[Intolerant in NJ]

Yoffee said he hoped to make clear was the vast expansion of human power over the environment which he believes has led to the extremity of climate change. He explained that modern humans have the capability to radically transform the planet’s environment in ways unheard of in the ancient world.“They didn’t have the power, we [do],” he said...the world can be a big, lonely, scary place for some people - it makes them feel better to believe that man has the power to exert control over that world, even if it's a destructive sontrol......

[SunkenCiv]

I think you’re onto something there... it’s probably even more likely that advocates of such views (that humans have control over climate etc) don’t believe them, but use them in order to force others into servitude.