Bishop Hill Use your HSI effectively
Mar 18, 2011 Climate: HSI H/T to Lord Beaverbrook, who found this in the comments at WUWT:
I am not sure if this is the best place to post this, but I wanted to mention an interesting conversation I just had with my local Liberal MP Peter Chandler.
Some time ago I had dropped my copy of the book “The Hockey Stick Illusion” as I was aware from previous conversations that he and I saw pretty much eye to eye on matters relating to climate change, conservationism and power generation and I believed the book would be a good source of infor providing links and a clear discussion which not all MP’s in this country are willing to do.
My first call in after some time to see if he had read it revealed he had not yet had time to do so, however that was not the case today.
I called in to the office and we had a discussion on the book and he let me know that he has used it extensively in climate change discussions – and in fact in a number of cases related to but not always directly about CO2 emissions. In addition, he has quoted passages and given sources in local parliament and says that “the best thing about the book is that it is very clear on giving source information so when the people who are ‘enusiastic’ on climate change ask him questions such as ‘where is his source?’ he can easily give references’. He also said that with some of these people he drives them up the wall somewhat because every time he does bring up these points some people do not like them because it brings solid facts to the table.
I was somewhat floored by the use to which he has put the book and wanted to just let you know that here is a good example of where the book has had direct impact on discussions of policy for my local electorate (Darwin, Australia).
He also warned me that the book was currently on his nightstand and that when I got it back it would be a “work in progress” (referencing it will likely not come back in pristine condition) which I have no problem with as I have a feeling it has been put to very good use and more use than I probably could have done.
Reader Comments (20)
How about Climategate - The crutape letters - or even Fred Pearce's The Climate Files..
He might not want to read - Christopher Bookers - The real Global Warming Disaster - or Ian Plimer's - Heaven On Earth.. just in case a constituent spots it in his office... ;)
(such is the vitriol that has been poured on the last 2)
Kudos.
It is indeed a fine book, bridging the gap to a work of reference.
BW:
Good technical writing is vital, where the term means clarity and brevity for a specific readership. Today that is almost unknown.
This matter goes further, into why so many adults are self evidentially ignorant on working with matters of fact, are overly gullible, accepting the far bank as the near bank in a topsy turvy world of leadership by idiots. (such as pushing a maximum when the necessary item is the minimum)
The article is suggesting not only are some politicians ignorant but others who have assumed power and control are actually malicious, why else demand evidence where they themselves have no evidence, shown so by the old dog sneezing as it slinks away?
Rest assured a number of my councillor colleagues and some MSPs have received copies of HSI from me and many have read their copy. A superb resource
Next stop Whitehall, then Downing Street
Most excellent!
Excellent!
If all goes well, I'd frame that copy when I got it back.
Had it been a UK Liberal (Democrat) MP this would be a remarkable story... Not bad for any MP anywhere, though! Its a great book - it took me about two days to read my copy.
I was quite excited until I read the guy was in Oz. Hopefully there will be similar MPs in the UK...
Yea it doesn;t surprise me the degree to which some people avoid the argument. On various blogs I will ask about the upside use of TIljander, or even the bad algorithm in Mann 08, and the response is generally I can't be bothered to look at it.
MikeN
Yup, that's what happens when a 'consensus' obscures scientific uncertainty. The science suddenly becomes 'settled' and all of a sudden one is a 'climate numptie' for suggesting that it's not all quite so clear as commonly supposed.
Actually, Steve McIntyre and Ross McKitrick are considered to be a lot worse than numpties by the orthodoxy, as is Andrew Montford. To their lasting credit.
Inspired by this post I have just parcelled up my copy to send to my MP for Leeds Central, former Sec of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn.
It would be a good idea if everyone tried to spread the news around in this fashion.
I'm hoping Hilary has become more sceptical whilst in opposition, but I doubt it.
Ah! For a second there I had my hopes up...until I realised the geezer was talking about an Australian MP!
Very few of ours have the capacity to think for themselves these days.
Regards
Mailman
We still need a few more Ausie politicians to stand up in the light.
There's some in each of the major parties.
But most too scared to come out of the closet.
(Or acting under strict orders from their trainers?).
It's very frustrating.
As far as I can see, neither the PM or the opposition leader are true believers.
Why else did she skuttle Rudd's previous attempt to tax CO2 when he was PM?
Why else does Tony A. call it B***S**** one day and the next say he's going to cap CO2?
Scaredcats or just plain good old politicians?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
We need a good debate in parliamentary committee, led by real experts from both sides of the issue.
Data and peer reviewed papers tabled, like daggars drawn.
Let the truth prevail.
Is anybody game?
AusieDan
I wish you well in turning the tide down under.
I am sure you have seen Jo Nova's comment on the reality for Australia. Others may not.
http://joannenova.com.au/2011/03/carbon-tax-australia-welcome-to-futility-island/
Yep. Rubbish. Liberal is conservative in Australia as you all know. How friggin' surprising is this?
I take no succour.
Having read HSI and seen this site for a while I do see a disconnect. The Bishop has an admirable tendency to post subjects with a knee jerk appraisal title, I really like that tendency, but hate the swirling un-critical approval under the line
The tacit vote of approval from Richard Horton for the HSI was the best thing that could happen to this site yet it seems marginalised as irrelevant. why is it not on the side bar in the reviews?
Horton is still editor and not emeritus.
Bishop can you please post some copies to our Scottish Parliament. It seems the Scottish Environmental Assessment of the Draft Plan for Offshore Wind Farms has concluded
"the Draft Plan would have major beneficial impacts on climatic factors as a result of the role of operational wind farms in the long term in reducing greenhouse gas emissions" .
Needless to say they don't inform us as to how they arrive at this conclusion!
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/17170331/7
(Page 9)
Marion --
My eyes are not what they used to be -- I quickly scanned the title of the report as "the Daft Plan for Offshore Wind Farms" and was quite surprised at their perspective. Unfortunately, then I read it again, correctly.
Looking at the document, they dismiss the item "Consultee views on the potentially limited contribution of offshore wind to climate change mitigation" with
In other words, it doesn't matter to them how much (or rather, little) effect it will have. I wonder if they computed the number of Gt of carbon emissions avoided, and the possible effect upon average temperatures. They probably considered such a calculation as outside of their remit. (Although it's a simple calculation.) I don't find a single instance of "MWh" or megawatt-hours in searching the text.
Hi Harold,
Yes, quite, I think your initial reading was quite accurate - it is certainly daft !!- they adamantly refuse to even attempt to quantify effects (bad PR if people realised what little effect all this would have even on IPCC estimates, and at what cost to the economy!!) but simply use such meaningless terms as "maximising the contribution" and "expected to generate a significant amount". This report and their previous one was littered with such terms. Soon we will have our stunning Scottish countryside and coastlines devastated by these monstrosities simply because senior politicians are desperately trying to improve their prospects on the EU/UN political gravytrain.
Alex Salmond even increased Scotland's target to 80% of energy consumption from renewables by 2020, no doubt on the basis of this 'Draft Plan' ,even before the 'consultation process' was complete.
This article by Eric Rosenbloom proved quite illuminating regarding the 'benefits' of wind turbines
http://www.aweo.org/problemwithwind.html