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Friday
Feb272015

French sceptics group launches

Not much to go on in the English language as yet, but I gather that a French sceptics group, l'Association Francophone des Climato-optimistes (AFCO) has been launched. Headed by Christian Gerondeau it aims to "struggle against the unjustified pessimism that reigns with regard to the planet's climate future".

Their website is here for the French speakers among you.

 

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Reader Comments (31)

Mon Dieu

Feb 27, 2015 at 4:52 PM | Unregistered CommenterBloke down the pub

"Climate optimists" - I rather like that description.

Feb 27, 2015 at 4:53 PM | Unregistered CommenterGuirme

Google Chrome translates it automatically, I find.

Feb 27, 2015 at 4:54 PM | Registered CommenterHarry Passfield

Good manifesto.
Start with the pause, point out that fossil fuels are good and necessary, state that wind and solar are daft, scorn the calls to "save the planet" and all teat permits and finally say that the climate is affected by many different factors.

They do not deny that CO2 is a GHG or that it warms the planet... they actually seem to be pretty representative of real sceptics.

Are they purely French or (as the name implies) francophone and so also Canadian?

Feb 27, 2015 at 5:12 PM | Registered CommenterM Courtney

I'm with Guirme on 'climate optimists'. It's a whole lot better than 'denialists'!

Feb 27, 2015 at 5:12 PM | Registered Commenterjamesp

Merci beaucoup.

Feb 27, 2015 at 6:05 PM | Unregistered CommenterOld Goat

Great News! And the "Climate optimists" title is spot-on.

Now, has anyone heard news of an Italian group yet? (Ci sei, Maurizio?) If not, maybe it's time to start.

Feb 27, 2015 at 6:06 PM | Unregistered CommenterJohn DeFayette

Even the translated version makes good reading. Not least,

The poor countries refuse to commit to reducing their emissions of CO 2 and the Paris Conference will be a fiasco.

But the hysteria will get worse before it gets better.

Feb 27, 2015 at 6:50 PM | Unregistered Commentermichael hart

Jim lad, they are denialists of pessimism.

Feb 27, 2015 at 6:51 PM | Unregistered CommenterJohn Silver

They ask for a minimum individual sub of 50 euros to join.

Feb 27, 2015 at 7:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterGillespie Robertson

I don't think that you have to search the internet too exhaustively, to find instances of ad hominem attacks on Christian Gerondeau, the President of AFCO. At a glance, his French wikipedia page seems to be intact, however (I didn't read all of it), so I assume William Connolley doesn't do French.

Getting would-be members to pay 50 euros does make it hard for the alarmists to insinuate that AFCO is all in the pay of "Huile Grande" and to demand that it turns over all its accounts for inspection by the Committee for Public Safety.

Feb 27, 2015 at 7:38 PM | Unregistered CommenterOwen Morgan

Owen Morgan, Gillespie Robertson
Charging a membership fee seems to be standard practice here in France for lots of things, web based or not. There could well be some requirement to charge set down by The State. Even small villages like ours (we only have two coiffeurs) has several societies so membership and paying for it seems to be the way it works; even when the fees aren't really needed as more than enough income is created by Concours de Belote and Loto.

On reflection I think my earlier post may have broken the DNFTT rule.

Feb 27, 2015 at 8:08 PM | Unregistered CommenterSandyS

Vivre La France!

Feb 27, 2015 at 8:10 PM | Unregistered CommenterJack Savage

After Charlie ,Je Suis Skeptic de Climate

Feb 27, 2015 at 8:54 PM | Unregistered CommenterJamspid

Lots of O/T comments removed.

Feb 27, 2015 at 9:52 PM | Registered CommenterBishop Hill


Lots of O/T comments removed.

Hmmm, interesting!

Feb 27, 2015 at 10:03 PM | Unregistered Commenter...and Then There's Physics

I think a few of the ordinary people here in France are beginning to wake up and smell the coffee. Hollande is deeply unpopular, France is in recession as far as the ordinary blue collar worker is concerned and Hollande has been off to the Philippines to tout his particularly dumb version of climate change. Like a Francobama he wants to be the one who saves the world in Paris this year and it is not looking good at the moment. The only beneficiaries from this conference will be hoteliers and Disney Land.

Feb 27, 2015 at 10:16 PM | Unregistered CommenterIvor Ward

Sorry Bish but staying off topic and staying after Charlie Hebdo

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/02/marine-le-pen-is-winning-frances-gay-vote-and-its-jewish-one/

The French authorities with have to divert thousands of policemen away from guarding Jewish neighborhoods to protecting the upcoming Paris Climate Conference.

Bitter Irony

Thousands of Jews are now fleeing France for their own safety and the Jews remaining are now turning to Marine Le Pen National Front Party.

Seems President Hollande can protect France from Global Warming but cant protect France from advancing Islamic Extremism and advancing Fascism.

Feb 28, 2015 at 7:31 AM | Unregistered Commenterjamspid

Je suis Climat Optimist.

Feb 28, 2015 at 8:53 AM | Unregistered Commenteroebele bruinsma

The french are lovely people, not sarc, but they cannot loose the bureaucratie. 50€ is a bit steep to join and smacks of something a little more than an amateurist gathering.
I am well known in these parts for my anti-AGW views so maybe I'll get a call. I'm standing by the phone, though.

Feb 28, 2015 at 9:32 AM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

Bish, given a bit of time i'l try to translate the site. It looks quite sensible, not rabid anti.

Feb 28, 2015 at 9:39 AM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

Oh, thanks a bunch, oebele bruinsma - you beat me to it....

Feb 28, 2015 at 10:21 AM | Unregistered Commentersherlock1

"struggle against the unjustified pessimism that reigns with regard to the planet's climate future".

Thats just brilliantly said.

Feb 28, 2015 at 11:44 AM | Unregistered Commenternormalnew

It is common practice in france to pay for membership of a club. I pay 23€/an to my astronomy club but all associations(clubs) have the right to ask the mairie for a subvention which can range from 10€ to several hundred. There are rules which were put in place in 1901 regarding the operation/management of these clubs and their relationship to the mairie. E.g. The mairie has right of intervention in the running of the association even though they may donate a large sum of money buy the mairie can withdraw the subvention at any time. Therefore, it is essential, and most mairies demand it, that the association members pay an annual fee. This fee may only be a few €s or could be a one off payment for use of facilities (eg tennis court). The members must present their accounts when asked and at the end of every year before the following year's subvention is given.

We gave (normally) 200€ /an but a bit more on start up. The extra was to be paid back at the end of the first year. As I said, I find 50€ unacceptibly high but it is possible that his maire has decided not to back him.

Feb 28, 2015 at 7:37 PM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

"struggle against the unjustified pessimism that reigns with regard to the planet's climate future".

Thats just brilliantly said.

normalnew

The french do have some very quaint ways of expressing themselves, which I absolutely love. Here are a few:

Il n'y a pas un feu au lac -------------- There isn't a fire on the lake ( don't rush)

Le rideau s'est collé au fenêtre ----------- My trousers are stuck to my bum----- (literally) The curtains are stuck to the window.

There are of course many many more.

Feb 28, 2015 at 7:42 PM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

Vivre La France!

Feb 27, 2015 at 8:10 PM | Unregistered CommenterJack Savage

Jack

Vive La France.

Feb 28, 2015 at 7:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

Vivre La France!

Feb 27, 2015 at 8:10 PM | Unregistered CommenterJack Savage

Jack

Vive La France.

Feb 28, 2015 at 7:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

Sorry about the double. I go a page error 503 I think it was.

Feb 28, 2015 at 7:45 PM | Unregistered CommenterStephen Richards

mon aéroglisseur est plein d' anguilles

Mar 1, 2015 at 10:33 AM | Unregistered CommenterCharlie

Weaver fish the climate optimists!

Mar 1, 2015 at 9:42 PM | Unregistered Commenterosseo

Nice one Charlie. Translated from the original Hungarian?

Mar 2, 2015 at 1:38 PM | Unregistered Commenterstun

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