'A good way of dealing with overpopulation': Epstein files reveal how the rich fuel climate denialism

The trove of documents released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in relation to Jeffrey Epstein have revealed just how close the convicted child sex offender and financier was to all sorts of politicians, academics, business leaders, and other prominent figures.

These figures not only talked about visits to Epstein’s private island, but also shared news articles, discussed personal events, and had long debates about science and philosophy.

Epstein’s views, those conversations reveal, included peddling climate denialism and ecofascism—and illustrate how the ultra-wealthy undermine meaningful climate action.

‘Potentially a good thing for the species’

In a series of July 2016 emails with Joscha Bach, a German philosopher, AI researcher, and cognitive scientist, Epstein brings up climate change in the middle of a discussion about cognition and race. 

“Maybe climate change is a good way of dealing with overpopulation,” Epstein writes. “the earths forest fire. potentially a good thing for the species.”

Linking the conversation back to the earlier topic of how brains function, Epstein adds: “too many people … [it] is the fundamental fact that everyone dies at some time. make it [impossible] to ask so why not earlier. if the brain discards unused neurons, why [should] society keep their equivalent.”

(Regarding his correspondence with Epstein, Bach recently told SFGate that he hadn’t been aware of Epstein’s crimes after his 2008 conviction and that “his second arrest came as a shock.”)