Leading Australian climate scientists have received death threats and harrassing messages over social media. This is in the context of a controversial carbon tax proposal, being advocated by Australia's climate scientists and government following a year of record storms and floods that made Australia seem like a version of Sim City set on "insanely difficult."
Young said that scientists had been threatened with assault if they were identified in the street. Among those targeted is Prof Will Steffen, ANU's climate institute director.
Steffen is the co-author of a high-profile Climate Commission report that was published two weeks ago. The report calls for urgent action to avoid sea level rises of a metre or more over the course of the next century.
The death threats have not been confined to the ANU, with universities in New South Wales and Queensland also tightening security for more than 30 ecology, environmental policy and meteorology researchers, according to The Canberra Times.
Several scientists have reportedly switched to unlisted home phone numbers and deleted social media profiles that have been defaced by abuse and obscene images.
Australian climate scientists receive death threats
