We’re Winning The Battle For Hearts And Minds
Newsbytes from Dr. Benny Peiser, The GWPF
There has been dramatic decline over the past decade in the public’s support for tackling climate change in Britain. Backing for higher green taxes and charges has waned and scepticism about the seriousness of the threat to the environment has increased. Over the same period the public has become much more sceptical about the science behind climate change. In 2010 37% said many claims about environmental threats were “exaggerated”, up from 24% in 2000. — Randeep Ramesh, The Guardian, 7 December 2011
UK consumers are reacting to the financial crisis and a wave of “climategate” email scandals by keeping their wallets in their pockets when given the choice of going green. —Click Green, 7 December 2011
The main findings from the study of ten UK national newspapers can be summarised thus: […] The Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) has been particularly successful in getting its views reported across most of the 10 UK newspapers. The two most quoted sceptics by far in the second period were Lord Lawson and Benny Peiser (more than 80 times between them) both from the GWPF. –James Painter, Poles Apart: the International Reporting of Climate Scepticism, University of Oxford, November 2011
Among other things, the study shows the success that the the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) has had in inserting itself into national discourse since its establishment in 2009 – a success noted this week by the conservativehome blog, which describes it as “one of the most important think-tanks in Britain today”. –Richard Black, BBC News, 10 November 2011
Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman appeared to take a notably more skeptical view towards current climate change science Tuesday, saying that the “scientific community owes us more” on the issue and that not enough solid research exists to “formulate policies” based on global warming. “there’s not enough information right now to be able to formulate policies in terms of addressing it overall, primarily because it’s a global issue,” he went on. “We can enact policies here. But I wouldn’t want to unilaterally disarm as a country, I wouldn’t want to hinder job creators during a time when our economy is flat.” –Carrie Dann, NBC News, NBC News, 6 December 2011
Rumors are circulating in Durban that the UK prime minister’s policy guru Steve Hilton has jettisoned his sandals and is boasting of his new-found climate skepticism, while George Osborne this week articulated an analysis of the value of nature that wouldn’t have been amiss coming from the mouth of Dick Cheney. All this leaves Chris Huhne looking like an increasingly isolated figure at home, but in Cancun he played a central role in keeping the Kyoto Protocol alive and in South Africa he will carry the hopes of people who still expect Britain to play a constructive role at these talks. But whatever the state of the shifting sands of Britain’s political culture, the big question in Durban is whether an extraordinarily obstructive Obama administration is days away from killing this process and burying its corpse next to the Doha round of trade talks. –Joss Garman, Huffington Post, 4 December 2011
The foundering this week of not one but two experiments in megalomanic government pretension — the Kyoto Protocol and the European superstate — should provide cause for reflection about the limits of government. Instead, what we are seeing is desperate attempts to paper over the yawning policy cracks. –Peter Foster, Financial Post, 7 December 2011
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I especially like the following quotation from Peter Foster’s article:
It is surely significant, meanwhile, that eurocrats and their political servants should also be the most enthusiastic to pursue the ultimate bureaucratic dream: a vast co-ordinated plan to control the weather by controlling the global economy.
Those James Bond movies have a lot to answer for.
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Rhys Jaggar says:
December 7, 2011 at 10:11 am
The level of understanding amongst the general population is still pretty poor, but the things they can understand have started to change against the warmers:
3. The alarmist case has been weakened by a recent publication saying how British agriculture would benefit hugely from a bit of warming!
…..
Not to mention thousands (millions?) of gardeners watching their more exotic acquisitions being destroyed by the last three winters.
People’s memory now extends past the last summer into last winter … LOL
Steeptown says:
December 7, 2011 at 8:20 am
Huhne is widely regarded in the UK as someone who should be in prison or an asylum.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I call Washington DC the District of Criminals and few argue.
List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_federal_politicians_convicted_of_crimes
List of American state and local politicians convicted of crimes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_state_and_local_politicians_convicted_of_crimes
From the Richard Black article- “In Uganda… climate change scepticism is nowhere to be seen.
Where people live close to the land, climate scepticism appears to be scarce
“The seasonal rains that once arrived with precision are now erratic and unpredictable. When your living depends on the fertility of your farmland, the climate is vitally important.”
So there haven’t been droughts in Africa before? What planet does this man come from?
I live and work in the UK, and working for a technical organisation, to a man and woman, we all laugh at the man made global warming hypothesis. None of us believe it. We all see it as a crock of shite. Anyone with a computer can download the CRU global temperature data and see no rise in global temperatures since 1998, and in fact a decline in the 21st century (thanks to 2008 being slightly colder). What we have to do to kill this off once and for all, is spread the word. The warmists have the MSM, we need to reach normal grass roots people. Because the truth is the biggest danger to the warmists, and the BBC.
I just sent this to the BBC Radio 4 news programme ‘PM’:
===
May I suggest a global warming story? You should challenge one of the alarmist climatographers (they don’t deserve the ‘ology’) to state the conditions which would cause him to recant and join the sceptics. E.g., “If the globe refuses to jolly well warm, and stays below the 1998 peak, in what year would you accept that global warming is a dead duck?” The response will surely be squirming and evasion. You then ask, “Could we agree on a date in some future decade, say the decade you retire? For you, by that date, the gravy train will have run its course…”
True scientists have the integrity to adopt “Popperian falsifiability”. Those whose faith in global warming wouldn’t be shaken even by an airborne porker are fair game for a dogged journalist hungry for the truth. (Which rather excludes hockey team members Harrabin & Black – tarnished goods.)
===
Now that public opinion is shifting away from warmism, with enough pressure the Beeb may be forced to cease its propaganda. Fingers crossed.
Bloke down the pub says:
December 7, 2011 at 12:07 pm
From the Richard Black article- “In Uganda… climate change scepticism is nowhere to be seen.
Where people live close to the land, climate scepticism appears to be scarce
“The seasonal rains that once arrived with precision are now erratic and unpredictable. When your living depends on the fertility of your farmland, the climate is vitally important.”
So there haven’t been droughts in Africa before? What planet does this man come from?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Black doesn’t mention the “people” of Uganda can no longer live close to the land because the world bank, Citi bank, University Endowment funds Hedge funds…. are stealing their land to plant Eucalyptus. A tree guaranteed to cause mass starvation to visit Uganda as it spreads and kills plants and starves animals.
Eucalyptus poisons the soil around it preventing anything else but eucalyptus from growing. Eucalyptus oil is some potent stuff and the leaves are full of it. Go into a grove of them in California and you will generally find nothing else growing around them. Once they become established, it can take decades for other plants to take hold even if you remove them.
I got it from a Google Alert I had set up on Huntsman–it was the only link I had. I found it amusing that when I clicked on the first link’s link to ITS source, a denier-bashing fanatic, his comments thread was full of contrarians.
Incidentally, let me recommend to all the use of “google alerts” to all. (Google for it to acquire a page to set one up.) Just enter a name or a topic, set up the frequency and sensitivity, and respond to the verification e-mail.
They are a great way to track printed and/or web references to a topic of interest. It’s the most practical way to follow multiple obscure subjects. I’ve found it useful in following the Energy catalyzer / Andrea Rossi saga. (I’ve set up separate alerts for each.) If you trade on Intrade, it can sometimes give you the edge of advance warning about bettable topics.
http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/news_story.asp?id=196255&title=Yeo+writes+to+Huhne+over+CCS+cash+raid
Nice and warm there…
The episode 7 of Frozen Planet aired tonight. Sir David gave us a highly personal view of what the effects of continued global warming might be. He was careful not to link GW with CO2 increase or to manmade activities. The programme appears plausible in its claims that the world is warming and having an overall negative effect on the wildlife. The few stated positive benefits went to maritime trade and oil exploration. If anyone was aware of the developments in the subject over the past few years, they would immediately be able to refute many of the claims and the implications in the narrative.
However, this is the real problem. The usual glossy style of Sir DA’s programmes, complete with dramatic images of melting ice and cute endangered animals, add up to a package aimed at convincing the casual observer that there is a real danger which needs immediate attention. Sir DA does insert many ‘mays’ and ‘ifs’, but they are lost in manipulation.
This programme does not conform to BBC’s charter of ‘fair and balanced’ reporting. There should be a right-of-reply programme which not only refutes Sir DA’s personal views, but puts the real science in front of the public. Until BBC changes it stance, or is forced to change, the slow movement to scepticism in the UK will remain blocked by this highly skewed and disinforming public disservice broadcaster.
The UK??…seen the news???
Batten down the hatches! Winter blows in at 100mph and snows on the way too
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2071361/UK-weather-Snow-way-winter-blows-100mph.html#ixzz1ftksIrXf
Every body feels for the plight genuine asylum seekers but many are NOT. But at least UK ‘asylum seekers’ will be warm this winter.
Here’s a thought to warm your heart. Although tens of thousands of impoverished British pensioners will die from the cold in the coming months, so-called asylum seekers will get hundreds of pounds each in benefit payments for gas and electricity, amounting to more than double the pensioners’ winter fuel allowance.
The fuel cards given to asylum seekers entitle them to £25 a week for gas and £18 for electricity.
This means that each card holder GETS £172 a month in energy payments, in addition to the other benefits asylum seekers receive, such as ‘cash support’, With with handouts for rent, utility bills and fully furnished houses, water and food allowances.
In contrast, UK pensioners only get a winter fuel allowance of £200 (for over 60s) or £300 (for over 80s) FOR THE ENTIRE WINTER,
.An estimated 21,800 people over the age of 65 in England and Wales died last winter as a result of the cold conditions. That number is expected to rise this year after the government slashed winter fuel allowances.
Here is the UK’s Daily Telegraph review of the Frozen Planet episode 7.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8940694/Frozen-Planet-episode-seven-BBC-One-review.html
It is also to be shown in the USA.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8939592/Frozen-Planet-controversial-BBC-climate-change-episode-to-air-in-America.html
Well, there go all the turbines!
Brent Hargreaves says: “Now that public opinion is shifting away from warmism, with enough pressure the Beeb may be forced to cease its propaganda. Fingers crossed.”
Ceasing is necessary but not sufficient. The BBC must come to account for how their once great institution was allowed to turn into a collection of biased, activist toadies. Exactly how did this happen? Who was involved? Who was responsible? How can it be prevented from happening again? Why should the public not receive compensation for this gross misuse of their taxes?
Frozen Planet was a long series with maybe 6 episodes. What an amazing coincidence that the global warming episode occurred during Durban.
If I were a cynic – which thankfully I’m not – I might think that the whole Frozen Planet series had been carefully time to coincide with the fraudulent science jamboree at Durban. Surely a publicly-funded, fair and balanced organisation such as the BBC (ho-ho) wouldn’t descend to tricks like this?
.
Attenborough made a film about climate change, I think the title was ‘The Truth About Climate Change’. As people have observed, if anything has the word ‘truth’ in it, it’s probably a pack of lies. I think he’s pretty gullible and automatically, like Paul Nurse, assumes that scientists always speak the truth. These people are perfect examples of the syndrome known as ‘scenario fulfillment’.
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I live in the UK and I only know one person who really believes in the climate change scam. When I met a friend for the first time for a few years and asked him what he thought about climate change, he said without any prompting that he believed climate change was natural.
Chris
crosspatch says:
December 7, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Batten down the hatches! Winter blows in at 100mph and snows on the way too
Well, there go all the turbines!
-Literally true! – see image 13 from the BBC link below (yes, BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-16094360
Rhys Jaggar 7th Dec @ur momisugly 10.11:
The last hot summer here in the UK was in 2006, not 2005. Ohterwise I agree with what you wrote.