Refining ideas

My three final ideas:

1. The boiling point (first row)
The scientist is literally turning the heat up on the earth, forcing mankind to give him money for research in order to make it better. The boiling flask resembles the earth, the people are just indistinct blobs, perhaps reddish in tint to resemble the heat? Thinking also of taking out the vacuum hoovering up the money and instead just show an open palm in a "where's my money" pose.

Cons: The message that scientists are using the money for research may not be clear enough. Also, the money/ people may not read clearly.

2. Stoking the fire (second row)
 Two scientists, on on the surface extorting money, one hidden below stoking the fire. Background of smog and withered trees. The people have panicked expressions on their faces. Scientist could perhaps have a "research" donation box or perhaps be standing like a doomsday prophet, i.e. the last hope for mankind etc.

Cons: Very tenuous link to global warming. Also suggests that scientists are causing global warming rather than simply taking advantage of the already bad weather to scare people into funding their research.

3. Grass is greener (last image)
I initially had an idea of the scientist blocking out the view of a perfectly fine earth, in  order to scare mankind into funding his research. However, I had a sudden brainwave: why not combine two of my ideas together? Thus I came up with my final idea. Two pieces of land, one with horrible pollution and one without. Two scientists, one scientist acting as a toll booth collector on the bridge from the polluted land to the clean land, and one scientist in the depths secretly making the pollution worse/ fanning the flames.