This is quite something. Darn those Canucks. As we saw with his defense of eco-vandals in England, I wonder if Dr. James Hansen will rush to The Hague to testify for this one? And if by some furthest stretch of the imagination, this lawsuit is successful, what then? Will Pachauri use the spoils to whittle down the number of lifetimes if will take to erase his own carbon footprint? I wonder if Danny Bloom is related to omnipresent blog commenter, and Sierra Club representative, Steve Bloom? BTW Steve, we are still waiting, over a year now for your answer.
NOTE: The article below is reposted in entirety from the blog Northward Ho(t) The opinions are those of the author of that blog, Mitchel Anderson, not of myself nor of any WUWT contributor. – Anthony
Ballsy.
That is perhaps best word to describe a class action lawsuit filed this week in the International Criminal Court in The Hague in Holland against national governments refusing to act on reducing carbon emissions.
The suit was filed by climate activist Danny Bloom who is asking for “US$1 billion dollars in damages on behalf of future generations of human beings on Earth – if there are any”
No Joke
The lawsuit is specifically seeking damages from “all world leaders for intent to commit manslaughter against future generations of human beings by allowing murderous amounts of fossil fuels to be harvested, burned and sent into the atmosphere as CO2, causing possible apocalyptic harm to the Earth’s ecosystem and the very future of the human species.
The point of the suit of course is not to wring money out of carbon emitters, but to embarrass the legions of laggard governments in advance of upcoming international climate negotiations next month in Poland. According to Bloom, the legal action “is about trying to protect future generations of mankind, humankind, and a positive judgment in this case will help prod more people to take the issues of climate change and global warming more seriously. We fully intend to make all world leaders of today responsible for their actions in the present day and age.”
This case is a legal long shot no doubt, but Bloom’s team said “”it’s up to the court to decide whether this case has any merit. We fully expect the court to agree to at least hear the case and make a responsible and measured decision later.”
It would also be the first case of its kind to seek to act on behalf of future generations for the irresponsibility of their ancestors. The need to put world leaders on the hot seat is very real. International climate talks like the one happening next month in Poland have happening for over a decade yet global emissions just keep climbing. A recent report showed that in spite of international commitments, carbon emissions of 40 industrialized countries rose by 2.3 percent between 2000 and 2006.
That said, those countries that signed Kyoto saw their overall emissions fall by 17% below 1990. The disgraceful outlier among those nations is Canada, whose emissions ballooned by over 20% in spite of having ratifying Kyoto. Canada’s Prime Minister Harper has called Kyoto a “mistake” and he seems openly contemptuous of such international efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Mr. Harper is of course not alone in the responsibility for Canada’ terrible climate change record. The Canadian public recently handed him another mandate in a general election.
Back to Mr. Bloom. His lawsuit seems directly targeted towards such irresponsible nations like Canada that have refused to take this issue seriously. If he wins, Bloom is planning to donate the $1 billion in damages to the Nobel winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Godspeed Mr. Bloom.
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Actually, Kim, I think the saying goes “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Not that there’s a heaven or a hell, but the point is that you can mean to do good things and totally screw them up.
Thanks to John Laidlaw and others for the Bloom links above, which state:
After watching the rude, condescending and self-serving Bloom preening at all the attention for a quarter of a kilopost here, it is crystal clear that Danny is first and foremost a publicity hound. Answers don’t matter, logic doesn’t matter, only the self-promoting limelight matters.
So I’m going to ignore him. Maybe he’ll go away. There are much more interesting threads anyway than this ego showcase for Danny Bloom.
TO ALL!
Threats, vulgar statements and daming criteria have no place in the discussions on climate/weather changes. Scientific facts should be the main thrust in climate change debates.
Having stated the above, where are the instruments that actually record GW. Every study I’ve read, with any merit, have all resulted in assumptions, estimates and man-made adjustments. All these lead to the conclusion that scientific facts can be manipulated to suit the debaters.
Dr. James Hansen, by the way, is not a climatologist, he was trained as an astronomer, which brings his expertise into question in leading GISS.
Jeff (08:40:36)
Yes, you get my point. I’ve little doubt that Hansen once thought he was saving the world. Now, I’m not sure what he is doing except trying to save himself.
=========================================
Roger Carr and Hunter.
Agreed.
Cheers G
More litigious lunacy:
Now a group plans suit against Bush Administration for Ignoring Global Warming threat to coral habitat.
What threat?
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2008/corals-11-25-2008.html
Ron de Haan:
The threats to coral can be found here.
But the evil George W. Bush deliberately ignores the threat!
Of course, the fact that it’s a completely bogus threat which has been disproven means nothing. Pay no attention to that particular aspect of this case. And it is difficult to buy into the proposition that a fraction of one degree temperature change has any effect on coral — or anything else.
From the article linked by Ron above:
Coral globaloney aside, if I were the opposing counsel, I would have a hard time keeping a straight face when addressing the sadly named Mr/Ms Sakashita.
Graeme Rodaughan (17:29:36) :
“@Ron de Haan (15:46:33) :
I read the link to climateprogress.org – best described as “people in love with fear”.
A lot of the posters seem to be expecting irreversible catastrophy within the next 5 years or so.
Fear is contagious.”
Graeme Rodaughan,
Fear plays an imminent role in the AGW hoax.
But Mr. Romm is not driven by fear, he initiates fear.
Read this story published today at ICECAP.US:
Nov 26, 2008
Romm is Burning
By Chris Horner on Planet Gore
My colleague William informs me that Joe Romm has squealed like a stuck pig about my calling him out for his most recent tantrum – over a Politico reporter daring to write about climate science as if a debate exists. His immediate concern – before trailing off into a stream of reflexive ad hominem – is that I describe him as an “aspiring Obama administration thug” in the course of deriding his ritual name-calling. Apparently in Romm’s world, describing someone as wanting to work for the Obama administration is “libel.”
Oooh. Let’s leave that little spat for the comrades to sort out. I assure you, my intention was not to claim that Romm could make it through the vetting questionnaire about embarrassing statements or actions. I was suggesting that those who follow climate issues watch him in the next few months – as the alarmism that Team Obama forgot about during the campaign comes roaring down the pike as they try to get a global-warming regime in place – and decide for yourself whether it serves the interests of the Obama administration’s effort.
But consider Romm’s rant. Remember: His complaint about the Politico item consisted of sniveling dependence on the accusation “denier”; he resorted to calling the reporter a “pimp” for skeptics, guilty of professional “malpractice,” “amateurish,” and “a pseudo-serious new media journalist.” He likewise goes ad hom on meteorologist Joe D’Aleo, whom he also accuses of “mak[ing] stuff up,” and otherwise takes out personally after anyone who disagrees with him – including a center-left political publication that failed to toe his line . . . then he demands an apology from me as being “beyond the pale” – twice.
He disparages meteorologists as unqualified to speak to the issue of climate change (selectively, of course), though he has a long history of saying that about anyone who disagrees with his prophesying, including mere physicists like Freeman Dyson and particularly economists and engineers [“For instance, since when have economists, who are pervasive on this list, become scientists, and why should we care what they think about climate science?”]. Mere economists and engineers – like IPCC “chief climate scientist” Rajendra Pachauri. Sheesh. The guy’s not even a meteorologist.
Other than that, he’s thoroughly measured and adult about it all – and then whines that he’s been libeled and demands apologies. At least some people were rational, anyway.
All of this venom, by the way, is directed at those who dare to dismiss the notion of “consensus” – and comes from a man who has written, in a calmer moment, “I do think the scientific community, the progressive community, environmentalists and media are making a serious mistake by using the word ‘consensus’ “ to describe the state of climate science. Well, the holidays tend to bring a particular segment of the population down.
As Romm clearly is a Planet Gore reader, let me state here the nuance that escaped him: I of course did think about, and appreciated the humor of, calling him a thug for his name-calling and other full-throated unhingedness. My thinking is that he long ago sacrificed any immunity from being called what he demonstrably is: someone dedicated to shouting down, seeking to smear, demean, or otherwise intimidate dissenters. He merely proved that today – which, amusingly, seems to have eluded him in his froth. I note that thuggishness is his one move, as opposed to simply calling him corrupt or incompetent – as he reminds us again today is his preferred style. We’ll leave him to that, and good luck with it. Mr. Soros doesn’t seem to mind.
Remember, dear PG readers, Romm is the fellow who embarrassed himself publicly when claiming that the Minneapolis bridge collapse of 2007 was due to global warming. So he does have a habit of shooting from the lip. I’m told by the subject of one of his complaints that Romm has gone to the Department of Energy and voiced concern about a particular scientist there expressing climate skepticism. Search Roger Pielke Jr.’s site for a sober and otherwise serious discourse on some of Romm’s public stunts. His overreaches are a gift of some magnitude to our team, helping to discredit his own movement and – I would venture to guess – a key reason that people like Pielke Jr. have turned away from them. Keep up the good work, Romm. And stay classy.
Is having the name “Sakashita” an Ad-Hom?
The more law suits the better… Get this out in the open.
John M, above, wrote:
“BTW, how’s that Reuters expose coming?”
It’s been several days since your self-promoting PR release…..”
JOHN,
The Reuters story is being edited and is due out around Dec. 1, when the Poland climate talks begin. That’s what I’ve been told, although the editors at Reuters are figuring out what to do with the story. Stay tuned, sir.
BTW, that was NOT a self-promoting PR release you apparently read online somwhere. That was the DeSmogBlog article by DeSmogblog blogger Mitchell Anderson, published first on DeSmogBlog and that is HIS real name. The author ID you read at the bottom of that link you linked to was an editor’s mistake. That article was written by Mr Mitchell. Compare the two and you will see. Jeez, talk about shoot first and ask questions later! Now I am beginning to understand why there is so much venom and confusion, not only here, with some posters, but everywhere on the Blogosphere. People don’t read anymore. People just aim, shoot and ask questions later. That is NOT the proper way to have a discussion. John, better to ask questions first, and then if you don’t like my answers, okay, shoot me! But ask first…..
To repeat: that so called PR release was NOT a PR release, it was a blog post from DeSmogBlog. Mr Anderson wrote the article, and a very good one, I thought.
John, above, FYI, re the Reuters “expose” — not an expose, a balanced report, both pro and con, about all this. It is not a press release, it will be a reporter’s balanced article, giving both sides of the story, both pro and con. That’s how news operations work.
The Reuters reporter that I am in touch with told me a few days ago:
“Hi Danny,
I’m discussing this with my editors and will be in touch ASAP.
However, I will probably need to speak with your lawyer about the lawsuit if I can go to press….”
Kids, kids, kids. Joe Romm is a paid propagandist. Go source his funding. Also, he banned me from his blog.
====================================
Bloom sez:
In other words, the post was a big step below a press release.
Nice try, junior.
Kim, above, noted:
“Joe Romm is a paid propagandist. Go source his funding. Also, he banned me from his blog.”
Really? Romm is a paid propagandist? I wish someone would pay me to propagandize. I have to pay my own way, as things stand now. But I was banned by Markos’s DAILY KOS blog, so maybe I can get some funding now?
— Danny
Danny Bloom (20:18:24) :
You said:
Well, people can judge for themselves whether one might think this is a press release. The fact that it has a large heading saying “RushPRnews” may confuse some folks, I suppose.
With regard to self-promoting, they can also go to any climate blog and see the landscape littered with comments from Danny Bloom along the lines of “Hey everyone, I’m suing everyone in sight! Wait’ll ya’ see it!”
And as far as asking questions (and reading carefully), re-read the last sentence in my comment at John M (06:44:47) .
@ur momisugly Ron de Haan (18:00:11) :
First frighten people – then control them. The strategy is that simple and it has worked countless times in the past, and will no doubt work again.
John M (04:59:13) : noted, above:
[ Danny Bloom
You said:
“BTW, that was NOT a self-promoting PR release you apparently read online somwhere. ”
Well, people can judge for themselves whether one might think this is a press release. The fact that it has a large heading saying “RushPRnews” may confuse some folks, I suppose. ]
John,
To clarify. The RushPrNews site you link to picked up the original story that was a blog post by Mitchell Anderson at DeSmogBlog. That was NOT a PR release. I think I know what you mean, and why you are confused about these terms. I hope you know what I mean now.
As for publicity stunt, you might want to think of this lawsuit rather as a “publicity action” or a “publicity gesture” or a “publicity outreach”. I am not selling anything. I am not hawking any product. I know that you, John, care about the Earth and the future of humans beings on it, and so do I. That we differ on strategies to try to help out is clear. But I consider you my brother nevertheless.
Cheers
Danny
Graeme Rodaughan (18:11:56) : “First frighten people – then control them.”
There are those seemingly born with a sense of wonder and an insatiable desire to adventure, explore, and discover ~ if only for the reward of personal knowledge and growth…
…and others seemingly born bitter, with an equally insatiable desire; in this case to destroy, sully and disparage ~ if only for the sake of inflicting distress…
…and yet others born neither with a sense of wonder nor of bitterness who simply seek notoriety and who will raise any flag of convenience to gain it.
Then there are the rest of us; just kinda bemused by all of it…
Danny Bloom (18:55:24) writes: “I am not selling anything. I am not hawking any product.”
But you are, Danny. You are selling a dangerous distortion which you acknowledge you do not have the scholarship to understand.
You are hawking a product with a potential for harm with no personal conviction to back it.
At best you are simply naive.
At worst, malicious.
Roger,
Mr Bloom drops his mask a tad at “Danny Bloom (00:24:35) :” i.e the “pseudoskeptics” comment.
The mask is that of a cheery, happy, boon companion, hale-fellow well met, who only wants to share information in a open and honest way with fellow travellers who are all motivated by a desire for the betterment of all.
Unfortunately it’s just a mask to hide the contempt that he actually holds us in – as demonstrated by the referenced post (without caveat).
I do not detect any naivety in his words, and I’m confident that he is fully aware of his actions.
Graeme:
Accepting your opinion, “malicious” is therefore the fitting description.
I will be relieved to see this thread closed. It offers a too generous platform to this distortion of the vital debate.
Roger and Graeme, it is you guys who are malicious. I didn’t write that psuedoskeptic post, I just wanted you to see how others view you. Those were not my words. If I am naive, so be it. One thing for sure, I am NOT malicious. But I will leave that up to others to decide.
An email today from someone who sees the world a bit differently than you do. He lives in Germany, born in the USA.
“Dear Danny,
You are one of my heroes!
Your lawsuit is speaking for 95% of humanity. Thank you so much for doing this and pushing it all the way home! I announced what you are doing on the http://www.just-stop.org black board at this link:
http://www.possibilica.org/136.0.html?&L=0
Clinton”
PS: Roger and Graeme, no need to close this thread. Unless closing things is your way of censoring things….
Danny, you’re trying to support your case with fan mail from someone who thinks people in africa, asia and south america aren’t human? I’m gonna have to ask you to tone down that white supremacy vibe.
Danny Bloom (00:30:52) wrote: “PS: Roger and Graeme, no need to close this thread. Unless closing things is your way of censoring things…”
Item #1: This is not my blog, Danny, so I have no control, not wish for any control, over it.
Item #2: Closing this thread would not be censorship. If it were closed I would see it as a husbanding of resources.
Anthony and the Dreamers give freely of a great deal of time to the exploration of the science involved here.
p.s. “WordPress” make blog space freely available, so you, Danny, could continue to have full access to the world; and the world would be free to beat a path to your mousetr… um… flagstaff should you choose to fly your own colours in your own breeze.
Danny Bloom (18:55:24) :
Danny, to further clarify, how did the site happen to have “picked up” the story?
It wouldn’t have anything to do with:
Would it?