Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, many people still believe that existing scientific data prove we?re headed toward a global warming catastrophe.

For Al Gore and other vocal alarmists, that belief fits in nicely with their self-interest, as Stephen Spruiell reminds us in the latest National Review:

This is not to suggest that Al Gore or his allies have spent years warning of a climate catastrophe merely for the promise of a big payoff at the end. Gore either sincerely believes his alarmist theories or performs an utterly convincing imitation of someone who does. As for the investments, he says he?s simply putting his money where his mouth is, and he pledges to donate his gains to his nonprofit foundations ? which will use them to campaign for even more green subsidies and global-warming regulations, of course. But Gore?s involvement in these ventures shines a light on the fact that private actors have bet a considerable amount of money on Washington?s willingness to continue transferring wealth from taxpayers to politically connected green-tech companies that probably would not survive, let alone thrive, without government support. Those business interests will keep exerting considerable pressure to keep the cash flowing.