Thursday 21 March 2019

CLIMATE EMERGENCY - WHAT EMERGENCY?

Have you noticed that just recently the media seem to be giving a lot of publicity to these school children's "climate strikes" and the disruption caused by the anarchist group Extinction Rebellion? Also we have a number of councils passing motions proclaiming that there is a "climate emergency". This is a bit odd as the actual scientific case for global warming seems to be getting weaker.

Here is an interesting piece about the actual rate of warming compared with IPCC predictions.

Here is an up-to-date piece on the trends in extreme weather events. They are not suggesting any sort of climate emergency.

Those claiming a climate emergency are unable to provide any actual evidence to back up their claims. It is no good simply pointing out extreme weather events, as these have always occurred and there is no evidence to show that they are either becoming more frequent or more severe. UK Environment Minister, Michael Gove, says he supports the children's climate strikes as he claims they pressurise governments to do more. This is totally irresponsible of him. The main organisation behind this activity is called Extinction Rebellion. Their stated aim is to "fundamentally change the political and economic system" of the country. Does Gove really support those aims? 

The adult climate-change activists and other  left-wing extremists are hiding behind—and exploiting—all of these doubtless sincere young people whose heads have been filled for years with frightening tales of climate disaster. Children are innocent, but innocence goes with inexperience, naiveté and lack of wisdom. Children tend to make bad choices, which is why we don’t let them run things—or vote, consume alcohol, drive cars or enter into contracts. 

If the media wanted to give an honest assessment of whether current climate policies to reduce CO2 emissions was likely to succeed in making a large reduction in world CO2 emissions, they would have to conclude that they cannot unless all the major CO2 emitting nations were to take the same strong action. We know that is not going to happen because China and India are not being asked to do so. If there really was a climate emergency then all nations would have to act. It is simply useless for Western nations to make themselves less competitive by carrying out costly CO2 reduction policies, while China and India are left to continue increasing their emissions. If protestors really wanted to make a useful point then that is what they should be protesting about. But, of course they know this would be ignored. Far easier for them to wave a few general slogans and make a pointless gesture. This is also true for councils, who should pass a motion demanding that all nations should have to reduce their emissions simultaneously - if they really believed there was a "climate emergency".


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