Category: Climate politics

Paperback believers

JStewart.jpgProviding a counterpoint to their sister paper’s coverage of Britain’s climate cranks, the Independent on Sunday has announced its Green List of Britain’s top 100 most effective environmentalists. In the top slot is John Stewart, the leader of efforts to stop the building of a third runway at Heathrow. Conspicuous by their absence are David Bellamy and James Lovelock (balancing each other out, one might suppose). The full list is interesting – note the number of high profile business people in high positions. Another sign that the “debate” about climate issues in Britain is a lot more developed than in NZ. It’s difficult to imagine Roger Kerr getting anywhere near a similar list here…

Just for the record: in the charts at #100…

The Queen, Monarch

Plebs aren’t supposed to know, but one is actually rather hot on climate change. Tipped up at Anglo-German expert meeting to give silent blessing. Rumoured to have nagged Blair. Energy-efficient lightbulbs at Buck House. Using hydropower from Thames at Windsor Castle.

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Take the money and run

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A little Sunday education: John Bird and John Fortune explain the background to the global financial crisis. While some in Europe argue that carbon targets should be relaxed, others point out that natural losses dwarf the financial, and Mark Lynas argues that any New Deal should be green. [Hat tip: Scoop Review of Books]

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(Just say no to the) Disko inferno

The Cape Farewell Arts Festival: artists going to Greenland to look at global warming’s frontline. KT Tunstall (above) “rocks it up” (as I believe the young folks may once have said – I’m too old to keep up now) with the house band (Disko Bay Blues) at Murphy’s Bar in Ilulissat. Or there’s Robyn Hitchcock doing Cocaine, some pictorial aperçus by Jarvis (Pulp) Cocker, even carbon dioxide art. Andy Revkin was invited but couldn’t make it. Daft bugger. I’m probably too wrinkly, but I’d have loved to be there…
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The Dreaming

garnaut.jpg The final version of the Garnaut Climate Change Review on Australia’s response to climate change was released today. I haven’t had time to read it (it’s big, and detailed), but I will be taking it into account when I finish my long-promised post on targets. Money quote (from the synopsis):

There are times in the history of humanity when fateful decisions are made. The decision this year and next on whether to enter a comprehensive global agreement for strong action is one of them. Australia’s actions will make a difference to the outcome, in several ways.

The chances of success at Copenhagen would be greater if heads of government favouring a strong outcome set up an experts group to come up with a practical approach to global mitigation that adds up to various environmental objectives. On a balance of probabilities, the failure of our generation on climate change mitigation would lead to consequences that would haunt humanity until the end of time.

Quite. Barry Brook’s blog (Brave New Climate) will be a good place to go for informed analysis and comment over the next few weeks. And there will be considerable interest in Wellington and from our politicians.

[Title reference: Kate Bush at her daftest (with Rolf Harris on didgeridoo)]

Raw Hide

rodenymorph.gifAs the general election nears and policies are beginning to emerge, ACT is sticking to its “dump the ETS” line and its leader, Rodney Hide, has confirmed himself as a climate crank. In a speech to a public meeting at the Franklin Centre, Pukekohe on Monday, Hide ran through his now familiar “I know better than the world’s climate scientists” schtick:

There is no evidence that CO2 drives climate or that industrialisation is warming the world. In fact, the evidence is the reverse.

No it isn’t.

Hide is telling lies to try to get elected, and our media should call him on it. But if they won’t, I will. I’m willing to debate climate science and policy with Hide, in public, in the run up to the election at a venue in Canterbury of his choosing, or here on Hot Topic. Will he accept my challenge, or rely on a complacent media to get away with spouting this nonsense? I’m not holding my breath…

The speech also suggests a schism on climate policy in the ranks of the National party:

National MPs have sidled up to us to agree with us – and to complain that Nick Smith as hijacked National’s policy. They agreed with John Key when he said climate change was a hoax. Now he too is backing the ETS.

Hide playing politics, or is the climate sceptic rump in the National caucus stronger than Smith and Key would like us to believe?

I think we should be told…

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