Environmentalists cried foul when a judge called global warming a controversial issue during the high-profile trial of an environmentalist accused of sabotaging various oil pipelines.
Judge Michael Rickert said Jan. 24 that there is “great controversy” over the degree to which humans play in perpetuating so-called man-made global warming. He was addressing climate activist Ken Ward’s request to present a “necessity defense” to justify his attempts to shut down oil sands pipelines.
Ward is facing decades in prison for shutting down oil pipelines in Skagit County, Washington.
“I don’t know what everybody’s beliefs are on [climate change], but I know that there’s tremendous controversy over the fact whether it even exists,” the Skagit County judge said during the trial.