Senate Democrats special committee hearing looking at "Dark Money and Barriers to Climate Action".

Your previous book, Merchants of Doubt, chronicled tactics used by professional climate deniers. What inspired this one?
During public lectures I would explain there was a scientific consensus on climate change and the contrarians were either outliers within the scientific community or paid shills of the fossil fuel industry. People would say: "Well that's fine, but why should we trust the science?" I thought that was a legitimate question.