Bishop Hill Physician, heal thyself
Apr 6, 2011 Climate: other Greens Sometimes you have to wonder about the shamelessness of people at the top of the civil service:
Doctors must take a leading role in highlighting the dangers of climate change, which will lead to conflict, disease and ill-health, and threatens global security, according to a stark warning from an unusual alliance of physicians and military leaders.
Writing in the British Medical Journal on Tuesday, a group of military and medical experts, including two rear admirals and two professors of health, sent out an urgent message to governments around the world. "Climate change poses an immediate and grave threat, driving ill-health and increasing the risk of conflict, such that each feeds upon the other," said the authors...
The authors are as follows:
- Lionel Jarvis is surgeon rear admiral at the UK's Ministry of Defence, has two homes and four children and enjoys skiing, riding and sailing.
- Hugh Montgomery, is a professor of human health at UCL, has written a book about climate change for chilidren and, erm, climbs in the Alps, Himalayas, and Andes and holds a Cat X skydiving qualification.
- Neil Morisetti, is a rear admiral and is the "climate and security envoy for the UK" as well as being a graduate of UEA. He seems to divide his time between London and his farm in Dorset.
- Ian Gilmore is professor at the Royal Liverpool hospital.
Reader Comments (57)
ZBD
Was Anthony so wrong in giving publicity to an article in BJM by summarising its content so sucinctly?
Perhaps you object to just one word "shameless" that he used.
Well he may have been more judicious to have replaced it by "courageous" in the purely "Yes Minister" sense.
With regard to ad hominem, I note that the article does not seem to actually make any arguments of its own with which one could engage. Instead, it makes statements and declarations. Rather alarmingly to boot. When people make alarming declarations to me, I wonder what kind of people they are, and what might be driving them to such behaviour. I can't help it. I'd like to look at their arguments, but they haven't made any - they merely parrot other 'authorities'. And what are we to make of this final 'statement':
Although discussion is good, we can no longer delay implementing tough action that will make a difference, while quibbling over minor uncertainties in climate modelling. Unlike most recent natural disasters, this one is entirely predictable. Doctors, often seen as authoritative, trusted, and independent by their communities, must make their voices heard in calling for such action.
(http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d1819.full)
More authoritarianism in the wings perhaps? Are they longing for the firm smack of strong government? To their prescription of course. Would there be any end to their madness?
I still think they need our help. First, to help them calm down. Then to be a little more modest in their wish to control our lives. And thirdly, to begin a deeper study of climate history and physics over the next few years if they still wish to use them as a platform for pursuing their ambitions.
ZBD - I'm glad you're making a little list.
You are in good company.
I can remember the song that goes in part something about Santa Clause is making a list and checking it twice, to find out which girls and boys are naughty and which are nice.
I know that's not exact, but that's the idea anyway.
And then there's a Gilbert and Sullivan ditty, but that's possibly before your time.
I think that it comes from the Mikardo with the Lord high Executor making a little list about all those people whom nosey parkers do not like.
Yes, that seems very appropriate.
Enjoy.
Zed, you are a true original. Your logic is absolutely impossible to fault as it is completely bizarre; most of us can find nothing linked to what we recognise as reality in what you write. Some of us use primitive humour as a riposte to your statements, but that doesn't work as you have no humour yourself. Ignoring you doesn't work either, as you see us as a challenge you absolutely must take up.
Bish: "... The question at issue is whether the authors are hypocrites".
I think that these ones have taken the Hypocritic Oath!
For our local record, it seems the American Medical Association is singing from the same sort of hymn book as our chaps over here in the BMJ: http://www.c3headlines.com/2011/04/is-american-medical-association-instructs-doctors-to-lie-to-patients-about-climate-change.html. Funny that. Is ANS (Arrant Nonsense Syndrome) at risk of becoming pandemic in that profession? If so, the general public needs to be warned sharpish lest they either catch it themselves, or come to regard the medical profession with utter contempt.
Great Information, Amazing Blog. Thanks for Posting.