Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
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Quote of the Week:
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
T.S. Eliot – The Hollow Men, 1925
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Number of the Week: 2.0°F warmer in 1832
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
RIO+20: Apparently, the Rio + 20 Conference ended on Friday. The word apparently is used jokingly. Saturday’s headlines of both the New York Times and the Washington Post failed to include any mention of the closing of the conference. These “newspapers of record” focused on sensational sex trials instead. It seems the conference did not end as the editors wished. According to reports, the conference was tightly controlled by the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India, and China – particularly Brazil which headed the conference. The leaders of Brazil, India and China have made it clear that they will not punish their citizens by stopping economic growth. Russia needs revenues from exports of oil and gas to maintain its budget and government spending.
The conference was different than past conferences for several reasons. There was no grand announcement of Western governments committing huge sums to the governments of the third world. There were no political rock-stars flying in at the last moment to put a deal together. There were no all night sessions extending far beyond the scheduled close of the meeting.
The European ministers were disappointed in the failure for the world to adopt their agenda. The non-government organizations (NGOs) were largely locked out of the process of reaching an agreement, their demands were ignored. The disappointment, even despair, expressed by a number of environmental groups is indicative of the success of the BRIC countries.
Those in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under whose auspices this conference was given, are no doubt disappointed that they will not have a $100 Billion a year Green Fund to manage. The leaders of some third world countries are no doubt disappointed they will not be receiving huge sums from the UNFCCC, dashing their hopes of expanding their Swiss bank accounts or obtaining that special villa in the south of France. But the conference gave some political leaders the opportunity to stay at a luxurious resort while preaching austerity for others. And the conclusion gives the opportunity for many ordinary citizens in the world to sigh with relief.
As usual, there were many pledges, but few hard commitments. There were pledges of loans for green energy. Certainly, electricity from green sources such as solar and wind is superior to no electricity, but distinctly inferior to reliable electricity from fossil fuels or hydro. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised “forging partnerships that would harness ‘the power of the market’ rather than relying solely on governmental action.” As the statement indicates, it is questionable if anyone at the State Department understands why some cultures create prosperity and others do not, as Thomas Sowell has articulated. Also, Roger Pielke, Jr, has some excellent posts on his web site on wealth creation and innovation as opposed to R&D: http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2012/06/where-does-wealth-come-from.html, and http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2012/06/r-is-not-innovation.html.
For a variety of reports on Rio+20 please see Article # 1 and links under Rio+20.
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The Royal Society: The Royal Society has issued a report titled “Science as an open enterprise: open data for open science.” The report states: “Realising the benefits of open data requires effective communication through a more intelligent openness: data must be accessible and readily located; they must be intelligible to those who wish to scrutinise them; data must be assessable [sic] so that judgments can be made about their reliability and the competence of those who created them; and they must be usable by others.” This is an important step in promoting robust discussions on scientific issues, especially in climate science where independent analysts have had to resort to Freedom of Information requests to obtain data to analyze questionable assertions. Often these requests have been met with hostility and have been rebuffed. The hockey-stick affair is but one classic example.
Both Steven McIntyre and Andrew Montford discuss their appreciation and their concerns on the report. Montford adds a few penetrating points: 1) before they are acceptable for public policy considerations, models must demonstrate forecasting power, just not hindcasting; and 2) should those who create elaborate models that prove to be wrong be liable for professional advice as engineers and other professionals are? Please see links under The Royal Society.
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Temperature Issues: Ross McKitrick and a colleague produced a new study that continues on his work challenging the claim by the IPCC that the surface land data is free of direct human influence such as urbanization and industrialization. This is critical, because if it is not, the data is biased and the models used by the IPCC attribute to carbon dioxide temperature changes that belong to direct human influence. An expert reviewer of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), McKitrick suggested including a study showing that temperature changes could be explained by socioeconomic variables, thus indicating a possible bias in the surface data. His comments were not included in the final draft.
McKitrick and his colleague have refined the earlier work and compared their model of socioeconomic data with the IPCC models in explaining warming patterns over land for the past few decades. Both types of models are needed to explain surface temperature data indicating that the data does include socioeconomic contamination. McKitrick explains his findings in an article published by Financial Post. Please see links under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
Two other studies appeared on surface temperature data including one by Tom Quirk estimating if the current trend in temperatures, with no warming, is the result of a shift in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Please see links under Measurement Issues.
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Ad Hominem Attacks: Personal attacks on skeptics of the theory that carbon dioxide emissions are causing unprecedented and dangerous global warming have appeared in Nature Climate Change and in Science Magazine including the use of the term denier. These have been fiercely rebutted by skeptics.
The piece in Nature Climate Change was an analysis of those who were classified deniers. No doubt, this is all part of the announced effort by global warming alarmists to communicate better with the public. But the analysis offended many that the effort is intended to reach. Judith Curry suggested that the analysts should be analyzed.
Perhaps another study is in order. Should government finance shoddy science to justify government expansion of control over energy use? Even asking the general public a similar question may produce interesting results.
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Arctic Warming: A new study of sediment cores dating back some 2.8 million years from a lake in Siberia that has not been covered by glaciers produced some surprising results. The study compared the two interglacial periods from 12,000 and 125,000 years ago, called normal, with two from 400,000 and 1.1 million years ago, called super. They found the temperatures in the super interglacial were significantly warmer, about 4 to 5 C warmer than the normal interglacial. There is no clear indication if the super interglacial periods were the product of intense feedback to warming or the result of natural forcings not understood.
There is a perplexing issue of why the researchers selected 12,000 years ago as a base for the normal. As shown by Don Easterbrook, that was during the Younger Dryas period, which was significantly colder than, say, 8000 years ago.
Easterbrook suggests that the cooling of the Younger Dryas was not caused by meteors as suggested in a study linked in last week’s TWTW. To Easterbrook, the Younger Dryas was globally synchronous and featured multiple glacial advances and retreats. This indicates that the cause was not linked to orbital forcing, a sudden flood of fresh water, meteor impacts, or volcanic eruptions. Please see links under Climate Change.
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Antarctic Warming: A study from NASA states that the Antarctic supported substantial vegetation along the edges 20 million years ago. Temperatures were about 20 F or 11 C warmer than today. The article attempted to link the warmth of this period to the concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide – up to 50 percent greater than today.
But the article did not explain what caused the earth to enter an ice age about 2.5 million years ago, with long periods of glaciations interrupted by brief warm periods. Anthony Watts kindly supplied a map showing the orientation of the continents 20 million years ago. It clearly shows the North American plate is not linked with the South American plate and the Caribbean seaway is open. Some geologists theorize it was plate tectonics which caused the closing of the Caribbean seaway, which resulted in a change in ocean currents, which, eventually, caused the beginning of the Ice Age period.
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EPA-Senate: The Senate resolution to prevent the EPA from implementing rules that will cause the numerous coal-fired power plants to shut down was rejected by a vote of 53 to 46. On the following day, in a letter to his Senators thanking them for voting in favor of the resolution, one member of Virginia Scientists and Engineers for Energy and Environment noted that the temperatures for the day in the Virginia suburbs of Washington were forecast to be 98°F with wind speeds of 4 to 5 mph. According to the specifications for GE wind turbines, on-shore wind power would generate zero electricity. One hundred percent back-up would be required. The forecast for off-shore winds was 10 to 15 knots, which roughly calculated, results in a range in production of 20 to 50% of capacity. An 80% back-up would be needed. Virginia does not yet rely on wind so the calculations were hypothetical.
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Amplifications and Corrections: Reader John Dunn asked why are so many people proposing methanol, ethanol; anything but efficient and clean burning gasoline? Fred Singer responded: I see no need for alcohol fuels. They have to be manufactured, have lower heat content than gasoline, hence lower mpg, damage car components, and require a new infrastructure. Why not produce gasoline directly from abundant methane. One made add that a comparison with race cars using methanol may not be appropriate because race car engines are carefully inspected after each race – something the general public would find very inconvenient.
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Number of the Week: 2.0 °F warmer in 1832. Reader Ken Towe wrote to TWTW that: “In 1832 Charles Darwin spent the month of June in Brazil. The HMS Beagle was moored in the harbor at Rio de Janeiro. The air temperature was measured each day at 12 noon. The average noon air temperature for June of 1832 was 75.9°F (± 3.9). In June of 2010 the average noon air temperature in Rio de Janeiro was 73.9°F (± 2.75). The average noon temperature in 1832 was 2.0 °F WARMER than 2010. A Student’s t-test (0.95) indicates that it is statistically significant.”
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ARTICLES:
For the numbered articles below please see this week’s TWTW at: www.sepp.org. The articles are at the end of the pdf.
1. Why Rio is a success – BRICS shut out Green excesses
By Alex Oxley, World Growth, NO URL, Jun 22, 2012
2. Letter from R.C.E. Wyndham To the Bishop of Exeter
Cornwall, England, Jun 14, 2012, No URL
3. Feel-Good Environmentalism at the U.N.
Why do the global glitterati ignore water and air pollution?
By Bjorn Lomborg, WSJ, Jun 20, 2012
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304765304577478470785293702.html?mod=ITP_opinion_0
4. America, Start Your Natural-Gas Engines
Replacing gasoline in our cars could be an energy game changer. Here’s what we need to do to get from here to there.
By Tom Fower, WSJ, Jun 18, 2012
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304192704577406431047638416.html
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Suppressing Scientific Inquiry
In Academia: “Our Way or the Highway”
By Staff Writers, Facts and Fears, Jun 15, 2012
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.3704/news_detail.asp
Society for Conservation Biology in Turmoil Over Editor’s Ouster
By Erik Stokstad Science Insider, Jun 15, 2012 [H/t Joe D’Aleo]
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/06/society-for-conservation-biology.html?ref=em
[SEPP Comment: Keeping political statements out of scientific journals is no longer tolerated?]
Challenging the Orthodoxy
New Paper “Climate Physics, Feedbacks, And Reductionism (And When Does Reductionism go Too Far?)” By Dick Lindzen
By Roger Pielke Sr, Pielke Climate Science, Jun 21, 2012
Not So Hot in East China
By Patrick Michaels, World Climate Report, Jun 22, 2012
http://www.worldclimatereport.com/index.php/2012/06/22/not-so-hot-in-east-china/
[SEPP Comment: Using proxies of sea surface temperature covering 2,700 years, researchers from Chinese Universities found that the current warming period is not unprecedented.]
Dr. Pat Michaels on the ‘voluminous science that the USGCRP either ignored or slanted’ for the EPA endangerment finding
By Pat Michaels, WUWT, Jun 22, 2012
New Paper Testing Climate Model Validity
By Ross McKitrick, His Blog, Jun 20, 2012
http://www.rossmckitrick.com/index.html
Climate reality check
Conclusion of series shows IPCC’s computer models fall way short
By Ross McKitrick, Financial Post, Jun 20, 2012
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2012/06/20/climate-reality-check/
Defending the Orthodoxy
Climate panel adopts controversial ‘grey’ evidence
By Fred Pearce, New Scientist, Jun 19, 2012
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21940-climate-panel-adopts-controversial-grey-evidence.html
IPCC Gives Up On Science, Makes Grey Literature Official
By Hank Campbell, Science 2.0, Jun 20, 2012 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.science20.com/science_20/ipcc_gives_science_makes_grey_literature_official-91262
‘Prove Us Wrong or Stand Down’: Kerry’s Hour long Floor Speech on Climate Change
By Staff Writers, PJ Media, Jun 19, 2012 [H/t Timothy Wise]
[SEPP Comment: 8,037 Words to assert an illogical proposition.]
Ocean Acidification – Cause for Alarm and Action
By Sasha Henriques, IAEA, Jun 18, 2012
http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/2012/acidification.html
[SEPP Comment: The International Atomic Energy Agency steps out of its field of expertise and demonstrates its ignorance. Perhaps ignorance is endemic to international agencies.]
Arctic methane gas could spell trouble for Florida coastline
By Elizabeth Bettendorf for FSU News
Tallahassee, FL (SPX) Jun 20, 2012
Expansion of forests in the European Arctic could result in the release of carbon dioxide
By Staff Writers, Exeter UK (SPX), Jun 20, 2012
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Study Slashes Deforestation Carbon Emission Estimate
By Staff Writers, Pasadena CA (JPL), Jun 22, 2012
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Study_Slashes_Deforestation_Carbon_Emission_Estimate_999.html
Green grabs: The dark side of the green economy
By Staff Writers, London, UK (SPX) Jun 21, 2012
http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Green_grabs_The_dark_side_of_the_green_economy_999.html
Global Warming’s Killer: Critical Thinking
By Russell Cook, American Thinker, Jun 18, 2012
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/06/global_warmings_killer_critical_thinking.html
Questioning European Green
Watermelons
How environmentalists are killing the planet, destroying the economy and stealing your children’s future.
By John Brignell, Number Watch, June, 2012
http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/watermelons.htm
[SEPP Comment: An articulate book review by a distinguished British scholar, scientist, and statistician.]
Sunday Reflection: The truth about Germany and the ‘clean energy economy’
By Wolfgang Müller and Christopher Horner, Washington Examiner, Jun 9, 2012
http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/686896
GWPF Memorandum On The Draft Energy Bill
Memorandum submitted by the Global Warming Foundation Policy to the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, House of Commons, June 2012
By Benny Peiser, GWPF, Jun 21, 2012
http://thegwpf.org/uk-news/6022-gwpf-memorandum-on-to-the-draft-energy-bill.html
Wind energy subsidies may be cut
George Osborne wants to cut subsidies for wind energy in a move which could halt the expansion of the turbines throughout Britain.
By Christopher Hope, Telegraph, UK, Jun 19, 2012, [H/t GWPF]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/9343063/Wind-energy-subsidies-may-be-cut.html
Rio + 20 – World Control?
The Rio future we avoided
Maurice Strong sees the cratering of his Stewie Griffin-style plan to rule the world
By Peter Foster, Financial Post, Jun 21, 2012
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2012/06/21/peter-foster-the-rio-future-we-avoided/
Godfather of Global Green Thinking Steps Out of Shadows at Rio+20
By George Russell, Fox News, Jun 20, 2012 [H/t Catherine French]
Rio +20 Earth Summit: Greens Fail to Get The Future They Want
By Ronald Bailey, Reason, Jun 21, 2012
http://reason.com/archives/2012/06/21/rio-20-earth-summit-greens-fail-to-get-t
Lord Monckton Reports From Rio
To the Gaia-worshipers in Rio, all is symbolic of the new religion
By Christopher Monckton, SPPI, Jun 22, 2012
http://sppiblog.org/news/lord-monckton-reports-from-rio
Top Green on Rio: “We Know It’s Rubbish”
By Walter Russell Mead, American Interest, Jun 19, 2012
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/06/19/top-green-on-rio-we-know-its-rubbish/
Rio+20 NGO fantasy
Rupert Darwall, Financial Post, Jun 19, 2012
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2012/06/19/rio20-ngo-fantasy/
The Rio Earth Summit: is it destined to fail the world?
The environmental problems facing the world are growing critical, so why is so little expected from the Rio summit?
By Geoffrey Lean, Telegraph, UK, Jun 19, 2012 [H/t Malcolm Ross]
[SEPP Comment: Spotlighting the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer with green light did not help. What a sham!]
Rio+20: Nick Clegg blames China for ‘disappointing text’
Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, has blamed a ‘neocolonial world’, where China is more powerful than Europe, for a “disappointing” new global deal on saving the environment.
By Louise Gray, Telegraph, UK, Jun 21, 2012 [H/t GWPF]
Rio +20: World faces mass extinction of wildlife, UN warns
The world faces a mass extinction of wildlife, according to the latest assessment of endangered animals by the United Nations.
By Louise Gray, Telegraph, UK, Jun 19, 2012
Blair leads call for worldwide ‘green industrial revolution’
By Staff Writers,Rio De Janeiro (AFP), June 18, 2012
Clinton calls for pragmatic action at Rio+20
By Bradley Brooks, AP, Jun 22, 2012
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/22/clinton-calls-pragmatic-action-rio20/
Earth Summit Babble
By Alan Caruba, Facts No Fantasy, Jun 19, 2012
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2012/06/earth-summit-babble.html
Rio – 50,000 people flock to a flop – but that is success in its own right
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jun 21, 2012
Science Group: UN Rio+20 Summit Must Reduce Global Population
By Alex Newman, New American, Jun 14, 2012
[SEPP Comment: Eugenics anyone?]
West must cut appetite for cars and TVs, says UN official
By Staff Writers, United Nations (AFP), June 18, 2012
[SEPP Comment: Imagine Secretary of State Clinton selling this to the American public.]
Rio+20 Earth Summit results in nonbinding declaration with moderate goals
By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, Jun 22, 2012
Clinton spoke of forging partnerships that would harness “the power of the market” rather than relying solely on governmental action.
Funding Fights
Revealed: how taxpayers fund climate change lobbyists
British households are unknowingly giving millions of pounds to fund climate change campaigners through the European Union, according to the Taxpayers’ Alliance.
By Rowena Mason, Telegraph, UK, Jun 19, 2012 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: More on government agencies giving money to green groups to lobby for more government regulations, and expand government.]
The Royal Academy
Science as an open enterprise
The Royal Society, 2012
http://royalsociety.org/uploadedFiles/Royal_Society_Content/policy/projects/sape/2012-06-20-SAOE.pdf
Royal Society Report on Data Sharing
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Jun 21, 2012
http://climateaudit.org/2012/06/21/royal-society-report-on-data-sharing/
Boulton says free the data
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jun 21, 2012
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2012/6/21/boulton-says-free-the-data.html
Ad Hominem Attacks
A response to Dr. Paul Bain’s use of ‘denier’ in the scientific literature
By Robert Brown, via Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jun 22, 2012
Analyzing people who talk about AGW denialism
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc, Jun 19, 2012
http://judithcurry.com/2012/06/19/analyzing-people-who-talk-about-agw-denialism/#more-8865
A Response to Popular Ad Hominem, err Science, Magazine on Global Warming Skeptics
By Warren Meyer, Forbes, Jun 18, 2012
Seeking a Common Ground
Science held hostage in climate debate
By Garth Paltridge, Australian Financial Review, Jun 21, 2012 [H/t GWPF]
http://afr.com/p/lifestyle/review/science_held_hostage_in_climate_Uamwgc7zXEsU6RbQJ5MWIJ#
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
OPEC Could Collapse As Shale Gas Pops Peak Oil Myth
By Staff Writers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UPI), Jun 21, 2012
http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/OPEC_Could_Collapse_As_Shale_Gas_Pops_Peak_Oil_Myth_999.html
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Unscientific American on line chat on heat wave to cultists – blames 90s this week on AGW
By Joseph D’Aleo, ICECAP, Jun 21, 2012
The UN defines “climate change” as being man-made: Orwell could not have done it better
By Joanne Nova, Her Blog, Jun 16, 2012
Models v. Observations
A new perspective on drought in the American southeast
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc, Jun 20, 2012
http://judithcurry.com/2012/06/20/a-new-perspective-on-drought-in-the-american-southeast/#more-8875
Measurement Issues
Three new papers on interpreting temperature trends
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc, Jun 21, 2012
http://judithcurry.com/2012/06/21/three-new-papers-on-interpreting-temperature-trends/#more-8883
Remarkable Admission By Gavin Schmidt In Response To The McKittrick and Tole 2012 Paper
By Roger Pielke Jr, Pielke Climate Science, Jun 22, 2012
Changing Weather
2 warmest winter months in Midwest history may have connection
By Staff Writers, Columbia, MO (SPX) Jun 20, 2012
Lupo shared his results with fellow scientists at the Seventh International Climate Change Conference in Chicago this May.
[SEPP Comment: A link between weather patterns 123 years apart.]
March into history
By Anthony Lupo, ICECAP, Jun 22, 2012
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/in-the-news/march_into_history/
[SEPP Comment: Further explanation of unusual warm periods over a century apart.]
Changing Climate
The Intriguing Problem Of The Younger Dryas—What Does It Mean And What Caused It?
By Don Easterbrook, WUWT, Jun 19, 2012
2.8 Million Years of Arctic Climate Change from Lake El’gygytgyn, NE Russia
Martin Melles, et al, Science, Jun 21, 2012
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2012/06/20/science.1222135.abstract
Remote Siberian Lake Holds Clues to Arctic – and Antarctic – Climate Change
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jun 22, 2012
NASA: Study Finds Ancient Warming Greened Antarctica
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jun 18, 2012
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/06/18/nasa-study-finds-ancient-warming-greened-antarctica/
New deglaciation data opens door for earlier First Americans migration
By Staff Writers, Corvallis, OR (SPX), Jun 22, 2012
Changing Sea Ice
Elephant seals help uncover slower-than-expected Antarctic melting
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jun 22, 2012
The Political Games Continue
Bid to kill EPA coal plant regulations thwarted in Senate
By Ben Geman and Daniel Strauss, The Hill, Jun 20, 2012
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/233795-bid-to-kill-epa-coal-plant-rules-thwarted-in-senate
Litigation Issues
Transocean asks judge to release federal documents on Deepwater Horizon
By Emily Pickrell, Fuel Fix, Jun 18, 2012
[SEPP Comment: Why is the administration not releasing certain emails pertaining to the BP Oil Spill?]
Subsidies and Mandates Forever – maybe not
Wind Farms Canceled, Layoffs Starting” (government dependence is risky business)
By Robert Bradley Jr, Master Resource, Jun 18, 2012
http://www.masterresource.org/2012/06/wind-layoffs-starting/#more-20467
EPA and other Regulators on the March
The EPA’s Flawed Zero Tolerance Policy
By Staff Writers, NCPA, Jun 14, 2012
Predicting natural gas prices is like predicting the weather
Eric Lam, Financial Post, Jan 20, 2012
[SEPP Comment: The EPA states by it effectively shutting down of the coal-fired utility industry is only an extension of what is happening as utilities dash for gas. But does the EPA guarantee that the current low prices of natural gas will continue in the future? Of course not!]
All Pain and No Gain
By Staff Writers, NCPA, Jun 18, 2012
EPA Proposes Clean Air Standards for PM2.5
By Staff Writers, Power News, Jun 21, 2012
http://www.powermag.com/POWERnews/4720.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2468840&hq_l=5&hq_v=5e660500d0
Deadly Particles
Editorial, NYT, Jun 20, 2012
EPA in a Bind Over Hazardous Experiments on Humans
By Paul Chesser, NLPC, Jun 18, 2012
http://nlpc.org/stories/2012/06/15/epa-bind-over-hazardous-experiments-humans
[SEPP Comment: If EPA declares certain concentrations of soot hazardous, then why did it subject humans to very high concentrations?]
Energy Issues – Non-US
“Nothing is more fungible than a good idea” (U.S. as global high-tech oil/gas leader)
By Steve Maley, Master Resource, Jun 19, 2012
http://www.masterresource.org/2012/06/nothing-more-fungible-good-idea-oil-gas/
Oil Dependency And The Russian Economy
Some say Russia’s government requires oil prices of $120 a barrel to balance the budget, while others say the real figure is as high as $150 a barrel or more. Either way, Russia’s economy is already feeling the pain of the recent global decline in oil prices. And there is no guarantee that the oil slump will end any time soon.
By Al Fin, From GWPF, Jun 21, 2012
http://thegwpf.org/energy-news/6019-oil-dependency-and-the-russian-economy.html
Pipelines behind C-38 battle
By Peter Foster, Financial Post, Jun 14, 2012
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2012/06/14/peter-foster-pipelines-behind-c-38-battle/
[SEPP Comment: Efforts to streamline environmental regulations are opposed to those whose interest is in the existing order. No newly rich from western Canada for me, thank you.]
Clash Of Titans: Canada Battles Powerful Green Lobby
By William Kay, From GWPF, Jun 21, 2012
http://thegwpf.org/best-of-blogs/6013-clash-of-titans-canada-battles-powerful-green-lobby.html
Energy Issues — US
US military’s role with petroleum is to assure security, not pioneer alternative fuels
By Staff Writers, Santa Monica CA (SPX), Jun 22, 2012
SDG&E Energizes Sunrise Powerlink
117-Mile, 500,000-Volt Transmission Line Will Support Electric System Reliability This Summer
Press Release, SDGE, Jun 18, 2012
[SEPP Comment: The permitting process, with environmental reviews, took 5 years. The construction took 18 months.]
Clean Energy in China and the U.S.: It’s Not What You Spend
Hearing before US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resource
By Derek Scissors, The Heritage Foundation, Jun 15, 2012
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
The US unconventional oil revolution: are we at the beginning of a new era for US oil?
By Salman Ghouri and Areeba Ghouri, European Energy Review, Jun 18, 2012
Why Natural Gas Could Displace Gasoline
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jun 18, 2012
http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Why_Natural_Gas_Could_Displace_Gasoline_999.html
Adding fuel to Capitol Hill fire
Natural gas makes sense with federal dollars
By Thomas Pyle, Washington Times, Jun 22, 2012
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/22/adding-fuel-to-capitol-hill-fire/
Tight oil loosens up
By Jameson Berkow, Financial Post, Jun 21, 2012
http://business.financialpost.com/2012/06/21/tight-oil-loosens-up/?__lsa=44b54869
[SEPP Comment: Another oil boom in Canada?]
Fracking The Movie(s)
By Peter C Glover, Energy Tribune, Jun 22, 2012
http://www.energytribune.com/articles.cfm/10994/Fracking-The-Movies
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Ohi reactors cleared for restart
Permission to restart the first two of Japan’s idled fleet of nuclear power reactors has been given by the prime minister following approvals from local municipal and prefectural authorities. Units 3 and 4 of the Ohi plant are both expected to be back at full power by the end of next month.
By Staff Writers, WNN, Jun 18, 2012
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Ohi_reactors_cleared_for_restart-1806124.html
Radioactive Power Politics: New Court Decision Lays Waste To U.S. Nuclear Power Development
By Larry Bell, Forbes, Jun 17, 2012
NRC Petitioned to Stop 35 Reactors Until Court Ruling Satisfied
By Staff Writers,Washington DC (SPX), Jun 21, 2012
RWE pulls plug on international nuclear power business
By Staff Writers, Berlin (AFP), June 18, 2012
Virginia: Energy Capitol or Energy Prison
By Marita Noon, Energy Tribune, Jun 20, 2012
http://www.energytribune.com/articles.cfm/10965/Virginia-Energy-Capitol-or-Energy-Prison
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
$9 Billion in ‘Stimulus’ for Solar, Wind Projects Made 910 Final Jobs — $9.8 Million Per Job
By Michael Chapman and Fred Lucas, CNS News, Jun 20, 2012 [H/t GWPF]
Permitting and “Intergalactic” Transmission Issues Among Biggest Obstacles for Offshore Energy
By Staff Writers, Power News, Jun 21, 2012
http://www.powermag.com/POWERnews/4749.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2468840&hq_l=10&hq_v=5e660500d0
[SEPP Comment: The conference appeared to avoid another key issue – cost.]
Wimp Power: Some Quotations from Wind’s Critics
By John Droz, Jr, Master Resource, Jun 21, 2012
http://www.masterresource.org/2012/06/wimp-power-windpower/#more-20456
Soft Costs a Focus in Drive to Cut Solar Energy’s Price
By David Wagman, Power News, Jun 21, 2012
http://www.powermag.com/POWERnews/4723.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2468840&hq_l=9&hq_v=5e660500d0
[SEPP Comment: Sec. of Energy Chu is in a fierce race to lose the most.]
Obama’s Green-Jobs Fraud Exposed
Editorial, IBD, Jun 21, 2012
Carbon Schemes
Another nail in the CCS coffin
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jun 21, 2012
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2012/6/21/another-nail-in-the-ccs-coffin.html
California Dreaming
Environmental objections in path of bullet train
Rail construction could create more emissions in an area that already has dirty air and high asthma rates. Resolving the issues could delay the project and boost costs.
By Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times, Jun 11, 2012
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bullet-green-20120611,0,7566489.story
GM mislabeling on the California ballot
By Staff Writers, ACSH, Jun 18, 2012
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.3705/news_detail.asp
[SEPP Comment: What would the organic farmers say if it was proposed their products had the label: “May contain manure.”]
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org
Warmth and Peace in the Roman Classical Period
Reference: Chen, L., Zonneveld, K.A.F. and Versteegh, G.J.M. 2011. Short term climate variability during the “Roman Classical Period” in the eastern Mediterranean. Quaternary Science Reviews 30: 3880-3891.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2012/jun/19jun2012a1.html
Once again evidence continues to accumulate for (1) the rule-of-thumb proposition that warmer times have generally been more peaceful times throughout human history, (2) the likelihood that the high stable temperatures between 60 BC and 90 AD may well have been warmer than those of the 20th century, and (3) the likelihood that solar variability may have been “an important climate forcing factor during this time.”
The Theory of Warmth-Induced Amplification of Extreme Weather Events
Reference: Buntgen, U., Brazdil, R., Heussner, K.-U., Hofmann, J., Kontic, R., Kyncl, T., Pfister, C., Chroma, K. and Tegel, W. 2011. Combined dendro-documentary evidence of Central European hydroclimatic springtime extremes over the last millennium. Quaternary Science Reviews 30: 3947-3959.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2012/jun/19jun2012a3.html
[SEPP Comment: Not supported by the evidence.]
Dying from Particulate Air Pollution on Hot and Cold Days in Shanghai, China
Reference: Cheng, Y. and Kan, H. 2012. Effect of the interaction between outdoor air pollution and extreme temperature on daily mortality in Shanghai, China. Journal of Epidemiology 22: 28-36.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2012/jun/20jun2012a2.html
[SEPP Comment: Based on the statistical analysis, extremely cold days amplified the deaths from air pollution, extremely hot days did not.]
Plant Responses to Significant and Rapid Global Warming
Reference: Willis, K.J. and MacDonald, G.M. 2011. Long-term ecological records and their relevance to climate change predictions for a warmer world. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 42: 267-287.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2012/jun/20jun2012a1.html
[SEPP Comment: Examining the empirical evidence what did happen rather than building a model of what may have happened. How Novel!]
Environmental Industry
Left-Wing Foundations Dictate Obama’s Misplaced Priority
By David Horowitz and Jacob Lanksin, IBD, Jun 19, 2012
U.N.’s threat to biodiversity
‘Green’ agenda is not healthy for children and other living things
By David Rothbard and Paul Driessen, Washington Times, Jun 15, 2012
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/15/uns-threat-to-biodiversity/
More indium
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jun 22, 2012
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2012/6/22/more-indium.html
[SEPP Comment: Creation of imaginary scarcity for the benefit of environmentalists and bureaucrats.]
Other Scientific News
Soil Moisture Climate Data Record Observed from Space
By Staff Writers, Vienna, Austria (SPX) Jun 21, 2012
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Soil_Moisture_Climate_Data_Record_observed_from_Space_999.html
Extensive water in Mars’ interior
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jun 22, 2012
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Extensive_water_in_Mars_interior_999.html
Other News that May Be of Interest
U.S. reclaims top spot in super-computer wars with machine that ‘can do more in an hour than the world’s population working non-stop for 320 years’
By Eddie Wrenn, Daily Mail, Jun 18, 2012
Malaysia rare earths plant gets go-ahead
By Staff Writers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (UPI), Jun 20, 2012
http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Malaysia_rare_earths_plant_gets_go-ahead_999.html
Energy poverty takes toll on Balkan forests
Governments’ inability to address energy poverty in Southeastern Europe is increasing the threat of deforestation, as illegal timbering is seen by needy people as their only chance for survival through harsh winters.
By Staff Writer, EurActiv, Jun 21, 2012 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.euractiv.com/climate-environment/energy-poverty-takes-toll-balkan-news-513402
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
‘Peak Rock’: The ONION Goes Neo-Malthusian (Fixity/depletion curse expands)
By Robert Bradley Jr, Master Resource, Jun 22, 2012
http://www.masterresource.org/2012/06/peak-rock-parody/#more-20283
[SEPP Comment: A little humor in an all too serious world.]
To fix the climate, take meat off the menu
By Rances Kissling and Peter Singer, Washington Post, Jun 15, 2012
[SEPP Comment: Ask the Secretary of State Clinton to sell that one to Congress!]
Top predators key to extinctions as planet warms
By Staff Writers, New Haven, CT (SPX), Jun 22, 2012
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Top_predators_key_to_extinctions_as_planet_warms_999.html
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Instead of arguing about the science of global warming, we should just listen to what these enviro radicals are actually SAYING and DOING.
Maybe they know their global warming science is bogus, but it suits their purpose to use global warming hysteria as a smokescreen to mask their true intentions.
The radical warmists have done everything in their power to starve the world of fossil fuel energy that is required for continued global prosperity.
They have squandered a trillion dollars of scarce global resources on catastrophic humanmade global warming (CAGW) nonsense.
Investing these squandered resources in clean drinking water and sanitation alone would have saved the ~50 million kids who died from drinking contaminated water in the past 25+ years of CAGW hysteria.
Intelligent use of these scarce global resources could have easily saved as many people as were killed in the atrocities of Hitler, Stalin, or Mao.
50 million people died in Hitler’s WW2. Josef Stalin killed another 50 million of his own people in internal purges. Leftist hero Mao gets the prize, killing as many as 80 million Chinese during his Great Leap Backward.
The radical environmental movement has done equally well, rivaling Mao for fatalities caused by the banning of DDT and the misallocation of scarce global resources on the fraud of catastrophic humanmade global warming.
Since many of these enviro radicals are latter-day Malthusians, Club of Rome types, etc., it is reasonable to assume that THIS WAS THEIR INTENTION.
Is this too radical a proposal? Well, NO it is not: In addition to what the radical enviros DO, let’s EXAMINE what they SAY (h/t to Wayne):
”My three goals would be to reduce human population to about 100 million worldwide, destroy the industrial infrastructure and see wilderness, with its full complement of species, returning throughout the world.”
David Foreman,
co-founder of Earth First!
”A total population of 250-300 million people, a 95% decline from present levels, would be ideal.”
Ted Turner,
Founder of CNN and major UN donor
”The prospect of cheap fusion energy is the worst thing that could happen to the planet.”
Jeremy Rifkin,
Greenhouse Crisis Foundation
”Giving society cheap, abundant energy would be the equivalent of giving an idiot child a machine gun.”
Paul Ehrlich,
Professor of Population Studies,
Author: “Population Bomb”, “Ecoscience”
”The big threat to the planet is people: there are too many, doing too well economically and burning too much oil.”
Sir James Lovelock,
BBC Interview
”We need to get some broad based support, to capture the public’s imagination… So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements and make little mention of any doubts… Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest.”
Stephen Schneider,
Stanford Professor of Climatology,
Lead author of many IPCC reports
”Unless we announce disasters no one will listen.”
Sir John Houghton,
First chairman of the IPCC
”It doesn’t matter what is true, it only matters what people believe is true.”
Paul Watson,
Co-founder of Greenpeace
”Childbearing should be a punishable crime against society, unless the parents hold a government license. All potential parents should be required to use contraceptive chemicals, the government issuing antidotes to citizens chosen for childbearing.”
David Brower,
First Executive Director of the Sierra Club
”We’ve got to ride this global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing in terms of economic and environmental policy.”
Timothy Wirth,
President of the UN Foundation
”No matter if the science of global warming is all phony… climate change provides the greatest opportunity to bring about justice and equality in the world.”
Christine Stewart,
former Canadian Minister of the Environment
”The only way to get our society to truly change is to frighten people with the possibility of a catastrophe.”
Emeritus Professor Daniel Botkin
”Isn’t the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isn’t it our responsibility to bring that about?”
Maurice Strong,
Founder of the UN Environmental Program
”A massive campaign must be launched to de-develop the United States. De-Development means bringing our economic system into line with the realities of ecology and the world resource situation.”
Paul Ehrlich,
Professor of Population Studies,
Author: “Population Bomb”, “Ecoscience”
”
If I were reincarnated I would wish to return to earth as a killer virus to lower human population levels.”
Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh,
husband of Queen Elizabeth II,
Patron of the Patron of the World Wildlife Foundation
”The only hope for the world is to make sure there is not another United States. We can’t let other countries have the same number of cars, the amount of industrialization we have in the US. We have to stop these third World countries right where they are.”
Michael Oppenheimer
Environmental Defense Fund
”Global Sustainability requires the deliberate quest of poverty, reduced resource consumption and set levels of mortality control.”
Professor Maurice King
”Current lifestyles and consumption patterns of the affluent middle class – involving high meat intake, use of fossil fuels, appliances, air-conditioning, and suburban housing – are not sustainable.”
Maurice Strong,
Rio Earth Summit
”Complex technology of any sort is an assault on the human dignity. It would be little short of disastrous for us to discover a source of clean, cheap, abundant energy, because of what we might do with it.”
Amory Lovins,
Rocky Mountain Institute
”I suspect that eradicating small pox was wrong. it played an important part in balancing ecosystems.”
John Davis,
Editor of Earth First! Journal
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http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/06/23/sustainable-development-the-latest-un-scare/#comment-1017438
WUWT, CFACT, thanks again for the continued inspiration. Please keep hammering the issue of Sustainable Development, Rio, et al. You know these guys won’t be taking a day off anytime soon (or more likely any time at all). As I just noted here I designed a new RIO+20=PAIN The Future We Dread cover design:
RIO+20 New & Improved
Again as noted, WUWT, CFACT, please feel free to make the image your own and disseminate at will. Not enough people really have an idea of what is at stake here, so please do keep the pressure on.
“The European ministers were disappointed in the failure for the world to adopt their agenda.”
The European ministers need economist missionaries from NAmerica to teach them a different agenda on more than environmental topics. Whose cash would be needed to go forth with the agenda? You guys need to practice a little charity at home with what few Euros you haven’t squandered on your ‘agenda’. Thank goodness for Brazil, India, China, Russia (and I would add Canada) for killing this ridiculous and evil Malthusian smoke screen. Economically Undeveloped Countries: don’t be inveigled by promises of cash to buy into the rhetoric, they aim to keep you poor and worse. European agenda, indeed.
However, I need to post this afternoon on a remarkable admission by Gavin Schmidt on the McKitrick and Tole paper. In a reply to a comment (#260) by someone who labels themselves as MapleLeaf in the Real Climate post
http://pielkeclimatesci.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/remarkable-admission-by-gavin-schmidt-in-response-to-the-mckittrick-and-tole-2012-paper/
MapleLeaf?
http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums//index.php?showtopic=21013
Forgot to mention I googled – elizabeth May mapleleaf
This is not related to this post but I thought you might appreciate this global warming art.
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/antony-gormley-exposure
I caught this tid-bit in your Rio Weekly News Roundup:
“According to Ms. Brundtland, Rio+20’s failure is due to the eurozone crisis and the power of Tea Party climate deniers.”
The people I know that believe they are Taxed Enough Already (partiers) would consider it a major success to destroy the ‘Bash for Cash’ in Rio but, I’m not sure they deserve the credit. I never received a single email from Dick Army asking for money to “Help Stop Rio+20.” (and you know he’d ask) Maybe it’s just the lame ideas floating around Rio.