VANCOUVER, BC-The Fraser Institute, one of Canada's leading economic think tanks, has released a new video  urging Canadians to question the unfounded claims and fear-mongering promoted by global warming activists.

The video parodies the schemes devised by environmental extremists and special interests to sway public opinion in support of new regulations to reduce CO2 emissions and give governments unfettered control over how people live and work.

The video is also available on YouTube by searching for Question the Hype .

"With well-funded climate activists and United Nations bureaucrats meeting in Copenhagen this week, the overheated rhetoric and unfounded claims of catastrophe will likely be ratcheted up to new levels," said Diane Katz, Fraser Institute director of risk, environment, and energy policy.

"The recent release of damning emails and documents from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia University in England exposes how some climate researchers manipulate data and work to silence scientists who challenge the hypothesis that human activity is responsible for global warming. Now, more than ever, we should be skeptical of claims of looming environmental disaster."

The video is the second in a series of five that examines the claims of global warming alarmists with humour and irreverence. But a serious message underlies each video: People need to question the hype about global warming.

"Global warming activist groups are some of the wealthiest special interests around the globe. They hire high-priced PR and advertising experts and enlist Hollywood stars to produce slick propaganda campaigns intended to scare people about the prospects of global warming," Katz said.

"These groups insult and defame anyone who disagrees with their point of view by labelling them as deniers, intentionally invoking the image of Holocaust deniers. Their attempts to censor debate and silence critics have polarized people around the world, effectively preventing a measured examination of the issue."

"When governments are actively considering costly, job-killing policies to solve a hypothetical problem, it's time for all citizens to question the hype."