Just as we start winter, and the weather deteriorates, and with gas prices already set to rise significantly, our eminently sensible masters in Brussels decide we should shut an entire gas field down, so as not to upset the yanks who've taken agin the Iranians.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-11773735

Guardian: "web users unite to power climate change project"
Home PC users invited to carry out pioneering research by tracking links between global warming and extreme weather
By running advanced climate models while their PCs are idle, participants will estimate how often heatwaves, floods and hurricanes will strike in the next few decades. The initiative will also indicate how much of the blame for these events can be attributed to greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/17/weatherathome-climate-change-weather-project

Bishop Hill readers looking for an expensive 'green' Xmas present for a spoilt grandchild are directed to the Horizon H-Racer. The child will learn some useful lessons about green technology: (i) when the sun isn't shining, you have to use AA batteries to recharge the car [i.e., coal-fired powerstations in the grown-up world], (ii) the fuel cell will fail and replacement is very expensive [about half the cost of the car, in the case of this toy], and (iii) after four minutes driving, you are out of fuel and will need to recharge [there's an energy density moral in there].

Yesterday I attended the book forum on Roger Pielke Jr's book, "The Climate Fix", sponsored by the GWPF at thr Legatum Institute in London.

Maurizio Morabito left his impressions here: http://omniclimate.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/microblogging-of-roger-pielke-jrs-london-debate-with-benny-peiser/

I got Roger to sign my copy of his book and I did chat with him briefly but I'm afraid I asked him more questions than gave him a chance to reply to them.

Lord Lawson was there but he left just as the Q&A bit was starting.

Roger's main argument was that state intervention in energy policy and R&D is a reality, it's not a question of whether it should be done or not, and we just have to make it work sensibly towards decarbonization policies - regardless of the climate issue. I hope this is a good summary of his views as he put them.

Benny Peiser essentially argued that state intervention, also on energy matters, is not only unnecessary but counter-productive. He made a point about shale gas making the energy crisis obsolete.

There wasn't much more to it really. Several members of the press seemed to be present as they were furiously taking notes but they didn't really ask anything.

The GWPF was distributing hard copies of Andrew's report on Climategate so I got one.

I was fortunate enough to get into a delightful conversation with a lady commenter to this blog - "age" or "h"? and her friend.

From the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11771754

Mr Cameron said: "We're not going to get a global legally-binding deal at Cancun... eventually when you've got countries like Britain and maybe states in America that are leading the way on electric cars, on solar panels, on heat pumps... when other countries see the success of green growth and the green economy, even the laggards are going to say 'hold on, I want a piece of this'."

Are we leading the way on electric cars and solar panels?

Richard Black's back...

...and I'm being removed for further consideration allready.... (Comment 17)

I only mentioned this article about Bishop Hill's Submission.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/2010/11/copenhagen_or_babel_-_a_climat.html

This could be AGW sceptics' anniversary present for climategate: Sarkozy has pulled the plug on France's super ministry of environment:

Great News! Sarkozy Kills French Super Environment Ministry “Medad”

According the the American Geophysical Union, John Christy and Richard Lindzen are not considered to have enough expertise on climate to talk to journalists:

http://europe.wsj.com/video/opinion-journal-manufactured-climate-consensus/09830130-409E-4202-A205-55365DC06B76.html

An amusing comment found on the page linked too by Turning Tide below.

"Journalists can try to influence public opinion, and I am glad to see that you Richard are sticking to your guns unlike many others, but what to do about "climate fatigue" and what do the public know anyway? Catastrophic Anthropogenic Climate Change is the biggest threat to mankind and democracy is the biggest impediment to saving mankind, democracy must be put on hold until this one is fixed, and perhaps a few more big problems need to be fixed at the same time."

Suspend democracy and do what you want guys! That'll fix it!

@Barry Woods

Black is back - talking about Cancun: Copenhagen or Babel? A climate conundrum