“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive.” When Donald J Trump first tweeted this claim in November 2012 it could be easily dismissed as a delusional conspiracy theory promoted by an attention seeking reality star.

Policymakers around the world are now coming to terms with the fact that this is a good indication of the mindset of the president-elect of the USA, the country that has throughout history contributed the most to climate change.

Trump has become the loudest tribune of climate denial. "Ice storm rolls from Texas to Tennessee - I'm in Los Angeles and it's freezing. Global warming is a total, and very expensive, hoax!” And again: "It’s snowing & freezing in NYC. What the hell ever happened to global warming?”

Anti-Donald Trump protests erupt across US as cities declare billionaire 'Not My President'

Perhaps the delegates currently attending the United Nations FCCC climate talks currently taking place in Marrakech, Morocco, should not place too much weight on what Trump tweets, given his tendency to shoot from the hip.

Yet these are not just flippant 3am spasms. They illustrate perfectly the future president’s disdain for environmental science and aptitude for saying exactly what the poor, disenfranchised victims of rust-belt deindustrialisation need to hear.

Trump outlined his “100 day action plan” on climate and energy at the Willison Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota in May this year. He wants to tear up the Paris climate agreement, defund UN climate programmes and, it seems, allow the Keystone XL pipeline to go ahead.

“Here is what it comes down to. Wealth versus poverty,” was his pitch. He promises to “rescind all the job-destroying Obama executive actions” and “save the coal industry”. He adds: “Any regulation that is outdated, unnecessary, bad for workers…will be scrapped.”

The speech is a finely tuned dog whistle designed to rally the industrialised working class in the US against the environmental policies pursued by what is now firmly understood to be the out-of-touch, preaching, self-serving liberal elite.

Trump’s extraordinary reaction against environmental regulation is instinctive and impulsive: it has the ring of authenticity. But it echoes messages and lines which have been finely tuned and tested by think tanks and PR agencies funded by vested interests in the fossil fuel industry for the last three decades.

President Trump protests Show all 20 1 /20 President Trump protests President Trump protests Patrons hold a sign as people march by while protesting the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States in downtown Los Angeles, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators rally following the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators march following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests Thousands of protesters rallied across the United States expressing shock and anger over Donald Trump's election, vowing to oppose divisive views they say helped the Republican billionaire win the presidency AFP/Getty Images President Trump protests Demonstrators protest outside the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois Getty President Trump protests A police officer aims a launcher after demonstrators threw projectiles toward a line of officers during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests An officer examines a vandalized police vehicle as demonstrators riot in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway just north of Los Angeles City Hall in protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests A woman holds up a sign reading 'Trump you are an Idiot' as demonstrators gather during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump outside the City Hall building in Los Angeles, California EPA President Trump protests A masked demonstrator gestures toward a police line during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, near the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada Reuters President Trump protests Musician Lagy Gaga stages a protest against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on a sanitation truck outside Trump Tower in New York City Getty President Trump protests A woman yells as she takes part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against President-elect Donald Trumpin Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests An Oakland police officer checks out damage after a window was broken by protesters at a car dealership in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests A protester faces a police line in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests President-elect Donald Trumpís victory set off multiple protests AP President Trump protests A fire burns during protests in Oakland, Calif AP

Jim M Inhofe, the Republican US Senator, as far back as 2003 described climate change as “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” He was then and now a member of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

In February 2015, Inhofe brought a snowball on to the Senate floor as proof that climate change was not taking place. Trump simply amplifies the message.

According to the Open Secrets website, Inhofe has been a direct beneficiary of substantial political donations from fossil fuel industries. Oil and gas companies donated $481,450 to his campaign committee during the last five years. The biggest contributors are reported to be , according to the Open Secrets website , Devon Energy, Boeing and Murray Energy.

The climate denying senator has worked hand in hand with neoliberal think tanks like the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which has received millions in financial support from ExxonMobil and the family owners of Koch Industries while perfecting the anti-science talking points.

Trump, the billionaire heir, claims to represent the interests of the working man. In reality, he is a one-man lobbying machine for the corporate monopolies who own and control the US oil industry.

We have a problem in this “post-fact” world: the information about the close relationship between the corporations and the politicians does not filter down to, or resonate with, the forgotten workers of the American rust belt.

Those who understand the urgency and the necessity of climate action and environmental regulation need to reconnect with workers. We Need to reassure them that we don’t want to take away their jobs. We want to protect their children, their families and their communities.