In the wake of the failure to get any sort of agreement in Copenhagen, African countries are reportedly very angry that no legally binding treaty has been agreed. It appears also that China was the main culprit in preventing a real deal being made.
So isn't it odd that African nations, who have readily accepted Chinese grants for building stadiums and "showpiece" buildings in return for access to the natural resources these countries have, are moaning.
If they are so very angry, we can assume that these African nations will sever their links with China ? Of course not. Africa is angry because they expected more. But will a one party dicatorship who murder thousand of their own population each year ever give a damn about anyone other than themselves ? Of course not.
Africa should be careful where they make friends.
Showing posts with label Global Warming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Global Warming. Show all posts
12/18/2009
Strange bed fellows
It appears the Global Warming deniers may get want they want and the Copenhagen summit might produce a fudged agreement that will do nothing to save the planet.
Strange that it should be the Chinese governmentment that is doing the global warming deniers a favour.
Strange bed fellows. It must be thrilling for them to know that the Chinese and the extreme right wing in this country have so much in common.
Strange that it should be the Chinese governmentment that is doing the global warming deniers a favour.
Strange bed fellows. It must be thrilling for them to know that the Chinese and the extreme right wing in this country have so much in common.
12/06/2009
Global Warming Denial and Football Fan Excuses
I tweeted on twitter last night to someone last night that the arguments given by those who deny global warming are akin to those given by a football fan to justify their continued thoughts that their team still are the best, even after a heavy defeat.
Despite the weight of evidence, the melting of the North Pole, rising temperatures, freak weather patterns, flooding, more extreme hurricanes and cyclones, and a host of other evidence from a vast range of sources from across the globe, there remains this hardcore of mainly right wing groups, more obsessed with dollars that justice, who cling to fragments to justify their opposition to any thoughts that global warming is happening or that it is a bad thing.
The fuss over a few e-mails from one university in the UK (the University of East Anglia in Norwich) are being used to try and taint the evidence from thousands of researchers and scientists around the world. Yet when "The Great Global Warming Scandal" was debunked when a number of those whose contributions were taken out of context complained that the programme did not accurately represent what they said or felt about global warming, the Global Warming deniers don't see that as evidence that it taints "all" their arguments in the same way as some emails from the UEA supposedly does.
Then there are those who seem to think that global warming might be a good thing. Witness Nigel Lawson on Andrew Marr's programme this morning who seemed to be trying to justify his view that most people in this country are not that worried about a small rise in temperatures. Forget that a small rise in the UK means a small rise in Africa, leading to further drought.
For global warming deniers to claim that the emails from the UEA prove that the whole global warming argument is without foundation is like a losing football fan claiming that the 5th goal in a seven nil defeat was actually offside.
Despite the weight of evidence, the melting of the North Pole, rising temperatures, freak weather patterns, flooding, more extreme hurricanes and cyclones, and a host of other evidence from a vast range of sources from across the globe, there remains this hardcore of mainly right wing groups, more obsessed with dollars that justice, who cling to fragments to justify their opposition to any thoughts that global warming is happening or that it is a bad thing.
The fuss over a few e-mails from one university in the UK (the University of East Anglia in Norwich) are being used to try and taint the evidence from thousands of researchers and scientists around the world. Yet when "The Great Global Warming Scandal" was debunked when a number of those whose contributions were taken out of context complained that the programme did not accurately represent what they said or felt about global warming, the Global Warming deniers don't see that as evidence that it taints "all" their arguments in the same way as some emails from the UEA supposedly does.
Then there are those who seem to think that global warming might be a good thing. Witness Nigel Lawson on Andrew Marr's programme this morning who seemed to be trying to justify his view that most people in this country are not that worried about a small rise in temperatures. Forget that a small rise in the UK means a small rise in Africa, leading to further drought.
For global warming deniers to claim that the emails from the UEA prove that the whole global warming argument is without foundation is like a losing football fan claiming that the 5th goal in a seven nil defeat was actually offside.
6/18/2009
Why the hell should we be interested in what a former second home owner has to say about planning issues in a place she does not even live in ?
Apparently Amanda Holden, well known actress, adulterer and botoxed judge (apparently) on Britain's Got Talent is opposed to the building of wind turbines in Norfolk.
Does she live here ? No. She has a holiday some miles away.
Does she own property where the wind farm is going to be built ? No.
Is she from Norfolk ? No.
Does she even still own a second home in Norfolk ? Apparently some distance away.
So what the hell has it got to do with her ? No idea !
Does she live here ? No. She has a holiday some miles away.
Does she own property where the wind farm is going to be built ? No.
Is she from Norfolk ? No.
Does she even still own a second home in Norfolk ? Apparently some distance away.
So what the hell has it got to do with her ? No idea !
2/07/2009
Ice, snow, and those who deny global warming
The last few days of snow has seen radio and TV shows reporting a rise in emails and texts from people rather triumphantly claiming that the current weather proves there is no global warming.
To answer in short, what a bunch of idiots.
In any weather cycle, we have extremes, varying from the very hot to the very cold, and as one meteorologist made clear yesterday, the snow we have had this week was, 30 years ago, a once in every five years event. Now we only get it every 20 years.
Then there is the issue of temperatures, which despite the relative cold of this week, still show the mean average rising year on year. Even last summer, a dull and rather uninspiring cloudy 3 months, average temperatures rose compared to previous years.
And finally, you only have to look on the internet for a few minutes for current evidence that shows how looking at the weather in one small part of the world (the UK) cannot prove anything. Take for example Australia, which is currently suffering a long heatwave unprecedented in recent years leading to wild fires.
No, it does stun me just how ignorant the global warming deniers are. They might disagree about the causes, bu the evidence of climate change is overwhelming.
Update :
In order to make the point cleare and after a host of anonymous, semi abusive posters sent me almost identical links seemingly from a "We don't think Climate Change Exists" website, I'll post the following piece of evidence from the Met Office Website.
It states, as some have pointed out, that 2008 was slightly cooler (over 12 months) than in 2007, but was still one of the top ten warmest years on record. It also explains why 2008 was cooler, with the facts not really suiting the deniers arguments.
By the way, we can all report one crank report from one obscure university but this is not really going to impress me.
The right wing really have got to ask themselves why they alone want to be so against the climate change agenda.
To answer in short, what a bunch of idiots.
In any weather cycle, we have extremes, varying from the very hot to the very cold, and as one meteorologist made clear yesterday, the snow we have had this week was, 30 years ago, a once in every five years event. Now we only get it every 20 years.
Then there is the issue of temperatures, which despite the relative cold of this week, still show the mean average rising year on year. Even last summer, a dull and rather uninspiring cloudy 3 months, average temperatures rose compared to previous years.
And finally, you only have to look on the internet for a few minutes for current evidence that shows how looking at the weather in one small part of the world (the UK) cannot prove anything. Take for example Australia, which is currently suffering a long heatwave unprecedented in recent years leading to wild fires.
No, it does stun me just how ignorant the global warming deniers are. They might disagree about the causes, bu the evidence of climate change is overwhelming.
Update :
In order to make the point cleare and after a host of anonymous, semi abusive posters sent me almost identical links seemingly from a "We don't think Climate Change Exists" website, I'll post the following piece of evidence from the Met Office Website.
It states, as some have pointed out, that 2008 was slightly cooler (over 12 months) than in 2007, but was still one of the top ten warmest years on record. It also explains why 2008 was cooler, with the facts not really suiting the deniers arguments.
By the way, we can all report one crank report from one obscure university but this is not really going to impress me.
The right wing really have got to ask themselves why they alone want to be so against the climate change agenda.
10/31/2008
Climate Change - It is our fault after all
There was another blow today for climate change sceptics who cannot for one moment countenance that the amount of carbon we chuck in to the atmosphere is making any difference to the weather on earth today as the University of East Anglia produced a new reports highlighting that hum activity is to blame.
The UEA's climatic control department are world leaders in research of this type and their latest report states that "that human activity is responsible for “significant” warming in both polar regions".
I await howls of derision from somebody quoting the now heavily debunked arguments from "The Great Global Warming Swindle".
The UEA's climatic control department are world leaders in research of this type and their latest report states that "that human activity is responsible for “significant” warming in both polar regions".
I await howls of derision from somebody quoting the now heavily debunked arguments from "The Great Global Warming Swindle".
8/26/2008
What has happened to the sunny days of August I used to remember
August bank holiday week was always the week each year when we took out family holiday. Unlike David Cameron, we went on rather modest, but always completely enjoyable, holidays in England, with our usual destination being Blackpool. I do remember that we were always guaranteed at least a couple of days of bad weather, but we were also guaranteed a few really good days of sunny warm weather. The question is, where has this weather gone ?
We all know that our memory of past events can be somewhat whitewashed, but looking back through photo albums, and using my photographic memory, I know that the weather was a great deal better in August when I was a child than it is now.
So what has happened to our summers ? Some people will no doubt argue that it proves global warming isn't happening, I even heard one of the global warming deniers on the radio using the argument that this year was the coolest this century as an argument proving that global warming is not happening whilst neglecting to mention that 2008 is still set to be the 10th warmest year since records began. But there is a clear shift in our weather patterns these days. We now seem to get warm a warm sunny June, and dreadful Augusts followed by decent Septembers.
If this continues perhaps we will have to re assess when our summer school holidays should be.
We all know that our memory of past events can be somewhat whitewashed, but looking back through photo albums, and using my photographic memory, I know that the weather was a great deal better in August when I was a child than it is now.
So what has happened to our summers ? Some people will no doubt argue that it proves global warming isn't happening, I even heard one of the global warming deniers on the radio using the argument that this year was the coolest this century as an argument proving that global warming is not happening whilst neglecting to mention that 2008 is still set to be the 10th warmest year since records began. But there is a clear shift in our weather patterns these days. We now seem to get warm a warm sunny June, and dreadful Augusts followed by decent Septembers.
If this continues perhaps we will have to re assess when our summer school holidays should be.
6/01/2008
What qualifications do you need to be a journalist ?
It appears from this exchange on Donal Blaney's blog that the only qualifiaction you need to be a journalist is the ability to spell. Certainly checking the validity of a piece of research or checking out if the piece is 10 years old or not is something Mr Blaney is less interested in. It's odd, because I though thte term "News" came from the fact that it is something "new".
Further background to the story can be found on the Cassillis blog.
Oh, and in news just in, England have just won the world cup, just in case it is true that Mr Blaney reports on news that is that old.
Further background to the story can be found on the Cassillis blog.
Oh, and in news just in, England have just won the world cup, just in case it is true that Mr Blaney reports on news that is that old.
4/21/2008
An Inconvenient Truth for some Tories
The world, it appears, falls in to two camps. 95% of the world appears to believe that global warming has been made worse by humans, and go along with the 95% of scientific research that backs up this view.
Then there is the other 5%, mainly in this country Conservative supporters, who cannot believe for one moment that the efforts of commerce and industry have done anything to make global warming worse and they put it all down to the BBC who according to them are "peddling lies about global warming".
So it is an Inconvenient Truth for them that the Al Gore film, an Inconvenient Truth is being promoted so heavily by Sky News, the news channel these same Tories turn to in order to point out the BBC's supposed bias on this issue.
Imagine the fuss amongst these Tories if the BBC had decided to show and promote the film quite as heavily as Sky News are. And what do we hear from the Tories when it is Sky who are doing this ... the sweet sound of silence. After all, the inconvenient truth for those Tories is that global warming it is not a BBC conspiracy after all.
Then there is the other 5%, mainly in this country Conservative supporters, who cannot believe for one moment that the efforts of commerce and industry have done anything to make global warming worse and they put it all down to the BBC who according to them are "peddling lies about global warming".
So it is an Inconvenient Truth for them that the Al Gore film, an Inconvenient Truth is being promoted so heavily by Sky News, the news channel these same Tories turn to in order to point out the BBC's supposed bias on this issue.
Imagine the fuss amongst these Tories if the BBC had decided to show and promote the film quite as heavily as Sky News are. And what do we hear from the Tories when it is Sky who are doing this ... the sweet sound of silence. After all, the inconvenient truth for those Tories is that global warming it is not a BBC conspiracy after all.
4/03/2008
A day for debunking myths
I do love it when scientists prove wrong myths, particularly myths that support particular assertions that people like to lecture others on, and today three well know myths were debunked.
Firstly, there is no medical reason why drinking 6 to 8 drinks a day is of any value to you, indeed so long as you are not dehydrated, there is no medical reason at all and certainly no benefit in drinking this amount of fluid. The only thing that will happen is that you will go to the toilet more, flush the toilet more, and pay more for your water bills.
The second myth is that caffeine is bad for you. So called experts like to lecture us on the harm that caffeine does, but it has now been scientifically proven that caffeine actually gives some protection against Alzheimer's disease.
The third myth that has been blown apart today is the climate change sceptics final retreat with their argument that 'global warming has nothing to do with human activity, it is all down to sun spots and a change in the sun's activity' being shown to have absolutely no scientific credibility.
Now if scientists could actually prove that Gordon Brown has a sense of humour too, it really would be a momentous day.
Firstly, there is no medical reason why drinking 6 to 8 drinks a day is of any value to you, indeed so long as you are not dehydrated, there is no medical reason at all and certainly no benefit in drinking this amount of fluid. The only thing that will happen is that you will go to the toilet more, flush the toilet more, and pay more for your water bills.
The second myth is that caffeine is bad for you. So called experts like to lecture us on the harm that caffeine does, but it has now been scientifically proven that caffeine actually gives some protection against Alzheimer's disease.
The third myth that has been blown apart today is the climate change sceptics final retreat with their argument that 'global warming has nothing to do with human activity, it is all down to sun spots and a change in the sun's activity' being shown to have absolutely no scientific credibility.
Now if scientists could actually prove that Gordon Brown has a sense of humour too, it really would be a momentous day.
2/19/2008
At least there is one positive side effect from global warming
First Bus in Norwich decided to become slightly greener by running more of their fleet on bio diesel. There is, however, a major problem with the bio diesel they use. It freezes and won't work in sub zero temperatures.
There is though good news on the horizon. With global warming sub zero tempertures will soon be a thing of the past so the buses running on bio diesel will no longer have this problem. I knew global warming would be good for something.
P.S. Yes, I am joking about global warming being a good thing.
There is though good news on the horizon. With global warming sub zero tempertures will soon be a thing of the past so the buses running on bio diesel will no longer have this problem. I knew global warming would be good for something.
P.S. Yes, I am joking about global warming being a good thing.
1/05/2008
Save the planet - Destroy your skin
The use of energy saving light bulbs can, according to reports today, lead to an increased risk of skin cancer, particularly amongst those who have more sensitive skin.
I guess we have a choice. Destroy the ozone layer and get skin cancer from the sun or use energy saving light bulbs and get skin cancer indoors.
I guess we have a choice. Destroy the ozone layer and get skin cancer from the sun or use energy saving light bulbs and get skin cancer indoors.
7/08/2007
Live Earth's Carbon Footprint
There are a number of blogs and newspapers taking the rather predictable line of asking how having nine pop concerts around the world is a good way of reducing our carbon foot
print.
it is a shame that these bloggers and journalists hadn't bothered reading the Live Earth organisers plan to use the profits to but millions of energy saving light bulbs which would very quickly repay the amount of carbon used by yesterday's concerts and more.
So well done to the Live Earth organisers, although it might have been kinder if Al Gore could make his speeches on time in future and not leave poor old Thandie Newton to fill for five minutes !
print.
it is a shame that these bloggers and journalists hadn't bothered reading the Live Earth organisers plan to use the profits to but millions of energy saving light bulbs which would very quickly repay the amount of carbon used by yesterday's concerts and more.
So well done to the Live Earth organisers, although it might have been kinder if Al Gore could make his speeches on time in future and not leave poor old Thandie Newton to fill for five minutes !
5/15/2007
"The end of the world isn't nigh"- Say eco campaigners
It was welcoming today to read some serious academics who have been researching climate change since the 1970's and not simply taking other academics work out of context (as "The Great Global Warming Swindle" did) produce some evidence that people are being turned off doing things that can benefit the fight against climate change because of the "Hollywoodisation" of the arguments and the tone used by doom merchants.
Hardly a week goes by without us hearing about the earth reaching "the tipping point" of "it's already too late" or "the end of modern civilisation" in arguments about global climate change. this, the academics argue, means that many people believe it is too late to do anything or that their contribution, however, big, is pointless and will make no difference.
I agree with the academics views on this. Personally it matters little what I do about recycling because my carbon footprint compared to that of a new Chinese coal fired power station is tiny. however, if climate change can be sold to people in the basis of saving householders money, helping your own local environment and at the same time all this making a small contribution to reducing your carbon footprint, then it will mean that more people will be keener to become eco friendly.
Hardly a week goes by without us hearing about the earth reaching "the tipping point" of "it's already too late" or "the end of modern civilisation" in arguments about global climate change. this, the academics argue, means that many people believe it is too late to do anything or that their contribution, however, big, is pointless and will make no difference.
I agree with the academics views on this. Personally it matters little what I do about recycling because my carbon footprint compared to that of a new Chinese coal fired power station is tiny. however, if climate change can be sold to people in the basis of saving householders money, helping your own local environment and at the same time all this making a small contribution to reducing your carbon footprint, then it will mean that more people will be keener to become eco friendly.
2/27/2007
Al Gore must learn to lead by example
I know Al Gore has a bigger house than the average person, so it isn't a fair comparison, but a report from the Tennessee Centre for Policy Research has shown that he used 20 times more energy than the average US householder.
You have to take in to account that the Tennessee Centre for Policy Research is clearly committed to "free market" principles, which I understand to mean "opposes any controls to protect the environment", so clearly this organisation has little time for Al Gore or the film "An Inconvenient Truth". However, is Al Gore doing all he can to set an example ?
I personally think that global warming is a great threat, and unlike some bloggers won't simply attack him or deny that global warming is happening because I don't like his politics or don't like the fact that he has made a success of himself after his election defeat. However, he does have to lead from the front. Has he got a wind turbine ? Solar Panels ? Any other forms of renewable energy ?
Come on Al, don't let us down now.
2/03/2007
Global Warming denial group offered $10,000 to experts to criticise global warming report
The Eastern Daily Press reports that two experts at the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit were offered $10,000 to write a report that was critical and cast doubts on evidence and “distort” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) study, compiled from the detailed research of 2,500 scientists.
Read the EDP report HERE.
The group who offered the money are the American Enterprise Institute, a body that includes oil companies such as Exxon/Mobil.
Those who ally themselves with those who deny that global warming is affected or could be slowed by man are discredited. The fact that they have to offer to pay people to write anything that might back up their view that oil is good says it all.
Perhaps all those rushing to deny global warming on Iain Dale's blog should take note.
Read the EDP report HERE.
The group who offered the money are the American Enterprise Institute, a body that includes oil companies such as Exxon/Mobil.
Those who ally themselves with those who deny that global warming is affected or could be slowed by man are discredited. The fact that they have to offer to pay people to write anything that might back up their view that oil is good says it all.
Perhaps all those rushing to deny global warming on Iain Dale's blog should take note.
1/20/2007
You can lose weight playing computer games
Fabulous news for owners of the Nintendo wii games console.
new research shows that playing on the "wii" can lead to significant weight loss. Read more about it HERE.
For me personally, I don't know that I've lost weight, but on a cold evening, rather than turn the heating on, I play on the Nintendo for 20 minutes and I'm sweating and as a result, nice and warm, so perhaps there are some benefits in preventing global warming as I am sure it uses less carbon to have my wii on for 20 minutes than it does to burn gas for 20 minutes.
12/17/2006
Not another reason to shop at Tesco !!
Twice in one week is getting ridiculous !
Last week I said I was thinking more kindly towards Tesco because of their financial support towards building a new ground for Everton football club and now they'ev announced that they intend to run 75% of their fleet of vehicles on bio-diesel by the end of 2007. Read about it HERE.
Now Tesco have done this, I would hope other supermarkets and large hauliers will follow.
Last week I said I was thinking more kindly towards Tesco because of their financial support towards building a new ground for Everton football club and now they'ev announced that they intend to run 75% of their fleet of vehicles on bio-diesel by the end of 2007. Read about it HERE.
Now Tesco have done this, I would hope other supermarkets and large hauliers will follow.
And some people still argue that global warming is not happening
According to a BBC report, snow levels in Europe are so low this year, that the start of the skiing season will have to be delayed. Read the report HERE.
I don't need to go to Europe to know this, after all, I keep finding that my lawn keeps growing, something that usually only happens at about 12 or 13 degrees celcius, so I know this is true. However, there are some, mainly American, but also some British, with interests in the fossil fuel industry, who maintain that global warming is not happening.
I would urge them to use the evidence of their own eyes and stop all this phoney science that says global warming is not happening. It is and we need to do something about it now.
I don't need to go to Europe to know this, after all, I keep finding that my lawn keeps growing, something that usually only happens at about 12 or 13 degrees celcius, so I know this is true. However, there are some, mainly American, but also some British, with interests in the fossil fuel industry, who maintain that global warming is not happening.
I would urge them to use the evidence of their own eyes and stop all this phoney science that says global warming is not happening. It is and we need to do something about it now.
11/01/2006
Norfolk floods at high tide - Get used to it !
Overnight, parts of Norfolk and Suffolk suffered the worst flooding for more than 30 years. The EDP reports on it HERE.
Whilst this flooding can be put down in large part to the seasonal and almost one off hight tides coupled with strong winds off the sea, it clearly is something the people of Norfolk will have to get used too if global warming continues to accelerate and the sea levels continue to rise.
I note that the EDP is also running an online poll which asks, in the light of the report published yesterday by Sir Nicholas Stern, "Would you be prepared to pay more tax to save the environment". Sadly, at the time I write this, only 16.2% said are saying "Yes".
I wonder how many people whose houses and properties were damaged in Brundall, or those who had only a narrow escape, answered "No" to this question. It strikes me that Norfolk, one of Britain's flattest counties, has more to lose than most, and it is for that reason we should be doing the most to save the environment.
As a North Norfolk councillor I am also very aware that North Norfolk is particularly at risk from rising tides. Anyone who knows anything about the coastal erosion at Happisburgh will know what a threat this is to all of us. Action really is needed and soon.
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