With political questions like these, you always have to ask "who benefits in the end". It works for campaigns and politics, it works for political debates. I will ask the 4 possible questions.
Q1: Who benefits if climate change is fake, but accepted:
A: The people who have put money into regulating, new technologies, alternative energy companies
Q2: Who benefits if climate change is fake, and denied:
A: Nobody. Maybe some research firms who went into business to discover the actual info.
Q3: Who benefits if climate change is real, and accepted:
A: Same as Q1, and additionally the Earth's population.
Q4: Who benefits if climate change is real, and denied:
A: Anyone who contributes to climate change, polluters, unregulated corporations
Now for the final question:
Out of these questions, which group stands to benefit the most?
The answer is clearly Q4.
Q1: Most of these companies don't even make money, and get shuttered. Most are losing money. Maybe some people who wrote a book will make money. But for the most part, energy efficient anything has lower margins, lower sales, and just don't make much money.
Q2: Peanutes
Q3: Same as Q1.
Q4: The companies and polluters who stand to gain here, count their profits in the billions, and flourish with no restrictions. It's like with China. China is growing financially faster than anyone (or they were), but the pollution is extremely bad. When I was in Thailand, at a certain time of day, you shouldn't be outside without a mask. It's the same.
This form of asking questions is very useful in politics, and can help you trace where something is coming from.
For example, say I put up a sign at school debasing my school president rival. Say it's a sign saying he wets the bed, or whatever.
Q1: if the sign is fake, and accepted. A: I could see a boost, but I could also see a backlash for being a bully.
Q2: if the sign is fake, and denied. A: I could see a backlash from people claiming I'm being a bully
Q3: if the sign is real, and accepted. A: I could see a boost, but I could also see a backlash for being a bully.
Q4: If the sign is real, and denied. A: I could see a backlash from people claiming I'm being a bully.
Result: The person who has the most to gain out of the 4 possible outcomes is my rival. Therefore, it actually makes more sense for me to put up a poster debasing myself, and saying my rival is a bully. This has the most potential to earn me support, based on the accusation, and the basis.
