Watch an Aussie Politician Squirm as Malcolm Roberts demands Evidence Climate Change is a Problem

Guest essay by Eric Worrall

One Nation federal senator Malcolm Roberts wants a simple answer from the Aussie CSIRO: what is the evidence that anthropogenic CO2 emissions are causing dangerous climate change?

So far, the answer appears to be CO2 is a problem, because other people think other people think CO2 is a problem.

Malcolm Roberts also provided an interview with “The Outsiders”, describing the background and allegedly shoddy CSIRO science behind this question and squirm session, including the CSIRO’s alleged utter reliance on the discredited Marcott 2013 paper as the basis of CSIRO claims of “unprecedented temperature rise”.

Marcott himself said the following about using his paper to draw conclusions about industrial era temperature rise;

20th century portion of our paleotemperature stack is not statistically robust, cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes, and therefore is not the basis of any of our conclusions.

Marcott’s original Q&A which contains that quote is available on RealClimate.

The CSIRO published the following statement on their website.

Statement in response to comments made by Senator Malcolm Roberts. 

CSIRO stands behind its researchers and the integrity of the research produced by them. CSIRO’s demonstrated record of scientific excellence is underpinned by our commitment to the full and transparent participation in the scientific peer review process which results in evidence-based science of the highest quality, including making data publicly available.

CSIRO is in the top 0.1 per cent of the world for its four core fields of science, and in the world’s top 1 per cent for the other 14 fields. We rank in the top 3 of the world’s national science agencies for our impact. 

CSIRO’s climate briefings to Senator Roberts as well as subsequent responses to his questions are publicly available on the Senate website  .

Read more: https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2020/Response-to-Senator-Roberts

From Senator Malcolm Roberts description of his senate video (top video):

This afternoon I asked questions to the Prime Minister via Senator Corman.

And even though I had just told Senator Corman that the CSIRO has been caught out relying on discredited scientific papers and unvalidated models as the basis for advice to government on climate policy, he still supports them 100%.

In fact he gave them a glowing endorsement.

QUESTION 1. Thank you, Mr President.
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. In 2016, 17, 19 and 20 I cross-examined CSIRO’s climate research team on four presentations to me.

That revealed:

• CSIRO has never said CO2 from human activity is a danger;
• CSIRO admitted today’s temperatures are NOT unprecedented;
• CSIRO’s cited papers do NOT show rate of temp rise is unprecedented;
• CSIRO has never quantified any specific impact from human CO2;
• CSIRO relies on unvalidated, erroneous models;
• CSIRO relied on discredited papers;
• CSIRO showed little understanding of papers cited;
• CSIRO admits to no due diligence on reports & data;
• CSIRO allows politicians to misrepresent CSIRO without correction;
• Fifteen highly respected international scientists verified our conclusions What is the basis for the government’s climate and energy policies?

QUESTION 2. Your ministers for climate and energy and preceding Lib-Nationals and Labor-Greens govts claimed that climate and renewable energy policies are based on CSIRO advice, yet CSIRO’s climate team admitted to me that CSIRO has never stated carbon dioxide from human activity is a danger and when asked for the source of that political claim suggested I ask politicians and ministers.
On what basis is your govt claiming we need to cut the carbon dioxide from farming, industry, transport and driving cars?

QUESTION 3. The CSIRO climate research team’s position ultimately relies on unvalidated and erroneous computer models that are not suitable as a basis for policy. In implying, falsely, that they have confidence in the models yet have never assigned a quantitatively calculated confidence level, CSIRO has misled you. Will your government hold an independent inquiry into the so-called science that is supposedly the basis of your climate and energy policies?

When future historians try to trace the chain of events which led to the squandering of trillions of dollars on green boondoggles, when our descendants try to identify the chain evidence which was used to justify such expenditure, they will fail. Because there is no actual evidence to be found.

Our descendants will recognise the climate movement for what it is; one of the great collective mass insanities, like Tulip mania or the South Sea Bubble. They will marvel that millions of people as a group abandoned common sense and followed the herd, for reasons probably even they could never clearly explain.

Additional information from Dr. Willie Soon:

Here is the report:
https://www.malcolmrobertsqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/200831-Examination-of-CSIRO-Evidence-for-Climate-Policies.pdf  

Here is the press release: https://www.malcolmrobertsqld.com.au/senator-roberts-calls-on-csiro-head-to-resign/

Here is the media conference: https://youtu.be/QIWZSjQ18CY

Here is one single coverage I can see from Sky News: https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6185920949001