The Week That Was: 2015-07-25 (July 25, 2015) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
THIS WEEK: By Ken Haapala, President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Limiting Power of the EPA? On his web site, 35-plus year veteran of the EPA Alan Carlin and author of Environmentalism Gone Mad, briefly describes how today’s EPA went from an organization representing the best interests of the American public to one representing a small segment of it, the extreme radical environmental movement. The EPA is a creature of President Nixon’s political thanking, who cobbled together a government entity without need for legislative review and oversight. As such, the administrator of the EPA answers only to the President, the executive branch of government; and not to Congress, the legislative branch. This arrangement is contrary to principles behind the Constitution, which was designed to provide a separation of powers, where the ambitions of one branch were counter-balanced by the ambitions of another.
According to Carlin, the Nixon administration created two important checks and balances limiting the power of the EPA: 1) strong independent analytical capabilities in the EPA policy office, and 2) in the president’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In the Carter, Clinton, and Obama administrations these safeguards against abuse of power were been dismantled by: 1) establishing a clean air “playbook” whereby dubious science and economics justify stricter air standards; 2) removing the Policy Office’s ability to substantively review and comment on proposed regulations; and 3) bringing in radical environmentalists who support what Carlin calls the “green energy fantasy.” Carlin explains why action is needed, and his views on the limitations of various courses of action. See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
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Quote of the Week: “What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an ocean.” Isaac Newton
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Number of the Week: 0.2 percent in 2014
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Brief TWTW Next Week
Next week’s TWTW will be very brief. We will be at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness titled: “Myths, Superstitions, and Real Threats Confronting America.” Fred Singer will discuss the threat of a new cold period. Ken Haapala will discuss the National Climate Assessment: Peeling the Speculative Onion.
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EPA and the Courts: In its June 29, 2015 decision in Michigan v. EPA, the US Supreme Court showed some willingness to review the economic damage caused by EPA regulations, even though the economic damage caused by proposed regulations can be significant and achieved before judicial review. The Brookings Institution, which generally supports expansion of government regulatory power over economic activity, published a review of this decision by Bob Sussman, a veteran of the Obama administration and a former senior policy counsel to the EPA administrator. Sussman expressed concern about the Supreme Court decision and possible ramifications that it may have on future court actions.
Sussman focused on the political and legal nature of the decision, largely ignoring the scientific and economic issues, which Sussman apparently believes are best left to the agency experts in the EPA. As Alan Carlin suggests, above, the scientific and economic expertise of the EPA is suppressed, or no longer existing. They have been replaced for ideological or political reasons.
Sussman brings up the issue that the political goals of EPA regulations reviewed under Michigan v. EPA are virtually accomplished. However, this fact is a very poor argument for justifying economically destructive and legally questionable goals. Sussman then discusses political divisions on the Supreme Court, bringing up Massachusetts v EPA, the 5 to 4 decision which gave the EPA the power to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. They ruled that, under the Clean Air Act, the EPA can regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, provided that the gases endanger public health and public welfare.
Commentators often forget that a major issue was the legal standing of Massachusetts et al, to bring the litigation. The standing issue was glossed over by the argument that sea levels are rising. It is here that science experts advising the jurists exposed the ignorance and gullibility of some of the justices on the Court. Sea levels have been rising for some 18,000 years, long before emissions of greenhouse gases from the use of fossil fuels and industrial sources.
Later, under the Obama administration, the EPA found that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, based upon extremely weak science. One, the EPA found the late 20th century warming was unprecedented and the science of global warming is well understood; late 20th century warming was not unprecedented and natural causes of global warming are not well understood. Two, it found a “hot spot” over the tropics that is the distinct human fingerprint; but the hot spot cannot be empirically found, and is not necessarily a human fingerprint. And, three, it found climate models predict that temperatures, extreme weather events, etc. will rise; but, the models are failing.
Interestingly, though he brings up the issue of judicial deference of the courts to the experts in the various government agencies, Sussman does not mention the opinion of Justice Clarence Thomas, who supported the majority opinion. Thomas criticized the entire concept of the courts deferring to the experts in the executive branch of the administration. Though certainly not brought up by Justice Thomas, the comments by Alan Carlin that this deference by the courts to the expertise in the EPA, and other agencies involved in regulating natural resources, is ill placed and may become extremely damaging to the nation’s economic wellbeing. See links under Litigation Issues.
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EPA Legal Battles to Come? The states that requested the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit intervene against the EPA’s impending regulations against existing power plants lost their case to a three-member panel and the states have requested the full court to review the decision. The three member panel stated the case was premature because the rules are not yet final. The court is considered one step down from the Supreme Court.
A similar case, filed by the state of Oklahoma, met a similar fate. Oklahoma appealed to the Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. The Oklahoma case cites the findings in the Michigan v. EPA Supreme Court decision, which recognized the destructive nature of EPA’s impending regulations. The agency has well-honed the practice of delaying final regulations to prevent legal challenge until later, even though the process is economically damaging and contrary to the principle of a swift legal proceedings.
It remains to be seen, if the opinion of Justice Thomas will be considered. Certainly, many appeals court judges do not like being overturned by the Supreme Court. The entire process demonstrates that the interests of the public are secondary, particularly in government agencies which are not held accountable by the legislative branch. See links under Litigation Issues.
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NOAA: The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society have issued a joint report State of the Climate in 2014. Initial review indicated that it probably provided everything the administration sought in preparing a “climate deal” at the 21ST Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) in Paris from November 30 to December 11, 2015.
The report reflects the new, inflated temperature record of Karl et al, and claims that the excess energy from global warming is being stored in the oceans. Of course, the excess energy, “missing heat”, is the difference between observed temperatures and values predicted in global climate models, which have not been validated. The missing heat may not exist. Thus far, at least no one has claimed that the heat was found in the recent flyby of Pluto. Earlier difficulties downloading the report, apparently resolved, prevented a more thorough review at this time. See links under Defending the Orthodoxy.
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Hansen Again? James Hansen, “the world’s most famous climate scientist”, is making the rounds predicting a drastic ten foot (305 cm) sea level rise by 2100. The current prediction is moderate compared to his 2006 prediction of 20 feet (600 cm). Mr. Hansen’s solution is taxing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which he believes to be the cause of global warming, though it has stopped, and asserted it was the cause of sea level rise. Mr. Hansen’s claim has some empirical basis, the estimate is based on corals, etc. of sea levels during the last interglacial period around 114,000 to 131,000 years ago, when the earth was warmer than today.
Apparently, few dare to ask Mr. Hansen what caused the warm earth before human emissions of CO2? Of course, Mr Hansen claims that all revenues collected by governments from the carbon taxes will be returned to consumers. See links under Defending the Orthodoxy.
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Worst Scenario? On her web site, Climate Etc, Judith Curry asks: What is the plausible ‘worst scenario’ for climate change? Probably, the worst scenario which is defensible is a severe ice age. The earth has had many over the last 2.5 million years.
If the issue is carbon dioxide warming, then The Right Climate Stuff Team of Apollo veterans prepared an answer in 2014 in its upper bound analysis using the following procedure. Assume all warming since 1850, about 0.7 ºC, was caused by carbon dioxide emissions. Then, it made estimates of the total recoverable fossil fuels [from traditional sources]. From this, the team calculated the upper bound of temperature increase from using recoverable fossil fuels would be an additional 1.2 ºC for a total increase of 1.9 ºC. This is within the 2.0 ºC limit magically claimed by the UN FCCC. Mission accomplished, without the need for international agreements, carbon taxes, etc. No wonder the Climate Establishment ignores such expert analysis. See links under Questioning the Orthodoxy.
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Corrections and Additions: In reporting the capacity of electricity generation and transmission in Denmark last week, TWTW made a typographical error. It incorrectly stated that wind and solar (cell) capacity is 5140 MW; it should have stated that it is 5,500 MW. The annual report of the state-owned distribution company also states that by 2020, capacity of Central and local power stations will contract from 6790 MW to 5700 MW; the Wind and Solar capacity will expand from 5140 MW to 6900 MW, and Import capacity will expand from 5140 MW to 8000 MW, resulting in a total capacity of 20,600 MW. With an expected maximum consumption of 6700 MW, the system will have a total capacity of 3 times maximum consumption. For the annual report see link under Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
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Number of the Week: 0.2% in 2014. The EIA reported that total sales of fossil fuels produced from Federal and Indian Lands amounted to a 0.2% increase in Fiscal Year 2014 from sales in 2013. Crude oil and lease condensate production increased 7% (Federal and Indian); natural gas production declined by 7%, and coal production increased slightly. As a percentage of total US production, production on federally controlled lands and waters fell from 25.1% in 2013 to 23.7% in 2014. The government has yet to implement a program for hydraulic fracturing in lands it controls. See links under Washington’s Control of Energy.
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ARTICLES:
Please note that articles not linked easily or summarized here are reproduced in the Articles Section of the full TWTW that can be found on the web site under the date of the TWTW.
1. Questionable Data, Secret Science
EPA Clean Air Act policy continues in a self-perpetuating bureaucratic endeavor far removed from its original congressional mission.
Letter by Charles Battig, VA-SEEE, WSJ, Jul 20 2015
Charles Battig, of the Virginia Scientists and Engineers for Energy and Environment writes:
“Janet McCabe’s [EPA] defense of EPA implementation of the Clean Air Act reaches back 45 years, at a time when environmental targets were large and easily defined (Letters, July 15). Yet, to date, the chemistry of ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere related to chlorine chemistry remains unsettled science. How does the EPA measure the success of replacing chlorofluorocarbon for refrigerants said to promote ozone depletion with the potent greenhouse gas hydrofluorocarbon?
“Ms. McCabe states that, “With every rule the EPA creates, the agency is committed to meeting the law’s letter and spirit, while following strict procedures for public review and input.” She also says “the courts have upheld the EPA’s air rules.” Is the EPA’s apparent collusion with radical environmental activists in the orchestrated “sue and settle” consent decrees part of these “strict procedures” as they skirt the Administrative Procedures Act and avoid congressional and public scrutiny?
“EPA Clean Air Act policy continues in a self-perpetuating bureaucratic endeavor far removed from its original congressional mission. Questionable data and secret science are used to justify the EPA’s continuing ratcheting down of environmental “safe levels” without concern for cost-benefit justification.”
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2. Falling Crude Prices Upend Canada’s Oil Sands Projects
Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil and Imperial Oil rely on deeply buried oil sands deposits to increase cash flows
By Chester Dawson, WSJ, Jul 22, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/falling-crude-prices-upend-canadas-oil-sands-projects-1437609134
SUMMARY: Falling crude oil prices is pressuring oil firms in Canada’s oil sands, which have high extraction costs. There are now questions on how much can be extracted profitably. Canada is the largest single exporter of oil to the US. Many start-up producers relied on implementing Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). With issues regarding implementation, it appears that a crude price of $65 per barrel is necessary for a reasonable profit. According to the Bank of Nova Scotia, this is the highest extraction cost in the oil industry. U.S. oil prices are now around $50 per barrel.
“Most oil-sands startups and a few large producers—such as Cenovus—rely entirely on SAGD and most of the oil sands’ multinational players also use it for some of their current output or are counting on it for their future production plans.
“Cenovus, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Suncor Energy Inc. and Shell all announced plans earlier this year to shelve—but not abandon—plans for new or expanded subsurface oil sands projects until global oil prices rebound or costs can be reduced dramatically.
Even before the tumble in oil prices, France’s Total SA and Statoil ASA of Norway indefinitely postponed a pair of underground oil sands projects last year, citing cost issues.”
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Commentary: Is the Sun Rising?
Solar activity was really at exceptional lows during the cold Maunder Minimum
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jul 22, 2015
Link to report: The Maunder minimum (1645–1715) was indeed a Grand minimum: A reassessment of multiple datasets
By Usoskin, et al, Astronomy Astrophysics, Jul 18, 2015
http://arxiv.org/abs/1507.05191
Is a Mini Ice Age Coming? ‘Maunder Minimum’ Spurs Controversy
By Elizabeth Goldbaum, Live Science, Jul 18, 2015
http://www.livescience.com/51597-maunder-minimum-mini-ice-age.html
From journalist who quotes Mr. Michael Mann (2002): “Although solar activities can align with changes in temperatures, there are many processes that contribute to climatic variations, and human-induced climate change will likely prove too big a force for muted solar activity to influence.”
Suppressing Scientific Inquiry
Fearmongers threaten with attacks if Lomborg’s center opens in Australia
By Luboš Motl, The Reference Frame, Jul 21, 2015
http://motls.blogspot.com/2015/07/fearmongers-threaten-with-attacks-if.html
Challenging the Orthodoxy
15 Years of CERES Versus Surface Temperature: Climate Sensitivity = 1.3 deg. C
By Roy Spencer, His blog, Jul 20, 2015
The Environmental Movement’s Capture of USEPA and What Might Be Done about It
By Alan Carlin, Carlin Economics and Science, Jul 23, 2015
http://www.carlineconomics.com/archives/1961
The Fantasy World of Climate Alarmism
By Alan Carlin, Carlin Economics and Science, Jul 17, 2015
http://www.carlineconomics.com/archives/1924
Why Karl et al. 2015 Doesn’t Eliminate the ‘Hiatus’
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Jul 22, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/why-karl-et-al-2015-doesnt-eliminate-the-hiatus/
Defending the Orthodoxy
Just about every big measure of climate change was bad last year
Editorial, Washington Post, Jul 21, 2015 [H/t Conrad Potemra]
Link to NOAA report: State of the Climate in 2014
Special Supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 2015
Editors Jessica Blunden and Derek Arndt, Technical Editor Mara Sprain
Blunden, J. and D. S. Arndt, Eds., 2015: State of the Climate in 2014.
Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 96 (7), S1–S267
http://ametsoc.org/SOC-2014.pdf
Two-degree target may still cause catastrophic sea level rise, James Hansen warns
By Fram Dinshaw, National Observer, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t Dennis Ambler]
[SEPP Comment: A new control knob of global climate – the southern oceans – are they controlled by CO2?]
Climate Seer James Hansen Issues His Direst Forecast Yet
By Mark Hertsgaard, Daily Beast, Jul 20, 2015
Hansen’s direst forecast?
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 20, 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/7/20/hansens-direst-forecast.html
No, I’m afraid that just doesn’t cut the mustard. As Anthony Watts has related, back in 1998 Hansen was talking about that level of sea-level rise by 2040. [10 feet] I suppose we should acknowledge that the great climatologist has reined back his soothsaying from “outright bonkers” to “slight foaming at the mouth”, but we can say for sure that is not his direst forecast yet.
Three Things to Know About That Terrifying New Climate Study
By Emily Gertz, Takepart.com, Jul 22, 2015
http://news.yahoo.com/3-things-know-terrifying-climate-study-221518811.html
“James Hansen is one of the most respected and recognizable names in climate science. When this ex-NASA researcher speaks, reasonable people listen.
That good reputation has made his latest research finding that much more frightening.”
[SEPP Comment: What is reasonable about believing someone whose predictions have been wrong many times?]
The world’s most famous climate scientist just outlined an alarming scenario for our planet’s future
By Chris Mooney, Washington Post, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t Conrad Potemra]
Global warming deniers are an endangered species
There’s a groundswell of support for climate action leading up to the 2015 Paris talks
By Dana Nuccitelli, Guardian, UK, Jul 22, 2015
[SEPP Comment: At least Nuccitelli correctly states the issue is global warming, not nebulous climate change.]
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Risk assessment: What is the plausible ‘worst scenario’ for climate change?
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Jul 20, 2015
Bounding GHG Climate Sensitivity for Use in Regulatory Decisions
Executive Summary: A Report of the Right Climate Stuff research Team
Lead Author: Harold Doiron, Feb 2014
See link immediately above
Is our certain fate a coal-burning climate apocalypse? No!
From the Fabius Maximus website, By Larry Kummer, WUWT, Jul 21, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/21/is-our-certain-fate-a-coal-burning-climate-apocalypse-no/
You Ought to Have a Look: Highlights from the House Hearing on Social Cost of Carbon
By Patrick J. Michaels and Paul C. “Chip” Knappenberger, Cato, Jul 23, 2015
http://www.cato.org/blog/you-ought-have-look-highlights-house-hearing-social-cost-carbon
Science trumps politics and patronage: Al Gore is ‘losing the bet’ against scientific forecasting
Guest essay by Kesten C. Green, WUWT, Jul 18, 2015
When it comes to CO2 reduction, economy rules, activism drools
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 21, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/21/when-it-comes-to-co2-reduction-economy-rules-activism-drools/
Arctic Ice: Pausing More Than Declining?
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Jul 21, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/arctic-ice-pausing-more-that-declining/
Heavy ice in Hudson Bay derails ArcticNet global warming research plans: irony bites
By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Jul 22, 2015
Alarm over future summer polar bear habitat disguises how good conditions are right now
By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Jul 21, 2015
Study Says Warming Slow-Down Is Climate Pause
By Staff Writers, Reporting Climate Science, Jul 20, 2015
Link to paper: Determining the likelihood of pauses and surges in global warming
By Schurer, Hegerl, and Obrochta Earth’s Future, An Open Access AGU Journal, Jul 16, 2015
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL064458/abstract
Was the global warming pause a myth?
By David Rose, The Spectator, Jul 22, 2015
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/davidrose1/2015/07/was-the-global-warming-pause-a-myth/
[SEPP Comment: If you produce numbers with a sufficiently broad error range you can use statistics to “prove” anything.”
On to Paris!
Don’t introduce new agenda in Paris conference: Prakash Javadekar
Staff Writers, Economic Times, India, Jul 19, 2015
France signals ‘breakthrough’ in climate talks
By Marlowe Hood, AFP, Jul 21, 2015
http://news.yahoo.com/french-diplomat-says-climate-talks-breakthrough-171630711.html
[SEPP Comment: How many breakthroughs will be needed?]
Greens Prep for Talks as Dips Plan a Fudge
The Paris climate treaty appears to be shaping up to be a diplomatic farce. Time for Greens to move on from the counterproductive UN treaty system.
By Walter Russell Mead, American Interest, Jul 18, 2015
http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/07/18/green-shoots-of-optimism-for-paris-climate-talks/
Problems in the Orthodoxy
Who will be the next IPCC chairman?
Guest Post by Tony Thomas, Jo Nova’s Blog, Jul 19, 2015
http://joannenova.com.au/2015/07/who-will-be-the-next-ipcc-chairman/#more-43553
Climate change and an inconvenient truth
Editorial, Daily Mail, UK, Jul 21, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Ministers in Paris to reboot climate talks hit by squabbling
Editorial, Economic Times, India, Jul 20, 2015
Seeking a Common Ground
Eco – (post) modernism
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Jul 22, 2015
http://judithcurry.com/2015/07/22/eco-post-modernism/
The Best Ways to Fight Extreme Poverty
By Bjørn Lomborg, Project Syndicate, Jul 22, 2015
Targets aren’t everything
By Martin Livermore, The Scientific Alliance, Jul 24, 2015
http://scientific-alliance.org/node/943
[SEPP Comment: The high-moral, dismissive attitude of the activist may insure nothing practical is done.]
Study: wide-ranging species will have an edge in warming seas
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 21, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/21/study-wide-ranging-species-will-have-an-edge-in-warming-seas/
Link to paper: Species traits and climate velocity explain geographic range shifts in an ocean-warming hotspot
By Sunday, et al, Ecology Letters, Jul 20, 2015
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.12474/abstract
Model Issues
Stream: Attack Of The Black Swans From Outer Space!
By William Briggs, His Blog, Jul 21,2 015
http://wmbriggs.com/post/16504/
[SEPP Comment: Last segment is interesting: “Skill is a measured improvement over some simplified model, like persistence. Persistence says next year will be just like this year. Climate models can’t beat persistence, thus they don’t have predictive skill.
“Whether they [the models] have hindcasting skill is irrelevant. Hindcast skill is the ability to fit past data, which is no great feat.”]
Measurement Issues
Record Global Temperatures? Don’t Get Too Heated Up
Editorial, IBD, Jul 22, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Both NOAA and GISS Have Switched to NOAA’s Overcooked “Pause-Busting” Sea Surface Temperature Data for Their Global Temperature Products
Guest Post by Bob Tisdale, WUWT, Jul 15, 2015
Record heat for globe in June: US scientists
By Staff Writers, AFP, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
http://news.yahoo.com/record-heat-globe-june-us-scientists-155456770.html
[SEPP Comment: See link immediately above.]
International report confirms: 2014 was Earth’s warmest year on record
By Staff Writers, NOAA, Jul 16, 2015
Fundamental Differences between the NOAA and UAH Global Temperature Updates
Guest Post by Bob Tisdale, WUWT, Jul 20, 2015
NOAA Record June Heat Claims Dismissed! “In Independent Datasets We See Widespread Model Failures” Says Expert Meteorologist
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jul 21, 2015
NOAA conflict of interest? “The problem is that the same staff responsible for creating reports and running some greenhouse models are also responsible for the databases that validate the forecasts.”
Fossil Fuel Burning Obscures Radiocarbon Dates
Increasing atmospheric carbon from burned fossil fuels will make historic dating more difficult
By Camille von Kaenel, Scientific American, Jul 21, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fossil-fuel-burning-obscures-radiocarbon-dates/
[SEPP Comment: Raising carbon dioxide concentrations by 1 part per 10,000, from 3 per 10,000 to 4, is “flooding the atmosphere?”]
Changing Weather
Residents blame Beavers for flash floods in Alyth
By Russell Jackson, Scotsman, Jul 23, 2015 [H/t Bishop Hill]
http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/residents-blame-beavers-for-flash-floods-in-alyth-1-3837836
[SEPP Comment: If it is not global warming, what is it?]
Study: Sandy caused record sea levels, $23 billion in damage in New York
By Devin Henry, The Hill, Jul 24, 2015
Link to paper: Analysis of Storm-Tide Impacts From Hurricane Sandy in New York
By Shubert, et al, US Depart of Interior and US Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2015/5036/sir20155036.pdf
[SEPP Comment: Ignores the storms of the 19th century.]
Another “end of snow” prediction
By Eric Worrall, WUWT, Jul 19, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/19/another-end-of-snow-prediction/
Changing Climate
Abrupt climate change may have rocked the cradle of civilization
Effects of climate on human societies
By Staff Writers, Science Daily, Jul 23, 2015
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150723181308.htm
Link to paper: Abrupt climate variability since the last deglaciation based on a high-resolution, multi-proxy peat record from NW Iran: The hand that rocked the Cradle of Civilization?
By Sharifi, Quaternary Science Review, Sep 1, 2015
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379115300457
Did global warming kill off the mammoths? Rapid climate change doomed Ice Age giants rather than humans, study suggests
By Richard Gray, Daily Mail, UK, Jul 23, 2015
[SEPP Comment: No link to paper, time periods, or data.]
Changing Seas
Follow the Water–Arctic Ocean Flywheels
By Ron Clutz, Science Matters, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t Paul Homewood]
https://rclutz.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/follow-the-water-arctic-ocean-flywheels/
Literature Review: Obama Administration’s Sea Level Rise Far Remote Of Mainstream Science. Natural Variability Unaccounted For!
U. of Southampton: We won’t know whether or not sea level is accelerating until 2020-2030. Mojib Latif: models must first take natural variability much more into account –
By Sebastian Lüning and Prof. Fritz Vahrenholt, (Translated and edited by P Gosselin), No Tricks Zone, Jul 18, 2015
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Arctic expedition to study global warming put on hold because of too much ice
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 22, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Heavy late-season ice in the Hudson Bay.]
Paper Hints Arctic Sea Ice More Resilient Than Thought,
Reporting Climate Science, July 20, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Link to paper: Increased Arctic sea ice volume after anomalously low melting in 2013
By Tilling, et al, Nature Geoscience, Jul 20, 2015
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2489.html
Russia, U.S. agree fishing ban in Arctic as sea ice melts
By Alister Doyle, Reuters, Jul 16, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
http://news.yahoo.com/russia-us-agree-fishing-ban-arctic-sea-ice-114500657.html
“The central Arctic probably has no commercial fish stocks now, experts say, but melting sea ice may draw fish such as cod farther north.”
[SEPP Comment: Just in time for the resurgence of ice!]
Changing Earth
Another excuse for ‘the pause’ – it’s a ‘blip’ from volcanoes, or something
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 20, 2015
Link to paper: Determining the likelihood of pauses and surges in global warming
By Andrew P. Schurer, Gabriele C. Hegerl and Stephen P. Obrochta, Geophysical Research Letters, Jul 16, 2015
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL064458/full
Volcanic Legends Keep Erupting
Guest Post by Willis Eschenbach, WUWT, Jul 22, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/22/volcanic-legends-keep-erupting/
[SEPP Comment: See link immediately above.]
Satellites peer into rock 50 miles beneath Tibetan Plateau
by Staff Writers, Columbus OH (SPX) Jul 22, 2015
Acidic Waters
Autonomous Ocean Water Testing Technology Wins $1.5M XPRIZE
By Devin Coldewey, NBC, Jul 21, 2015 [H/t Climate Etc.]
http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/autonomous-ocean-water-testing-tech-wins-1-5m-xprize-n396161
The Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIZE promises to improve our understanding of how CO2 emissions are affecting ocean acidification, with breakthrough sensors that can help us begin the process of healing our oceans. From web site: http://oceanhealth.xprize.org/
[SEPP Comment: What was the condition of the oceans when CO2 concentrations were many times greater than today?]
Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine
Consumer exposure to pesticide residue far below levels of health concern
By Staff Writers, ACSH, Jul 16, 2015
http://acsh.org/2015/07/consumer-exposure-to-pesticide-residue-far-below-levels-of-health-concern/
Pollinators: No, Lancet editors, we are not going to lose all of them
By Nicholas Staropoli, ACSH, Jul 17, 2015
http://acsh.org/2015/07/pollinators-no-lancet-editors-we-are-not-going-to-lose-all-of-them/
Lowering Standards
A private communiqué
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 21, 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/7/21/a-private-communique.html
Link to communiqué: Climate Communiqué
By Staff Writers, The Royal Society, Jul 21, 2015
https://royalsociety.org/~/media/policy/Publications/2015/21-07-15-climate-communique.PDF
Montford states: “Sorry guys, but unvalidated computer simulations are incapable of giving ‘overwhelming’ evidence. Hints and suggestions, perhaps, but not ‘overwhelming evidence’. This is yet another example of scientists behaving in a way that would get city financiers sent to jail.”
Economic development, climate and values: making policy
By Nicholas Stern, Proceedings B, The Royal Society, Jul 22, 2015
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/282/1812/20150820
[SEPP Comment: Ten years since the original Stern Report, with similar flaws and same results. The new report fails to recognize the failure in the IPCC conclusions and the models used.]
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
Humans live from -50C to +40C, but two more degrees will kill us. Panic now.
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jul 20, 2015
‘Ere we go, ‘ere we go, ‘ere we go…
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jul 24, 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/7/24/ere-we-go-ere-we-go-ere-we-go.html
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
‘Science is telling us that time is running out’: UN climate chief warns the world is ‘playing with fire’ unless agreement on climate change is reached at international summit
By Gemma Mullin, Daily Mail, Jul 22, 2015
[SEPP Comment: The “science” Ms. Figueres uses is very selective, not empirical, and limited.]
Meanwhile in the Future: We Have Changed the Climate with Wind Turbines
By Rose Eveleth, Gizmodo, Jul 21, 2015
http://gizmodo.com/meanwhile-in-the-future-we-have-changed-the-climate-wi-1719130408
“NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and Columbia University researcher Kate Marvel and her team used climate models to look at just how much wind energy we would have to take out of the atmosphere before we’d start to have problems.”
[SEPP Comment: Great artist conception of the sky filled with tire-shaped balloons with wind turbines in the center. The sky is so stable, no reason to worry about buffeting from the winds!]
Communicating Better to the Public – Do a Poll?
Climate Change Seen as Top Global Threat
Americans, Europeans, Middle Easterners Focus on ISIS as Greatest Danger
By Jill Carle, Pew Research Center, Jul 14, 2015
http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/07/14/climate-change-seen-as-top-global-threat/
Despite the ‘urgency’ of Paris climate talks, a U.N. sponsored global poll rates climate change dead last
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 17, 2015
[SEPP Comment: See link immediately above.]
Expanding the Orthodoxy
Obama takes climate fight to NAFTA
By John Siciliano, Washington Examiner, Jul 15, 2015
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-takes-climate-fight-to-nafta/article/2568361
Expanding the Orthodoxy – The Pope – Loyal Opposition
Senior cardinal breaks ranks by questioning the Pope’s authority to pronounce on climate change
By Steve Doughty, Daily Mail, UK, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Where Pope Francis Got His Advice on Global Warming
Guest essay by Martin Fricke. Ph.D. (nuclear physics), WUWT, Jul 17, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/17/where-pope-francis-got-his-advice-on-global-warming/
Climate Change, Baltic Herring And The Reformation?
Guest Opinion: Tim Ball, WUWT, Jul 18, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/18/climate-change-baltic-herring-and-the-reformation/
Questioning European Green
Green Deal energy efficiency scheme scrapped as Government pulls funding
Government pulls plug on funding for Green Deal Finance Company after only 10,000 homes sign up to energy household efficiency programme
By Emily Gosden, Telegraph, UK, Jul 23, 2015 [H/t Bishop Hill]
DECC’s £70 million savings sourced primarily from cuts to energy efficiency subsidies
By Liam Stoker, Solar Power Portal, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Questioning Green Elsewhere
Australia’s war on wind farms threatens biggest renewable project
By Byron Kaye, Reuters, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/07/20/us-australia-renewables-windfarms-idUKKCN0PT0QK20150720
Renewable Energy Scaled Back in Britain, Germany and US
By Graham Lloyd, The Australian, Via GWPF, Jul 23, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/renewable-energy-scaled-back-in-britain-germany-and-us/
[SEPP Comment: Nothing prevents the construction of solar and wind, but the subsidies and mandates have been scaled back.]
Green Energy Lobbyists Behind New Industry-Funded Nonprofit
DC lobbying firm 38 North Solutions hasn’t maintained legally required documentation on its new ‘social welfare’ group
By Lachian Markay, Washington Free Beacon, Jul 21, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://freebeacon.com/issues/green-energy-lobbyists-behind-new-industry-funded-nonprofit/
Report: Distributed Generation, Energy Storage, Microgrids Pose Grid Reliability Risks
By Sonal Patel, Power Mag, Jul 17, 2015
Link to report: Changing Uses of the Electric Grid: Reliability Challenges and Concerns
By Steve Mitnick, for Electric Markets Research Foundation, Jul 10, 2015
http://www.ourenergypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/emrf_business_models_final_web_version.pdf
“The urgent question, and the main focus of this report is: Will all Americans continue to enjoy uninterrupted unlimited electricity they can afford?”
“This report does not put forth a preferred solution. It rather describes the problem, why it needs to be solved with urgency, and outlines a number of potential solutions worthy of further consideration.”
Green Jobs
Exclusive: Planning bids for renewable energy projects drop by 80%
By Staff Writers, Click Green, Jul 21, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Litigation Issues
Dispelling the deadly air pollution myth
The Supreme Court isn’t impressed by the fancy dance of the EPA
By Steve Milloy, Washington Times, Jul 20, 2015
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/20/steve-milloy-dispelling-the-deadly-air-pollution-m/
States appeal case against EPA climate rule
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 24, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/249132-states-appeal-case-against-epa-climate-rule
[SEPP Comment: Asking the full court of appeals to review the decision of a three-member panel.]
What the Michigan v. EPA SCOTUS ruling means for the President’s Clean Power Plan
By Bob Sussman, Brookings, Jul 17, 2015
Michigan, et al, V. EPA
Supreme Court Decision, Jun 29, 2015
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-46_10n2.pdf
Justice Thomas concurring opinion starts after page 15
Subsidies and Mandates Forever
UK Getting Wise to Renewable Subsidies
Editorial, IER, Jul 20, 2015
http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/analysis/uk-getting-wise-to-renewable-subsidies/
Britain Announces More Renewable Subsidy Cuts
By Pilita Clark Financial Times, Via GWPF, Jul 22, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/britain-announces-more-renewable-subsidy-cuts/
Industry reacts with shock and anger to renewable energy subsidy cuts
By Staff Writers, Blue & Green Tomorrow, Jul 22, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
“The proposed changes remove the very principles designed to promote deployment of and investment in renewable energy projects, impacting developers, investors and lenders alike.
EPA and other Regulators on the March
EPA Warns Climate Action a Must to Avoid Thousands of Deaths, Trillions in Economic Damage
By Staff Writers, Judicial Watch, Jun 30, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
EPA Promotes Worst Case, Scare Scenario
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Jul 24, 2015
https://dddusmma.wordpress.com/
First They Came for Your Light Bulbs…
By Steven Hayward, Power Line, Jul 22, 2015
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/07/first-they-came-for-your-light-bulbs.php
McCarthy’s ‘moral’ programs not the solution to pollution
By Tom Harris, executive director, International Climate Science Coalition, The Hill, Jul 21, 2015
http://thehill.com/opinion/letters/248708-mccarthys-moral-programs-not-the-solution-to-pollution
Southern states rally for ‘line in the sand’ on EPA’s Clean Power Plan
By Kristi E. Swartz, E&E, Jul 20, 2015
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060022064
Industry rails against Obama’s dishwasher rules
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 20, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/248385-industry-rails-against-obamas-dishwasher-rules
Energy Issues – Non-US
Three Energy Futures – Part 1 – Crude Oil
By Daniel Holder, Energy Burrito, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t Real Clear Energy]
http://www.energyburrito.com/three-energy-futures-part-1-crude-oil/
[Green] MPs ‘denied say’ over cuts to solar subsidies
By Roger Harrabin, BBC, Jul 22, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-33625470
Europe’s Largest Energy Storage Project Begins Construction
By Thomas Overton, Power Mag, Jul 22, 2015 [H/t Toshio Fujita]
http://www.powermag.com/europes-largest-energy-storage-project-begins-construction/
[SEPP Comment: This battery storage is larger than pumped storage in Norway or Sweden?]
Russia Reeling from Oil Price Plunge
By Staff Writers, The American Interest, Via GWPF, Jul 23, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/russia-reeling-from-oil-price-plunge/
Germans Resoundingly Saying “No!” To Clearing Forests To Make Way For Wind Parks
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jul 24, 2015
Energy Issues — US
3 Energy Companies Thumbing Their Noses at OPEC
These companies have carved out a unique position that has allowed them to succeed despite the best efforts of OPEC to squash any competitors lately.
By Tyler Crowe, The Motley Fool, Jul 18, 2015
Climate rule to bring lower energy bills, report says
By Timothy Came, The Hill, Jul 23, 2015
Link to report: Bill Savings in a Clean Energy Future
By Knight, et al, Synapse, Energy Economics, Inc, Jul 23, 2015
http://synapse-energy.com/sites/default/files/Bill-Savings-in-a-Clean-Energy-Future.pdf
“Aggressive energy efficiency policies reduce total demand by 22 percent as compared to the Reference scenario in 2030, even after accounting for impacts that an expansion of electric vehicle would have on the electric sector.”
“… supported by a grant from The Energy Foundation, a partnership of major foundations with a mission to promote the transition to a sustainable energy future.”
[SEPP Comment: Wind and solar are not saving consumers money in Denmark, Germany, or the UK, but not using energy will!]
Renewable Energy R&D Funding History: A Comparison with Funding for Nuclear Energy, Fossil Energy, and Energy Efficiency R&D
By Fred Sissine, CRS, Oct 10, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS22858.pdf
Oil Warning: The Crash Could Be the Worst in More Than 45 Years [For US]
By Tom Randall, Bloomberg, Jul 23, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Energy speculation is as poor as climate speculation.]
Washington’s Control of Energy
Top Republican slams federal land energy report as ‘dismal’
By Devin Henry, The Hill, Jul 20, 2015
Link to report: Sales of Fossil Fuels Produced from Federal and Indian Lands, FY 2003 through FY 2014
By Staff Writers, EIA, Jul 17, 2015
http://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/federallands/
Obama’s Scorched Oil and Gas Policy
By Robert Bradley, Real Clear Energy, Jul 22, 2015
http://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2015/07/22/obamas_scorched_oil_and_gas_policy_108607.html
Obama gives final approval to Arctic drilling
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 22, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/248858-obama-gives-final-approval-to-arctic-drilling
“But the two ‘application to drill approved by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) included key restrictions that bar Shell from drilling in areas known to contain oil, since its safety equipment is not yet fully ready.”
Keystone’s southern leg hits milestone
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Jul 20, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/248474-keystones-southern-segment-hits-milestone
[SEPP Comment: One billion barrels shipped on the part not requiring the Administration’s approval.
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
Exxon’s Guyana Oil Discovery May Be 12 Times Larger Than Economy
By Andrew RosatiJoe Carroll, Bloomberg, Jul 22, 2015
Return of King Coal?
A carbon accounting conundrum
Guest essay by Eric Worrall, WUWT, Jul 18, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/18/a-carbon-accounting-conundrum/
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Vermont Struggles With Renewables
By William Tucker, Real Clear Energy, Jul 23, 2015
http://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2015/07/23/vermont_struggles_with_renewables_108616.html
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
Britain could face blackouts if the wind doesn’t blow
National Grid proposes bringing in emergency measures to bolster electricity supplies as new analysis shows power crunch worsening
By Emily Gosden, Telegraph, UK, Jul 17, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
New Clean Energy Movement
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Jul 21, 2015
https://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2015/07/21/new-clean-energy-movement/
[SEPP Comment: All pain and no gain.]
Annual Report, Energinet.dk, 2014
By Peder Østermark Andrease, President and CEO, Energinet.dk, July 2015
http://energinet.dk/SiteCollectionDocuments/Engelske%20dokumenter/Om%20os/Annual-report-2014.pdf
Environmental Industry
The Subversion of Science by Green-Left Politics
By John Reid, Black Jay, Jul 7, 2015 [H/t Bob Carter]
“Scientists discover, understand and inform. Environmentalists preach.”
NGOs are spreading lies about GMOs
By Nicholas Staropoli, ACSH, Jul 20, 2015
http://acsh.org/2015/07/ngos-are-spreading-lies-about-gmos/
Campaign to stop fracking sacrifices nature for ideology: Column
By Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, USA Today, Jul 16, 2015
Greenpeace India faces cancellation of registration, blames MHA
By Staff Writers, First Post, India, Jul 23, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
MHA is Ministry of Home Affairs
Nonsensical ‘fractivist’ pipeline hysteria
More natural gas should ease their global warming fears
By Mark Perry, Washington Times, Jul 21, 2015
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/21/mark-perry-nonsensical-fractivist-pipeline-hysteri/
For example, fractivists have rebranded natural gas produced from America’s prolific shale formations as “fracked methane.”
[SEPP Comment: This is as sensible as food stores labeling sugar as dehydrated cane juice.]
Other Scientific News
Let’s Worry about a Real Threat
By Norman Rogers, American Thinker, Jul 20, 2015
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/07/lets_worry_about_a_real_threat.html
Why we live on Earth and not Venus
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 22, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/07/22/why-we-live-on-earth-and-not-venus/
Link to paper: Connections between the bulk composition, geodynamics and habitability of Earth
By Jellinek & Jackson, Nature Geoscience, 2015
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2488.html
Hawking launches biggest-ever search for alien life
By Robin Millard, London (AFP) July 20, 2015
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Hawking_launches_biggest-ever_search_for_alien_life_999.html
‘It’s like going to Pluto and seeing McDonald’s’ [
These microbes live more than 2 kilometers below the sea floor off the coast of Japan.
By Mitch Leslie, Science Mag, Jul 23, 2015
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/07/its-going-pluto-and-seeing-mcdonalds?
“Researchers have pulled up cells from more than 1900 meters under the sea floor, and they’ve detected chemical signs of life from about 4 kilometers down.”
[SEPP Comment: Poor title for an article describing an interesting discovery.]
Other News that May Be of Interest
The Open Atmospheric Society achieves 501(c)(3) status – ready to roll – seeking applications for the board
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jul 20, 2015
Expert: 90% of U.S. Population Could Die if a Pulse Event Hits the Power Grid
By Aaron Larson, Power Mag, Jul 22, 2015
Anti-vax movement: Harming kids since 1840
By Staff Writers, ACSH, Jul 17, 2015
http://acsh.org/2015/07/anti-vax-movement-is-not-new-nor-original/
The Eight Stages of Scam
By Steven Hayward, Power Line, Jul 19, 2015
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/07/the-eight-stages-of-scam.php
Identity theft: the thief of Lubos_Motl turns out to be a well-known man
By Luboš Motl, The Reference Frame, Jul 22, 2015
http://motls.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/identity-theft-thief-of-lubosmotl-turns.html
Crook Cook’s Identity Fraud
By Geoff Brown, Australian Climate Sceptics, Jul 25, 2015
http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/crook-cooks-identity-fraud.html
Hayhoe Still Publicises The Discredited Marcott Hockey Stick
By Paul Homewood, Not a Lot of People Know That, Jul 21, 2015
According to her web site: Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist, an associate professor of Political Science at Texas Tech, director of the Climate Science Center, part of the Department of Interior’s South Central Climate Center, and a lead author for the US Global Change Research Program. http://www.depts.ttu.edu/politicalscience/Faculty/Hayhoe_Katharine.php
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
First victim [of climate change] – Cashel man (4,000 years ago)
By Staff Writers, Climate Change Predictions, Jul 20, 2015
http://climatechangepredictions.org/uncategorized/3646
From Irish Times, Nov 28, 2013
“Their solution, according to the theory is to kill the king, appease the gods and hope for a better harvest – an early response to climate change.”
Climate change refugee loses NZ bid
A Kiribati man has failed in his bid to become the world’s first climate change refugee
By Staff Writers, AAP, Jul 20, 2015 [H/t WUWT]
https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/28930185/climate-change-refugee-loses-nz-bid/
“…for just a few billion dollars…”
By Staff Writers, Climate Change Predictions, Jul 19, 2015
http://climatechangepredictions.org/uncategorized/3497
From: Newcastle Herald, 4 Dec 2013 on geoengineering to stop global warming that is not occurring.
You Say Sugar – Whole Foods [a Food Store] Says ‘Evaporated Cane Juice’ And Charges More
By Hank Cambell, ACSH, Jul 20, 2015
http://acsh.org/2015/07/you-say-sugar-whole-foods-says-evaporated-cane-juice-and-charges-more/
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What does TWTW mean? If the next one is going to be short, it might be good to know what it stands for. I looked it up at acronymfinder, and it gave me the following possibilities.
Abbr. Meaning
TWTW The Week That Was (TV show)
TWTW The Way Things Work (book by David Macaulay)
TWTW The World This Weekend (CBC Radio One)
TWTW Teaching with the Web (Kingsbury Communications; California)
TWTW The Way They Were
TWTW The Will to Win
So, are any of those correct?
The winner is: “The Week That Was”
I completely missed the fact that “Weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup” has a second title. Now I know.
“the Wind and Solar capacity will expand from 5140 MW to 6900 MW”
Attributing “capacity” to wind and solar is fraud.
“Britain could face blackouts if the wind doesn’t blow”
See what I mean?
It’s The Week in the Weather (I think). But it seems to me like all the results listed are more or less accurate. TWTW is one of my favorite parts of WUWT. It’s an easy gateway to the major papers from both sides of any particular argument as well as a slice of independent review.