Monday 31 August 2009

US BUSINESS SEEKS TO PUT GW ON TRIAL

The US Chamber of Commerce is pressing the Environment Protection Agency to hold a public hearing into the evidence for man-made global warming, (details here). This could be the moment when the truth emerges, or at least highlights how much we still don't know.

Sunday 30 August 2009

THE TRUTH ABOUT GLACIERS

A lot of scare stories have been put out by alarmists about the dramatic melt down of glaciers leading to a surge in sea level. In this environment it is difficult to get a true picture. Here is a good article on the subject which explains the science in a fairly understandable way in about 5 pages. In fact the Australian Institute of Geoscientists magazine is a very interesting publication.

Saturday 29 August 2009

SYNTHETIC TREES TO STOP GW

This article explains the principle behind this engineering "solution" to the problem of global warming. While I seriously doubt there is a problem at the moment it is interesting to see that science could come up with solutions, if there ever came to be one.

Friday 28 August 2009

PREZZA TO FOLLOW IN GORE'S FOOTSTEPS

This story in the Daily Mirror explains how the former Deputy PM has been made a Professor of climate change in a chinese university. He is also to tour UK schools spreading the climate change message and to make his own film. I can hardly wait!

Thursday 27 August 2009

GOBBLEDEGOOK ENVIRO-SPEAK

As a councillor I often read reports and sometimes find them heavy going. In fact when I look at some of the ones given out on climate change they seem to be so long and impenetrable that I wonder if anyone reads them at all. The other day Peter Lilley MP sent me a copy of the reply tohis letter to the Climate Change Minister requesting answers to a number of questions. The answers were, of course, non-answers in as much as they were based on a set of assumptions that could not be verified, and could be argued to be completely wrong. In his reply, however, the minister referrred to some reports on websites, and so I thought I would check these out in case there was any useful mis-information in them.

The first one was barred to me, but the second referred to a 560 page report on changing to a low-carbon economy (yawn). Moving swiftly to number three I found a 108 page report about emission trading. Only 108! - I started it, and when I got to page 8 I found this nugget:

"It is difficult to anticipate what fraction of costs firms in the cement and steel industry will be able to pass through, most likely more than 0% and at least in the island situation of the UK also less than 100%. If we assume for example that 50% of the costs of CO2 allowances are passed through, then free allocation covering about half the emissions retains current profit levels. This result is sensitive to assumptions on international trade elasticities." For those with insomnia here is the link to the report.

Wednesday 26 August 2009

IT'S NOT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE - IT'S SOCIAL JUSTICE

Sometimes greens reveal their true colours such as in this interview by the former head of Greenpeace. Politics and propaganda in favour of "social justice" is their true aim, which most of us knew already.

Tuesday 25 August 2009

NICE WEATHER - FOR POLAR BEARS

The cooler weather in the Arctic region this summer has meant polar bears are putting on extra weight according to this article. Maybe this is just a one-off - who knows? But it has not been forecast by the climate computer models.

Monday 24 August 2009

DON'T DO AS WE DO - UK CLIMATE CHANGE DEP.

I suspect that there is more than a touch of hypocrisy in government action over global warming, but this article proves it.

Sunday 23 August 2009

LOOK AT WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

I sometimes imagine that there is little left to find out about our planet and then I read something like this and it makes me realise what a lot we still have to learn. The article refers to possibly vast quantities of water under the earth's surface. I wonder what effect all this might have on climate? The reality is - we just don't know.

Saturday 22 August 2009

UNIVERSITY DUMBING-DOWN - IT'S GETTING WORSE!

Here is more proof that university science is getting more dumbed down than ever. With all the important work they could be doing it beggars belief that this is occupying their time at the taxpayers' expense.

Friday 21 August 2009

MORE UK DATA SECRECY

This article on the excellent Watts Up With That blog is about a simple request for data on tree-rings to Queen's University in Belfast. The refusal by what is a publicly funded body seems particularly frustrating and again begs the question - what are they afraid of? So much for openness and transparency.

Thursday 20 August 2009

AGW DISPROVED

If logic and reason were followed, the hypothesis of Anthrpogenic Global Warming (AGW)would now be dead as this short paper makes clear, but it is not simply a scientific hypothesis, it has become a cause celebre and scientific evidence is no longer enough.

THESE ARE OUR LEADERS!

This article gives an insight into the minds of some of those who aspire to lead our nations. Rationality is not a strong point I fear.

Wednesday 19 August 2009

NEW REPORT - HURRICANES NOT INCREASING

This report shows that there has been no increase in hurricanes in recent years. So another prediction of the alarmists fall by the wayside. Not much left except scaremongering.

Tuesday 18 August 2009

OZ OPPOSITION PUTS FORWARD NEW EMISSIONS SCHEME

This article explains the gist of the new proposal which is less damaging than the government scheme, but still damaging nevertheless. Should the government be defeated on the issue, they were hoping to go for a "double dissolution" of both houses of parliament with the prospect (they hope) of being returned with a bigger majority to "tackle global warming". However this article explains that this plan could back-fire. There is still a long way to go, and knowing politicians a "deal" is most likely to be done.

Monday 17 August 2009

MORE ON THE "SECRET" TEMPERATURE DATA

Here is a good article describing how the raw temperature data is used to create the world's average temperature. It can only do so in general terms because the details are being kept secret by the scientists who do the work. So it is not possible to verify the work or to challenge it. How unscientific is that?

Sunday 16 August 2009

FOOD SECURITY IN THE UK - A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT

This piece from Christopher Booker sums up the UK position nicely. The government is living in cloud cuckoo-land! Swamped with EU directives on the one hand and starved of any help from the government on the other, the prospects don't look too good for UK farming.

CLOUD SHIPS TO "SOLVE" GW?

This article in the Telegraph explains the weird idea. At least it is much cheaper than the CO2 reduction schemes, and it can be used when necessary. It looks as though it might be problem solved!

Saturday 15 August 2009

EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD AFFECTS CLIMATE

This new study by Danish scientists shows a link between the strength of the Earth's magnetic field and the climate over a long time span. The effect is similar to that of the Sun's magnetic field which was the theory put forward by other scientists previously. All these theories are difficult to prove but no more so than the current one of CO2 being responsible for catastrophic global warming.

Friday 14 August 2009

"SECRET" DATA DESTROYED ADMITS TOP ALARMIST

This article explains why Dr. Phil Jones, head of the Hadley Centre, has been refusing freedom of information requests for his temperature data. His convenient admission prevents anyone from replicating his results. What a very unscientific and unsatisfactory state of affairs.

More on this in the National Post.

CAMEL CULL - CO2 ACCOUNT DOES NOT ADD UP

This report from the excellent Carbon Sense Coalition explains the flawed thinking behind the Australian government's proposal to kill a million camels. Far from saving on emissions, as the report explains, this proposal will lead to large amounts of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere as the hapless animals decompose.

Thursday 13 August 2009

OZ SENATE REJECTS EMISSION TRADING SCHEME

Breaking news - The Australian Senate has just rejected the Emission Trading Scheme put forward by the Labour government. Details here. This deadlock could lead eventually to a dissolution of parliament, unless a compromise can be reached. At least there is a resistance down there, unlike the supine surrender here in the UK.

NEW STUDY - CLIMATE CHANGE HELPED THE INCAS

Here is the report on the study. It goes to show that climate change has always happened and that it can also be beneficial. Two things that alarmists are reluctant to concede.

Wednesday 12 August 2009

TEMPERATURE DATA - TOP SECRET!

It seems incredible to me that the few scientists who have access to the world's temperature data claim that they cannot disclose the data "because of confidentiality agreements". You can read all about it here at the Climate Audit website. Steve McIntyre, who famously discovered earlier that the 1930's was a warmer decade than the 1990's in the USA, cannot believe it either. It does leave those of a suspicious mind that perhaps the alarmists scientists holding the data have something to hide! For more on this see Christopher Booker's column in the Telegraph.

Tuesday 11 August 2009

GOVERNMENT TO PAY FINE FOR MISSING ITS OWN CO2 REDUCTION TARGET

Yes folks, you and I as taxpayers will ultimately face a big bill because the UK government will miss its own target for CO2 reduction according to this article in the Telegraph. Instead of cutting its CO2 the government will have to pay the extra millions to "offset" its extra emissions. Welcome to the barmy world of trying to save the planet from global warming.

Monday 10 August 2009

OZ EMISSIONS SCHEME FLAWED

This article explains that the Australian Emission Trading Scheme is in serious trouble from the Senate, even if the PM goes for a double dissolution of parliament.

YET ANOTHER FLAW IN THE ALARMIST SCIENCE

Here is another piece of science that does not fit with the alarmist theory of CO2 causing "dangerous warming" of the planet. The article is rather lengthy and contains a lot of technical language, though it is quite clear if you have a little science background. Basically it explains that the "residence time" (RT) for CO2 to remain in the atmosphere is alleged by the alarmist scientists to be between 50 and 200 years, or some state even up to 1000 years. This RT is essential for the CO2 theory to stack up. However in the article, Scientists have calculated, as the article shows, that the true RT for CO2 is only between 5 to 15 years. The evidence presented seems very convincing and I don't see how science on such an issue cannot be resolved by all the experts, but if they cannot agree on even one fundamental point then clearly the science of climate is impossible to agree on.

Sunday 9 August 2009

GERMAN SCIENTISTS - "CO2 THEORY NOT CORRECT"

This article explains that 60 top German scientists have written to Angela Merkel to ask her to look again at the latest science before committing the government to expensive measures to reduce CO2. Yet further evidence of a lack of "consensus" on the issue.

Saturday 8 August 2009

AUGUST 13 - AUSTRALIA DECIDES

August 13 is the day the Australian Senate votes on the Emissions Trading Bill. To follow the debate go to this link.

SEA LEVEL RISE PREDICTED TO BE BETWEEN 7CM AND 82CM

This is the result of a research project - details in this report. The difference depends on the degree of warming that occurs, so if temperatures rise in line with the previous century then the rise will be around 3 inches - even less than the rise observed in the last century which was believed to be around 7 inches.

Friday 7 August 2009

"SMART" METERS TO COST US £300 EACH

Every household in the UK will have to pay a total of £300 each by 2020 so that electric companies can fit new "smart" meters. These meters are supposed to lead to energy savings by consumers switching off appliances (they hope!) and will also enable readings to be taken remotely. Although this will lead to very substantial savings for the companies, it is the poor old consumer that has to pay, according to this article in the Telegraph.

Thursday 6 August 2009

UNIVERSITIES TO LOSE FUNDS IF THEY FAIL EMISSIONS TESTS

You would think that reducing energy use in any organisation would be a win-win situation, but that is only true if the savings can be made at a reasonable cost. Beyond that it is not worth doing unless someone changes the rules.

This article in the Times explains how the government are using a carrot and stick approach to coerce universities into reducing their CO2 emissions. Yet another example of how this obsession with CO2 is set to drive up costs through artificial government intervention. One way or another students will end up with the bill.

Wednesday 5 August 2009

ANOTHER NEW TAX TO "SAVE THE PLANET"

Now councils are to tax workplace parking spaces in an attempt to coerce motorists into abandoning their cars. The story in the Telegraph explains the (flawed) thinking behind this new tax. Apparently even the government recognises it will adversely affect business and so has delayed its introduction by a year. Yet more pain for no gain.

Tuesday 4 August 2009

SCIENTISTS CALL FOR ALARMIST EDITOR TO BE SACKED

This articledescribes the strong feelings of members of the American Chemical Society towards their magazine editor for his strong support for the CO2 theory of global warming. It is interesting to read the high level of support for scientists who take a view that the CO2 theory is far from proven. This reaction clearly shows that there is no consensus on the science.

Monday 3 August 2009

THE MASSIVE COST OF BUYING SCIENCE

This report explains the massive amount being spent on obtaining the "proof" that CO2 is causing catastrophic climate change. Yet despite this no clear evidence has been found. Iy is both amazing and at the same time very worrying that so much has been spent to effectively buy a sphere of science and deny any contrary research to be heard.

Sunday 2 August 2009

SOUTHERN OSCILLATION CAUSES EARTH'S TEMPERATURE TO CHANGE

This new paper gives the details. Clearly the climate is much too complex for any simplistic CO2 theory to explain it adequately and papers like this are starting to add to our understanding of it.

Saturday 1 August 2009

OZ ENERGY FIRM TAKEN TO COURT FOR EMITTING CO2

This report explains the details of the civil court case that is to take place in Australia. This will be a landmark case and it is to be hoped that the company mount a good defence (unlike this UK firm!)otherwise this nonsense will become commonplace in Western courts.