> Climate change skeptics often question the financial motivation of climatologists. It's certainly something to consider, but they rarely propose alternatives.
I don't think this argument is being made in good faith.
More importantly, it's kind of absurd on face. Science pays horribly. See: literally any thread on HN about PhD programs. See also: levels.fyi vs. the starting salary for asst. profs at your local state university branch campus.
Whenever someone makes this argument, I show them a picture of the apartment I lived in during grad school and then point out that even the "winners" of the rat race who get professorships can leave academia and double their income over night.