It’s a sign of utter desperation that President Obama uses a set of flawed data to claim that 2014 was the hottest year on record. Obviously, that it not the case and the Met Office here in the UK has confirmed that it is impossible, statistically speaking, to say which of the last few years were warmer. – Benny Peiser,
Sun News TV, 27 January 2015
In their haste to install green energy resources at any cost, Europe’s policymakers have deployed their beloved solar panels and wind turbines inefficiently. It simply doesn’t make sense to blanket one’s countryside with solar panels if the sun rarely shines, or to erect row upon row of wind turbines in the doldrums. Green incompetence is one of the greatest threats to the future of our planet; sadly, green incompetence is a theme the mainstream press studiously ignores in the mistaken belief that to expose green idiocy is a bad thing. They are wrong: green dogmatism, lackwit policy planning and corruption (special interests using ‘green’ hype to push worthless boondoggles like ethanol and solar plants in the shade) are among the greatest of the dangers humanity faces at a critical time. --Walter Russell Mead,
The American Interest, 22 January 2015
The overwhelming majority of Britons believe in climate change but fewer than one in five is very worried about it, new research has revealed. Despite warnings from UN scientists, politicians and even Prince Charles that time is running out to avoid catastrophic global warming, the number of people describing themselves as “very concerned” has more than halved over the past decade. --Emily Gosden,
The Daily Telegraph, 29 January 2015
The Scottish Government’s moratorium on fracking raises some serious questions about the future success of the Grangemouth industrial complex – and questions too about the motive of ministers. If the economic viability of Grangemouth is dependent on shale oil and gas, and Scotland is at best unsure about whether it wants any fracking to take place, then concerns about jobs and future economic benefit would seem to be legitimate. Why, then, are Scottish ministers now making decisions that could cast doubt on its long-term future? --
The Scotsman, 29 January 2015
Every movement has its nutters. Climate warriors have long ago stopped being civil. But we seem to be entering a new level of radicalisation. In January 2015, a Greenpeace activist called for the beheading of a member of the House of Lords on the website of the Guardian. When challenged, he repeated the call, and again. People who questioned the wisdom of these remarks were attacked or banned. The Guardian actively moderates its comments, but even though Gary Evans’ calls to behead Matt Ridley caused a bit of a stir, it took the editors 32 hours to realize that death threats against political opponents is not really how we like to do things in Britain nowadays. As if on cue, Natalie Bennett, Green Party leader, called for the decriminalisation of belonging to a violent terror group. --
Richard Tol blog, 28 January 2015
