The CFC ban was “a success story” because the government’s interest in human well-being proved stronger than the merchants of doubt’s campaign to undermine science. However, this all happened around the same time that Fred Singer and his allies
did successfully undermine acid rain regulations. This all shows that each environmental debate is separate, and the winner will always depend on conditions specific to each—like who has more power, resources, and allies in the government. If nothing else, Oreskes and Conway’s book could serve as a resource to help scientists and their allies to fight this battle more effectively.