I wish to add my congratulations to the chorus of them. Steve has been an inspiration to many climate skeptics, yours truly included. I’m honored to call him a friend. – Anthony
A man for all (climate) seasons? Source: UK Telegraph
by James Delingpole

Stephen McIntyre: total bloody hero.
Steve McIntyre has been named one of the 50 People Who Matter by the left-wing journal New Statesman. He comes in at number 32. (Below a motley crew including Osama Bin Laden, Hugo Chavez, David Cameron, Julian Assange, Barack Obama, and the like). (H/T Roddy Campbell)
When the mining expert Stephen McIntyre challenged the basis of climate science on his blog, he became a figurehead for many climate-change sceptics.
His subsequent involvement in the 2009 “Climategate” controversy at the University of East Anglia (he was referred to in the hacked emails over 100 times) emboldened the sceptics further and changed global opinion: the number of people who believe man is responsible for global warming has fallen.
The influence might not be positive, but there’s no doubt he has shaped the debate.
But what’s much more interesting than the entry – because, let’s be honest, who really gives a toss what some dreary, ailing left-wing rag thinks – is the response to that stupid, priggish suggestion at the end that “the influence might not be positive.”
I hope the moron who wrote it is now squirming with embarrassment. He/she/it certainly should be after reading the thoroughly disgusted comments below.
Says the first:
“The influence might not be positive…”
So, McIntyre is wrong? May I ask for your evidence? Oh do tell. Put your money where your mouth is. Put your reputation on the line.
And the second:
If, by challenging the basis of climate change science, Stephen McIntyre has been influential in changing global opinion on the HYPOTHESIS of anthropogenic global warming, then it is a very certain positive influence. For policy makers to take drastic action based on an unproven hypothesis is absurd and Stephen has shown, by auditing or attempting to audit the climate scientists’ work, that the science is not at the level of accuracy, repeatability, and certainty required as the bases for taking such actions.
And the third:
We all owe Steve a debt of gratitude for shining some light on the obfuscations of climate science, before even more millions are wasted on what may well be a non-problem.
On and on the comments go – all of them positive. If these are regular New Statesman readers – and presumably at least some of them must be – then it affords yet another fascinating insight into how even those on the left are decreasingly convinced by the case for Man-Made Global Warming theory.
Full story at A man for all (climate) seasons?
Steve’s recognition as a bearer of truth, on the other we have James Hansen’s recognition as an arrested scientist. Both are speaking out for what they believe in. The dichotomy is ironic.
Anthony,
The difference is that one has the ears of politicians and media reporters and paid by government support and the other (Steve) is not.
Truth indeed rather alleviates than hurts, and will always bear up against falsehood, as oil does above water. – Miguel de Cervantes
The reason is the Hockey-Stick graph was the prominent graphic in the IPCC Third Assessment Report and it appeared in Al Gore’s movie,
1. IPCC TAR Summary for Policy Makers
2. Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth’
Prior to this it was widely accepted that the MWP was warmer than present, thus undermining the claim that the recent warming is unusual. If the argument is not important than the proponents of hockey stick reconstructions would not waste so much time desperately trying to defend it.
Alternate explanations have been proposed,
Unstoppable Solar Cycles (Video) (10min)
Cosmoclimatology: A new theory emerges (PDF) (Danish National Space Center)
The number of responses so far is on the light side, so I thought to add another thanks to Steve McIntyre.
Almost forgot, for anyone that wants a quick summary of the Hockey Stick Debate:
What is the ‘Hockey Stick’ Debate About? (PDF)
Caspar and the Jesus paper (PDF)
…and for the complete saga:
The Hockey Stick Illusion: Global Warming and the Corruption of Science (A.W. Montford, 2009)
Harvey says:
September 28, 2010 at 10:38 pm
McIntyre is irrelivant in the grand scheme of things in the world.
LOL at him having even an iota of influence approaching that of our Lady Gaga.
He is worshiped by a small minority of people who inhabit obscure blogs on the internet.
Just dust in the wind.
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Dust in the wind? How apropos!
The smallest speck (Steve’s cogent analysis) can make the mightiest machine (AGW) fall. The editors of the New Statesman seem to sense this.
But “obscure blog on the internet?” Surely you jest? Currently number 3 on Wikio Science blogs – ahead of the paid blogger at Climate Progress and the paid scientists at Real Climate?
185 comments and rising at New Statesman.
http://www.newstatesman.com/global-issues/2010/09/climate-mcintyre-keeper
Great work everyone !
Good Day !
Perhaps real praise via tip jar might be appropriate. McIntyre and Watts have donated much to our good.My thanks to both