Guest post by Steven Goddard
Climate Activist Glues Himself to the Smiling Prime Minister at #10
Consider the conflicted UK, where the government is dominated by people who claim to be concerned above all else about CO2 emissions, and where the power industry warns that the country’s electricity and natural gas capacity may soon be inadequate to meet basic needs. Russia is currently threatening to cut off natural gas supplies to Europe. Climate vandals are welcomed to 10 Downing Street where they embarrass the Prime Minister, and formerly great newspapers like The Guardian demonize environmental activists for trying to protect the country’s scenic heritage from unsightly windmills. Dr. Hansen was recently welcomed as an expert witness for the defence of power plant damagers, and children block airport runways to stop vacationers from using airplanes – in the name of protecting of the climate.
The UK is currently in the grip of what the papers describe as a “Siberian Cold Front.” Solar insolation is close to zero this time of year at that latitude, so solar power is out of the question as a significant winter energy source. The light winds and freezing conditions make wind generated power minimally useful and unreliable. Coal, nuclear and natural gas are the only practical options to stay warm, yet the government appears too paralyzed by climate fears to move forward with the needed additions to the energy grid.
Britain is experiencing a seemingly irresolvable conflict in it’s collective belief system. Brits want to save the planet from global warming, and yet are faced with power shortages which may affect their livelihoods and ability to stay warm in a cold climate. The Church of England is wagering huge sums of cash on Al Gore’s understanding of the world. And as the New Year rings in with bitter cold, the Met Office warns of yet another hot year. The last “hot” day in London was July 27, 2006 when temperatures reached 30C (86F.) That was 889 days ago.
Can the great country which survived the Nazi Blitz overcome it’s own internal conflicts in 2009? I predict that England will pull herself together like she always has, but who will be the next Churchill to lead England out of it’s most clueless hour? Britain’s leadership hasn’t been this confused since Neville Chamberlain handed Czechoslovakia over to Hitler seventy years ago. Ironically, it may be current Czech President Vaclav Klaus who rescues Europe from themselves.
“Klaus wrote that it was futile to fight against phenomena like higher solar activity or the change of ocean currents”
Klaus assumed the EU Presidency today. Happy New Year to all.
Check out Pielke Pere’s continuing assault on the media with his latest column about the UK Met Office and the University of East Anglia, at climatesci.org
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Thanks for this timely post by Steven Goddard.
The leaders of formerly Great Britain are acting completely irresponsibly toward their citizens, while turning a blind eye to China, Russia, Brazil, India, and a hundred smaller countries that are spewing soot over the globe, while hand-wringing over the non-problem of beneficial carbon dioxide.
“Klaus assumed the EU Presidency today.
I am holding my breath that this may be the tipping point to a revival of reality.
It seems that we are witnessing the unravelling of western capitalism. Fortunately, China will carry on. Thank (fill in the blank), that I live in Texas. I think Texas and China may be the only capitalist entities left on the face of the Earth.
Sheh sheh,
Mike Bryant
I love the Czechoslovakian bit…. Sweet irony.
Vaclav Klaus is indeed a man with a clarity of thought and fine insight when it comes to this AGW rubbish…. He can see the Socialist policies hidden beneath a veneer of environmental concern.
Three cheers for Goddard and Vaclav Klaus!
Britain is lead by a Government that has lost the plot on the environment. It introduced massive increases in road tax for larger vehicles and wonders why it now has to rescue Land Rover and Jaguar from insolvency. It claims it wants to limit CO2 while adding runways to its major airports and budgeting another £700m this year for roads. Mixed messages or just mixed up? Either they don’t believe in AGW and are too ‘frit’ to say so, or they do believe it and are totally incompetent at dealing with it. Take your pick!
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
– A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii
What is it about most people that they can’t think things through enough to see that their self-interest really is a long-term issue? Why the overwhelming impulsiveness to jump on and off bandwagons?
From the last lines of the originating post:
“…Ironically, it may be current Czech President Vaclav Klaus who rescues Europe from themselves. Klaus wrote that it was futile to fight against phenomena like higher solar activity or the change of ocean currents”
Klaus assumed the EU Presidency today. Happy New Year to all.”
Unfortunately, the EU Presidency is only a 6-month term. I doubt if Vaclav Klaus will actually be able to reverse the current pile of looming anti-CO2 actions but he can stymie immediate action through political maneuvers.
I have no doubt that Vaclav Klaus will take full advantage of the bully pulpit he’ll have in the 6-month term and he might succeed in making a broader audience aware of the implications of heading down the anti-CO2 primrose path. He thinks it’s political and scientific folly and will say so, loudly and often.
To Mike Bryant
I went to a “Governor’s Symposium of Competitiveness” last year in Austin. The basic message was that Texas was pro-energy and pro-business. If it works, be it solar, wind, coal or nuclear, Texas is for it.
The Governor told us about a meeting of the “Republican Governor’s Association”. He was bragging on Texas (Hey-he is a Texan!) about all the new businesses we had and all of the new jobs created here.
A governor from another state (with a heavy Eastern European accent) was quoted as saying: “Yes, but all you are doing is drilling off of the coast (for oil)”.
The Governor’s reply was: “You bet and we are selling it to you for a premium!” (This was before the drop in oil prices.)
May God Bless Texas and
May God Bless the USA
And a special blessing for the Czechs: After 1938 (The West gave Czechoslovakia to the Nazis), 1948 (the West did nothing while the Soviet Army crushed the democratic government), and 1968 (the West again did nothing as the Soviet Army crushed the nascent liberal movement), they deserve all of the blessings they can get! You have to respect them: their history gives them a different perspective from the fat and lazy liberals in Western Europe.
Steamboat Jack
Klaus has a powerful ally – a spell of abnormally cold weather forecast across the EU, extending for at least his first two weeks in office.
http://wxmaps.org/pix/temp4.html
It is difficult to be very concerned about global warming when you are personally having trouble keeping warm.
Although I completely support the opinion and vision of Mr. Klaus, I do not share the optimism that anything will change during the Czechoslovakian EU Presidency. Why? Because Vaclav Klaus, in a collective attempt to isolate him, is demonized as an “Anti European”.
All over Europe the official news channels have been broadcasting the message that Klaus compares the EU with the former Communist Regime that ruled the USSR.
They also state that Klaus made the proposal a few years ago to terminate the EU.
Not a single word about the position of Klaus in regard to the AGW scare.
The demonizing process is initiated by his fellow EU politicians who support the IPCC doctrine and the media are the same media that constantly broadcast the usual AGW riddles of melting ice caps and drowning polar bears.
I am sure that Klaus will have a tough time and his Prime Minister, Mirek Topolánek, who will be executing the formel role of EU Presidency representation will not
represent the visions of Klaus in regard to the climate.
And the Brits? When did the Brits ever listen to good advice from one of the Continental Countries, let alone one of the former “East Bloc” countries?
The Brits, as history has learned us, know everything better.
Britannia Rules the Waves and I’m afraid we have to wait for the River Thames to freeze over before the politicians even consider to change their mind.
Read some background here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5161990.ece
Hey Mike, did a quick search:
Texas Quick Facts
Texas is the leading crude oil-producing State in the Nation (excluding Federal offshore areas, which produce more than any single State).
Texas’s 25 petroleum refineries can process more than 4.6 million barrels of crude oil per day, and they account for more than one-fourth of total U.S. refining capacity.
More than one-fourth of total U.S. natural gas production occurs in Texas, making it the Nation’s leading natural gas producer.
Texas also leads the Nation in wind-powered generation capacity; there are over 2,000 wind turbines in West Texas alone.
Texas produces and consumes more electricity than any other State, and per capita residential use is significantly higher than the national average.
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=TX
(updated daily)
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A few notes on the above quick facts:
Texas has got to have the largest carbon footprint in the nation. But most of the warmers are only in Austin (home of UT and some Democratic polititians – go figure).
Our “significantly higher than the national average” electricity consumption
is probably due to the invention of the a/c. Or are we just over-indulging ourselves?
“Federal offshore areas” refers to the Gulf of Mexico (and others) for which Texas gets no royalties (as far as I know), but gets the liability of an oil spill.
You’re welcome NY, MA, etc.
I voluntarily pay more (a little more for only a few kwh – a token) for wind energy, but after reading WUWT for the last year I’m now wondering why.
Here in San Antonio, we get a good chunk (and about to be expanded) of our juice from the S. TX Nuclear Project. I was originally against it (25 years ago), but now favor it. (a student to adult change, I guess).
California talks a lot of BS, but when are they going to be the leader in wind?
All along their coast: from San Diego (thru Malibu) to San Francisco, and up to Sacra(mental). I can just picture those towers behind the Golden Gate Bridge.
Disclaimer: I’m not funded by big or little oil, and don’t own XOM stock.
“May God Bless Texas and
May God Bless the USA”
And may God bless the Czech Republic and Vaclav Klaus….
“Roger Carr (18:14:01) :
“Klaus assumed the EU Presidency today.
I am holding my breath that this may be the tipping point to a revival of reality.”
About reality:
“Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
To understand reality is not the same as to know about outward events. It is to perceive the essential nature of things. The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. But on the other hand, knowledge of an apparently trivial detail quite often makes it possible to see into the depth of things. And so the wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom.”
OK that’s pretty deep….
Vaclav Klaus have no power at all to change anything. He can only makes speeches since the Czech Government is who makes policy. Speeches at this time are no small thing, but expect that media will bury them.
Tom in Texas asked:
We recently drove from the Bay Are to Vegas via 58 from Bakersfield to Barstow.
There are lots of wind generators on one section of that highway, and most of them were still, but some were lazily turning in whatever breeze there was.
I suspect that that they are not worth it.
Gotta suggestion for Mr Glass’s next publicity stunt.
Why not superglue himself to one of these wind turbines in Scotland – you know in the traditional JC position:
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2008/20080722_turbinesscotland.jpg
Of course the superglue would have to be double strength and the timing would have to be right – just ahead of a full blown Scottish gale.
He would certainly get some media attention but could be a little shattered when the wind died down. Och Aye!
If Dr. Hansen was willing to support vandals of power plants, what will he do when Obama is in power? The UK worries me, because powers-that-be in the US are more than willing to follow their example.
Mike Bryant (20:42:09) quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer on reality: “It is to perceive the essential nature of things.”
I can rest easy with that, thanks, Mike. It is the kind of “reality” Vaclav Klaus has championed in many talks and interviews, and is why I feel a sense of hope in even his half-year of presidency. He does not come across as a guy who hangs about.
That being said, I note from Ron de Haan (20:00:53): “I do not share the optimism that anything will change during the Czechoslovakian EU Presidency. Why? Because Vaclav Klaus, in a collective attempt to isolate him, is demonized as an “Anti European”.” and feel it is therefore imperative that as many as possible note their (our) hopes for him, and belief in him, to counter the negative press Ron notes is assembled to weaken him.
The support here today on WUWT? counts strongly when one notes Anthony’s viewer numbers; but spread it even further as you can.
For those of us concerned with our carbon footprint when flying, Swissair now offers a
palliativesolution. Interesting that we generate more CO2 when flying first class than coach.http://swiss.myclimate.org/EN
Tom in Texas,
I knew we were leaders in energy, however I didn’t realize how big the numbers really were. Maybe it is time that Texas finds it’s own way. Why should we subsidize those who wish to push the earth into the middle ages? Why won’t California, Kansas and others become self sufficient? Perhaps we should withhold our wind, solar, natural gas and coal from other states until the price rises. If you wish to make the middle class poor, perhaps you can do it in your own states without dragging Texas down into the abyss with you. Perhaps it’s time for a return to reality.
The EU should be very careful! When the snow and ice deepens into another Ice age, they will be screaming out for countries like the US and Australia to accept them! Fat chance!
Roger Carr,
I know that any event that Vaclav Klaus decided to be a part of in Texas would be well received. Perhaps it is time that he visits our governor to discuss ways that we may avoid the coming socialist collective. Of course any agreements or partnerships would absolutely conform to US and international law. Vaclav Klaus, you have a friend and ally in Texas.
Mike Bryant
The UK and EU politicians have painted themselves into a corner of their own making. Any attempt to change direction will be stymied by NGO’s intent on keeping government policies on the ‘correct’ path. The only way government policies can change in the face of the powerful influences of NGO’s will be if the climate cools in a dramatic and protracted manner. Only in the face of great suffering will politicians be able to change their silly energy policies. In the meantime, in the U.S., Obama and his cadre of true believers are about to embark on a path pioneered by the EU & UK. With the U.S. about to leap into all this silliness, even more pressure will be brought to bear to conform to the Green message. The future looks exceedingly bleak.