This is what ambulance chasing looks like

Not wanting to be outdone on the disgusting specimen front, James Murray of Business Green is trying to make climate change hay out of the plight of Mediterreanean refugees.

Is there a competition on to see who can be the most revolting climate change activist at the moment?

Update on Apr 25, 2015 by Bishop Hill

Gaia Fawkes picks up the story too.

Comments

[John Marshall]

Also Milliband's claim this morning. So it's political for our GE.

[Mikky]

At least he is upfront about what this is all about, the Business(Green) opportunity provided by gullible western govts and individuals, worshiping the new God or paying the protection money to the mob.

[Ben Pile]

Unfortunately for James Murray, the IPCC suggests that the forms of policy and energy he is in favour of are proven causes of human conflict and suffering...

Research is beginning to show that climate change mitigation and adaptation actions can increase the risk of armed conflict, as well as compound vulnerabilities in certain populations (Bumpus and Liverman, 2008; Adger and Barnett, 2009; Webersik, 2010; Fairhead et al., 2012; Marino and Ribot, 2012; Steinbruner et al., 2012). This is based on robust evidence that violent political struggles occur over the distribution of benefits from natural resources (Peluso and Watts, 2001). Hence, in circumstances where property rights and conflict management institutions are ineffective or illegitimate, efforts to mitigate or adapt to climate change that change the distribution of access to resources have the potential to create and aggravate conflict. IPCC AR5 Chapter 12 (12.5.2) page 17.

Violent conflict increases vulnerability to climate change (medium evidence, high agreement). Large-scale violent conflict harms assets that facilitate adaptation, including infrastructure, institutions, natural resources, social capital, and livelihood opportunities. IPCC AR5 SPM

Actions taken in response to climate change can aggravate existing significant inequalities or grievances over resources (Marino and Ribot, 2012), limit access to land and other resources required to maintain livelihoods, or otherwise undermine critical aspects of human security (Bumpus and Liverman, 2008, Fairhead et al., 2012). Maladaptation or greenhouse gas mitigation efforts at odds with local priorities and property rights may increase the risk of conflict in populations, particularly where institutions governing access to property are weak, or favour one group over another (Barnett and O'Neill, 2010; Butler and Gates, 2012, McEvoy and Wilder, 2012). Research on the rapid expansion of biofuels production includes studies connecting land grabbing, land dispossession, and social conflict (Molony and Smith, 2010; Borras et al., 2010; Dauverge and Neville, 2010; Vermeulen and Cotula, 2010). One study has identified possible links between increased biofuels production, food price spikes, and social instability such as riots (Johnstone and Mazo, 2011).

The provision of financial resources in payment for ecosystem services projects, such as are associated with Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), has the potential to stimulate conflict over resources and property rights (Melick, 2010). For example, efforts to ensure 'REDD readiness' in Tanzania (Beymer-Farris and Bassett, 2012; 2013; Burgess et al., 2013) and the Congo basin (Brown et al., 2011) have been contested, and placed communities in conflict with conservationists and governments. Eriksen and Lind (2009) similarly find that climate change adaptation interventions in Kenya have aggravated surrounding conflicts.

Climate change mitigation will increase demand for deployment of less carbon-intensive forms of energy, including hydropower some of which have historically resulted in social conflict and human insecurity (for example because of forced resettlement), and this is a basis for concern about increased violence and insecurity in the future (Conca, 2005; McDonald-Wilmsen et al., 2010; Sherbinin et al., 2011). Other research points to an increased use of nuclear power increasing the threat of nuclear proliferation or incidents of nuclear terrorism (Socolow and Glaser, 2009, Steinbruner et al., 2012). Climate policy responses also have the potential to reduce conflict in various ways, as explained further in Section 12.5.4.

[davidchappell]

Provide cheap, reliable energy in the refugees' homelands? Nah, that would never work in solving the refugee problem. Do I need to add /sarc?

[chris moffatt]

I think what he is trying to state with all that prolixity is that the refugee crisis can be ended by making conditions in those countries the refugees want to get to as bad as in the countries the refugees now want to leave. That done there is no incentive for refugees to go anywhere.

[golf charlie]

I think linking failed political, economic and religious dogma, compounded by human greed and despair, is a good comparison for global warming alarmists.

Miliband really ought to get more credit for his achievements.

[Kevin Marshall]

It is no more tangential to reality than claiming that beyond 2 or 3 degrees of warming will be a planetary tipping point, or that many countries will sign up to a climate agreement knowing it will curtail economic growth and create political instability. This nonsense occurs through believing in the supremacy of models over understanding real world data, and failing to properly challenge claims made by people they broadly agree with.

[Adam Gallon]

Nice to see that every single comment to date on his article, denounces him & his stance.

[M Courtney]

If the PM goes to war and promises to look after the conquered country... and then doesn't - shouldn't it be mentioned when campaigning for re-election?

Blair is not yet forgiven for Iraq but Cameron gets a free pass?

It seems the Left is less hypocritical than the Right. We are willing to put right before Party.

And this linked article is ridiculous. Does he think there's never been bad weather in Africa before? Does he turn deaf in every department store at Christmastime?
This is worse now because of civil war and the military rise of militant Islam.

[Dave Ward]

Stuff like this makes me really angry - not just for the obvious reasons, but that I (almost certainly) won't have the opportunity to give some verbal abuse to a Green Party candidate at the front door. I can't remember when we last had ANY parliamentary candidate bother to canvass us - we get the usual blizzard of leaflets pushed through the letterbox and numerous emails from the current incumbent, but a knock on the door? Sod the lot of them, I'm sick of being taken for granted...

[Salopian]

Courtney, 8:36 pm; "Blair is not yet forgiven for Iraq but Cameron gets a free pass?. It seems the Left is less hypocritical than the Right. We are willing to put right before Party."

Blair will never be forgiven, until when/if the Chilcott Report finally gets released, assuming it finds him innocent. The air-strikes by RAF aircraft in Libya, went ahead with Parliamentary approval, including an endorsement by Ed Miliband and his Shadow Cabinet.

[jamspid]

"Darfur as the world's first climate change conflict".
So nothing to do with Moslem and Christian and religious cleansing in Sudan ,creating famine as a weapon of extermination.

Giving Cameron a free pass

Blaming Civil War on Climate Change giving a bunch of Genocidal Maniacs a free pass more like.Climate Change providing the perfect Western excuse for third world butchery.

[golf charlie]

If ambulance chasers were only given a free pass, they would be less likely to cause so much carnage for others to report on.

[Anthony Hanwell]

As Adam Gallon points out above, the comments are overwhelmingly hostile. Don't miss them!

[johanna]

Not just overwhelmingly hostile, 100% hostile. Bewdy!

Big fail for this creep. How low can you go.

[M Courtney]

Apr 24, 2015 at 10:24 PM | Registered Commenter Salopian
The most recent precedent of asking Parliament for the right to go to war was actually set by Blair over Iraq.

He had full buy in.
And he blundered.

So did Cameron. But the Right seems to be satisfied with the outcome in Libya - or at least they won't admit he blundered.

[Hot under the collar]

Is James after a job with the BBC or the Guardian?

Front page stuff for the Guardian James, but I don't think the comments section will pass the Guardian moderation-propaganda policy.

[johanna]

Hottie - I expect that even the Grauniad would have the sense not to allow comments on rubbish like this.

Still recall with great pleasure when they were stupid enough to allow comments on the Greenpeace defence of the idiots who boarded a Russian-owned drilling rig. It was too much to bear for even rusted-on readers.

[ImranCan]

It was worth the pain and anger of reading through that vile ideology to be then treated to those wonderful comments. Nothing but condemnation. All of them.

[jaffa]

"is precisely the kind of disaster security analysts expect to see worsen in a world afflicted by escalating climate change"

I think this should read.

"is precisely the kind of disaster security analysts expect to see worsen in a world afflicted by an invasion of hostile space aliens"

[ATheoK]

Bishop:
Regarding the 'Update addendum'; should that be 'Guido Hawkes', not 'Gaia Hawkes'?

Or is there a joke I missed?

[mike fowle]

ATheoK - It's at Guido (Fawkes) site but eco loony stories are tagged as Gaia Fawkes.