The House of Lords says that Christopher Monckton is not entitled to claim he is a member of that House, but he disputes this. The internet is full of scientists carefully debunking the claims about climate change made by him, but he is similarly impervious to correction. Put simply, Lord Monckton is a case study of the emphasis placed by the media on confidence over content. A harder question for the media, however, is why they have given so much prominence to climate sceptics with no qualifications in science when they pay virtually no attention to immunisation sceptics without qualification in epidemiology or fluoride sceptics with no qualifications in chemistry or biology? So, how do you debate someone who is impervious to evidence? It’s not easy, but here are a few suggestions.
Related documents
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
Mike Rann: Gas lobby using “tobacco tactics” to keep polluting, tax breaks
Former South Australian Premier, the Hon. Mike Rann AC, has criticised the “almost tax‑free” gas exports driving billion‑dollar profits for the fossil fuel industry in Australia.
No signs of heat going out of Coalition’s summer of discontent
Sussan Ley started 2026 much like she ended 2025 – extending her tenuous hold on the Liberal Party leadership by politicising tragedy.
Richard Denniss vs Christopher Monckton National Press Club debate
The Australia Institute was established to inform public debate, so in that spirit Executive Director Dr Richard Denniss agreed to take the opportunity to argue the case for action on climate change at the National Press Club on Tuesday, 19 July 2011. Richard’s opponent was professional climate change sceptic Lord Christopher Monckton. Read Richard’s speech

