Olympics’ climate change message sparks conservative backlash

Conservative backlash spread on social media after the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics opening ceremony featured a warning about climate change.

{mosads}The prime-time spectacle started with a young boy with a Pau-Brasil tree in the center of the stadium, a rare tree on the list of Brazil’s endangered plants. 

A video then showed a dramatic depiction of Earth and several major cities affected by rising water levels as Antarctic ice sheets rapidly melt. 

While some were happy the Olympics used its global stage to focus on climate change, many social media users were quick to point to Brazil’s own environmental issues and blast the Olympics for pushing the message. 

Makes sense Brazil would focus on global warming. Probably distracts from Zika, corrupt government, and ocean of poop.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 6, 2016

When does Obama storm onstage, grab a mic, and shout “IMMA LET YOU FINISH BUT I WAS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME ON GLOBAL WARMING”

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 6, 2016

I’m not watching the climate change Olympics Rio opening, but is that why raw sewage is dumped into their water?

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 6, 2016

For this whole global warming shpiel, they should have just shown images of John Cusack screaming and this pic.twitter.com/wPBsODHYF5

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 6, 2016

When Rio lectures us abt pollution & so-called “global warming,” but no one can drink their water. #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/wMmtAIhaBU

— Ben Crystal (@Bennettruth) August 6, 2016

This global warming bit of the Brazil opening ceremonies is … interesting. If US gets 2024 games, I hope focus is on entitlement reform

— James Pethokoukis (@JimPethokoukis) August 6, 2016

So much propaganda at #OpeningCeremony, from “Climate Change” to “Refugees”, it’s like watching Democrat convention. https://t.co/OMDRcv1x1Z

— Nick Short (@PoliticalShort) August 6, 2016

A climate change lecture at the #OpeningCeremony, written by big-wigs who landed in Rio earlier this week by private jet. #Rio2016

— Comrade Roark (@RoarkHoward_) August 6, 2016

Environmental propaganda to Globalist audience as dilapidated infrastructure and shattered economy 500 feet from stadium. #OpeningCeremony

— Comrade Roark (@RoarkHoward_) August 6, 2016