Matt Ridley in Oz

Matt Ridley gave a lecture in Australia a couple of days ago. Matt is always worth a listen, so here it is for your delectation.

Update on Nov 17, 2013 by Bishop Hill

Matt was on the Andrew Bolt show as well, talking about Haiyan and global warming. There's a transcript here.

Comments

[Bernal]

I don't understand how you can go on Chandra. Well, for the Earth, I suppose.

But you know that the Earth isn't going anywhere, right. Crocs in Antarctica and all that. So what? It might be one of those evolutionary bottle neck thingies that shake everything up, kill the old, give birth to the new really *Progressive* species. Evolutionary niches are going to be filled maybe by something even cuter than polar bears. I think it was the last ice age that annihilated the unicorns so maybe they'll come back.

So unless global warming goes to the Earth's thighs and then it blows up (obscure Sponge Bob reference) the Earth will go on. Out with the old, in with the new is what evolution does.

If not for the Earth then what is it you propose to save. The children? Really? Aren't children the problem by your lights, the squally bastards. I bet you think somebody knows the Earth's ideal population. I hear all kinds of numbers bandied about, usually far south of one billion. Say 500 million (one of whom is you of course).

If we are ever going to get there why not let the killing begin now. For the children? Kill 'em all and the Earth will be a better place, right? Humans are the problem, global warming kills humans, why not let 'er rip?!

[Chandra]

Mike Jackson, as I already said, the statements you now want to claim you meant to say are not the ones I questioned, which were:

increasing CO2 levels are down to rising temperatures ...
... fossil fuels are making the world greener by raising CO2 levels

If CO2 levels are increasing because of rising temperatures (and doubtless you will dispute that temperatures are rising elsewhere), which you, Salby and few cranks seem to believe but which nobody sane believes, then fossil fuels cannot at the same time be raising CO2 levels.

[Mike Jackson]

Well thankyou at last for an explanation rather than simply abuse. Now we can see where the misunderstanding was.
I'm afraid it never occurred to me that anyone with a brain would think that fossil fuels did not add CO2 to the atmosphere. But since temperature increases lead CO2 increases at all timescales then the two statements are still not incompatible. Increased CO2 greens the planet whatever the source --whether natural or anthropogenic and increased temperatures lead to increased CO2; not the other way round.

[Canman]

He should have made a video or audio of his Angus Miller lecture:

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/11/01/thank-you-matt-ridley/

[Chandra]

My original statement was,

Those of you, including AM, who are rooting for ex-prof Salby and his theory that increasing CO2 levels are down to rising temperatures, not our emissions, will have been shocked to hear that fossil fuels are making the world greener by raising CO2 levels.

It is an easy enough statement to understand, but I suspect you nevertheless just don't. If rising CO2 levels are "down to temperature, not our emissions", they cannot simultaneously be caused by fossil fuels.

[Alexander K]

Matt Ridley has never, to my knowledge, claimed omniscience, despite Chandra's dark, illogical and linguistically-challenged mutterings. I appreciated and enjoyed Matt's understated delivery, no wonder most Antipodeans give him credit for being a Top Bloke and a total contrast to Baroness W and her silly whining. As a lifetime optimist, I particularly enjoyed Matt's take on private enterprise and the importance of its role in creating technological progress and a more pleasant existence for humans in general and the poor in particular.
I thought that "not doing anything different for the first time" is a brilliant encapsulation of all that is stupid about the frightened Left's beloved Precautionary Principle.