Archive for the ‘Alarmism’ Category
December 23, 2010
From the Telegraph:
Anarchists are suspected of having launched parcel bomb attacks on the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome.
Swiss Embassy Rome: image flickr.com
The first explosion, which occurred at midday (11amGMT) seriously injured a caretaker at the Swiss embassy. The second, which occurred at around 3pm (2pm GMT), was at the Chilean embassy, also injuring one person. The Rome prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation on suspicion of “an attack with terrorist aims,” ANSA news agency reported
One of the investigators said that one of the main lines of inquiry was on “anarchist circles of the eco-terrorist movement.”
The parcel bomb delivered to the Swiss embassy in Rome exploded in the hands of a mail worker who opened the package. “A device hidden inside a package exploded in the embassy. at midday (1100 GMT),” the Swiss embassy said in a statement. “The postal worker’s hands were injured and he was immediately taken to hospital,” it added. The embassy said there had been no claim of responsibility. The injured man is a 53-year-old Swiss national and he risks the amputation of one or both his hands but his life is not in danger.
Tags:Eco-terrorism, Rome, Rome embassy bombs
Posted in Alarmism, Behaviour, Italy, Urban Living | Comments Off on Rome embassy bombs set by “eco-terrorists”
December 23, 2010
Polar Bear (Sow And Cub), Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska: Image via Wikipedia
In spite of a great deal of PR from alarmist and global warming lobbies in the past week, the US has decided not to change the status of polar bears from “threatened” to “endangered”.
From the Washington Post:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told a U.S. District Court judge Wednesday that the threatened designation will not change because polar bears were not considered to be in danger of extinction at the time of the listing in 2008.
“The Service explained how its biologists had concluded in 2008 that the polar bear was not facing sudden and catastrophic threats [and] was still a widespread species that had not been restricted to a critically small range or critically low numbers,” the agency said in a statement.
Kassie Siegel, director of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity, called the administration’s decision “a huge disappointment.” Arctic ice, the bears’ hunting ground, is melting and bears are starving to death, she said.
“It’s a wasted opportunity to do the right thing,” Siegel said. “The government’s own studies show about an 80 percent chance of extinction of two-thirds of the world’s polar bears in the next 40 years.”
AS WUWT reports
Some enironmentalists heads are exploding right about now. This pretty well slams the door on the polar bears threatened by global warming meme. Now we know why there was a flurry of questionable press releases this past week like these:
Polar bears no longer on ‘thin ice’: researchers say polar bears could face brighter future: “a combination of greenhouse gas mitigation and control of adverse human activities in the Arctic can lead to a more promising future for polar bear populations and their sea ice habitat“
Polar bears: On thin ice? Extinction can be averted, scientists say
Cutting greenhouse gases now is the key
Polar bears still on thin ice, but cutting greenhouse gases now can avert extinction
or as the BBC puts it
Polar bears not endangered, US confirms
Tags:Polar bear, Polar bears not endangered, United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Posted in Alarmism, Biodiversity, US, Wildlife | Comments Off on US: Polar bears are “threatened” but not “endangered”
December 21, 2010
It used to be that the Global Warming zealots warned about the possible disappearance of snow and the mild and wet winters to come in Europe. But their arrogance knows no bounds. They have changed their tune and irrespective of what weather may prevail they mange to put it down to Global Warming. They now put the coldest December in a hundred years and the current white-out across Northern Europe down to Global Warming.
That snow outside is what global warming looks like
James Delingpole at The Telegraph is lauging his socks off.
Not to be outdone, the SMH thinks the possibility of having a White Christmas during the height of Australia’s summer is also due to Global Warming!!!!
The Alarmists cannot live with the thought that man made effects are puny and inconsequential compared to the effects of the sun.
Mild winters, warm winters, early winters, coldest winters in 100 years are all quoted in defence of global warming dogma. They are all merely grist to the mill of Global Warming arrogance.
Science has been left behind in some far and distant galaxy.
Tags:climate, climate change, early winter, global warming, weather, white Christmas
Posted in Alarmism, Climate, Science, Weather, Winter | Comments Off on Global warming arrogance takes “credit” for the white-out in Europe and the White Christmas in Australia
December 18, 2010
Kallaste december på 135 år
says the Svenska Dagbladet
http://www.thelocal.se/30914/20101217/
Power outages, traffic accidents as well as train and flight delays have left Swedes reeling from Thursday’s snowstorm, which forecasters say isn’t over yet.
“Slippery conditions will continue across the country. There is already a lot of snow on the roads,” SMHI’s Elin Torstensson told the TT news agency.
She explained that Sweden has experienced more cold days and more snow than is normal for December.
“There were a number of days in a row with below-freezing temperatures, so called ice days. And that we have that before Lucia (December 13th) hasn’t happened in more than 100 years,” she said.
Meteorology agency SMHI has issued a class 1 warning covering all of northern Sweden due to the large amounts of new snow, combined with the strong winds.
The agency also forecasts that the snow will continue throughout much of the country on Friday. Snow showers are expected to continue throughout the weekend over parts of Götaland and southern Svealand in central Sweden, with light flurries forecast for the north of the country.
“We’re expecting about five centimetres of new snow,” said SMHI’s Torstensson. Temperatures on Saturday are expected to range from a few degrees below freezing in Götaland to -25 Celsius in the far north, before cooling somewhat on Sunday when temperatures in the northern Sweden may dip down to 35 degrees below zero.
Weather not climate of course, but the credibility of so-called climate science is disappearing with its alarmist displays of arrogance.
Tags:coldest December, early winter, Sweden
Posted in Alarmism, Climate, Sweden, Weather | Comments Off on Coldest December in 135 years
December 16, 2010
After a week in Southern India with minimum nighttime temperatures of around 20°C and maximum daytime temperatures of about 28°C, I am now in Delhi where the minimum nighttime temperature is about 5°C and where the daytime maximum touches about 25°C. Without widespread central heating being available, Delhi feels cold and on the streets everybody is bundled up in woollens, jackets, scarves and blankets and the occasional Balaclava.
In the meantime, Scandinavia and the UK and Northern Europe are bracing themselves for another cold wave and much snow. Next week I shall be back in about minus 20°C.
Swedish winter
Humans thrive in daily variations – every day – which range from 10 to 20°C and seasonal variations of temperature – every year – of 40 °C and sometimes upto 50°C.
The global warming doomsday scenarios seem puny and nonsensical in the face of human adaptability and ingenuity.
A good thing that Cancun didn’t do too much and deferred everything again but of course the jamboree can – and will – continue next year in S. Africa. But “global warming” is going out of fashion and I have the gut feeling that climate alarmism is beginning to be seen in perspective.
Since the 1970s, the long-term rate of global warming has been around 0.16C a decade but that slowed in the last 10 years to between 0.05C – 0.13C depending on which of the three major temperature record series are used.
Global warming has slowed down in the past decade
Tags:climate alarmism, Temperature variations, weather
Posted in Alarmism, Climate, Weather | Comments Off on Winter variations and global warming
December 8, 2010
Image via Wikipedia
While visiting relatives in Bangalore I notice that all their solar powered lamps – installed a year or so ago in a surge of environmental consciousness – are all just ornaments on the garden path and provide no light any more. Any talk about them is somewhat embarassing and discouraged!!!
But at least in India the incandescent light bulb is not banned as it is in the environmentally alarmist EU.
As I have posted before I find the entire low energy lamp movement totally unconvincing and whenever I do the sums I find the environmental impact on reducing carbon footprint (which in any case is of little importance) to be quite insignificant.
Moreover, I find the low energy lamps cold and unattractive compared to the simple old-fashioned, incandescent light bulb.
Now comes confirmation that in fact the low energy lamps are not that environmentally friendly:
Consumer protection organisations have demanded a suspension of the EU ban on incandescent light bulbs, citing official tests that showed the new compact fluorescent lamps to be dangerous if broken.
The energy saving bulbs show mercury levels 20 times higher than regulations allow in the air surrounding them for up to five hours after they are broken, according to tests released Thursday by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
“If the industry can’t manage to offer safe bulbs, then the incandescent bulbs must remain on the market until autumn of 2011,” said Gerd Billen, the leader of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZVB).
I for one would be very happy to see their return.
Tags:Alarmism, global warming, Incandescent light bulb
Posted in Alarmism, Business, Energy, Environment | 4 Comments »
December 5, 2010
The Cancun jamboree enters it’s second week with efforts being made to reduce expectations even further. It is clear that any extension of Kyoto will be deferred till next year – again- and the pressure is now to get sufficient at Cancun next week to be able pronounce a success.
But the mood of the world has changed. Politicians lag the world by a few months and it is apparent that there are vry few who are leaders.
From the Hindu:
With Japan’s forthright statement on Monday and reluctance on the part of the other countries such as Russia, Canada and Australia to commit to a second phase, the entire negotiation is fraught with uncertainty.
To add to this the ALBA or the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, which comprise nations of the South America and the Caribbean, has upped the ante by demanding a firm commitment from developed nations to the second phase of the Kyoto protocol, putting pressure on the main polluters. Matters were worsened by rumours of a secret text floated at the conference, which was strenuously denied by Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), on Thursday. The secret text, according to a statement released by NGOs says the presidency of the conference of parties, Mexico, has convened an exclusive small group of countries aimed at agreeing on a text on the most sensitive topic, the mitigation efforts of developed and developing countries.
Ms. Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), briefing the press, denied there was any secret Mexican text. Japan was clear about its position for a long time and it comes as no surprise that it had made a statement on its position, she reiterated. “The challenge of Cancun is how to formulate the broad array of proposals from developed countries under the UNFCCC framework,” she said. Even the position of the ALBA countries was known and there was no news there. Their position was 180 degrees opposite to Japan. “I don’t think it will be possible to guarantee a second commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. And it could be addressed later, but not at Cancun,” she said.
Expectations are being walked back.
Tags:Alarmism, Cancún, IPCC, Kyoto, Kyoto Protocol, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Posted in Alarmism, Climate, Environment, UN | Comments Off on Cancun won’t because it can’t
December 2, 2010
Jun Arima, an official in the government’s economics trade and industry department, in an open session at Cancun bluntly stated that “Japan will not inscribe its target under the Kyoto protocol on any conditions or under any circumstances.”
Kyoto stop
The Guardian is concerned which is a good sign in itself:
The brief statement…. was the strongest yet made against the protocol by one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
“For Japan to come out with a statement like that at the beginning of the talks is significant,” said one British official. “The forthrightness of the statement took people by surprise.”
If it proves to be a new, formal position rather than a negotiating tactic, it could provoke a walk-out by some developing countries and threaten a breakdown in the talks. Last night diplomats were urgently trying to clarify the position. The move provoked alarm among the G77, the grouping of developing countries who regard the Kyoto protocol as the world’s only binding agreement on climate change cuts. Japan gave no reasons for making its brief statement on the second day of the talks, but diplomats said last night that it represented a hardening of its line. “Japan has stated before that it wants only one legal instrument and that it would be unfair to continue the protocol,” said one official who did not wish to be named.
Bloomberg writes:
China and Brazil led developing nations in saying Japan’s refusal to help extend the Kyoto Protocol to curb greenhouse gas emissions may halt work on a global accord to combat global warming.
A total of 37 developed countries, including Japan, ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, agreeing to set limits on fossil fuel emissions. The Kyoto accord expires in December 2012 and with no other agreement to replace it, delegates at the United Nation climate talks in Cancun, Mexico, say extending the protocol is crucial.
“The Kyoto Protocol is the very basis of the framework to address climate change through international cooperation,” China’s envoy, Su Wei told reporters in Cancun. “If the pillar is collapsed, you can guess the consequences.”
Tags:Cancún, climate change, IPCC, Japan, Kyoto Protocol, United Nation
Posted in Alarmism, Climate, Environment, UN | Comments Off on Some good news from Cancun: Japan refuses to extend Kyoto protocol
December 2, 2010
King crabs are too successful as a species and therefore must be exterminated says the WWF. Biodiversity is threatened says the alarmist message! It will not be long before they start demanding the extermination of humans who are encroaching on other species.
Yngve Pedersen fishing for King Crabs: image SvD FOTO: BJÖRN LINDAHL
From Svenska Dagbladet (free translation):
They are large and are served as a delicacy all over the world. Along the windy Finnmark coast in northern Norway, they have become a welcome sideline providing a turnover of 100 million kronor just as a raw material. It does not help. Exterminate every single one, believes the World Widlife Fund.
We are talking about king crabs, giant crabs, originally from Kamchatka on the Russian Pacific coast. From 1961 to 1969 they were transplanted into the Barents Sea to provide the residents of Murmansk with more food sources. 2500 adult crabs were transported by air and the Trans-Siberian railroad, and were released into the sea.
The population of the Kola Peninsula was briefed by radio and all the fishermen were asked to inform the authorities if they found any crabs. Five years passed without any being found. But then in 1974 a fisherman caught a queen crab. The shell of that crab is still kept at the Polar Research Institute in Murmansk.
But in the early 1990’s, the number of crabs exploded. Today the Russian quota is 3.2 million crabs per year. In Norway, they catch just over 300 000 crabs. The problem is that the crabs are voracious and will eat almost anything they can find on the seabed.
The WWF has now reported Norway to the International Council on Biological Diversity and has demanded that the species be exterminated as an “alien” species and it has been blacklisted by the Council. “It is crazy to let the stock grow further. Nine out of ten species in the Varanger Fjord has disappeared, “says Nina Jensen of WWF Norway.
But Norwegian marine biologists at Havsforskningsinstituttet in Bergen think it is just an exaggeration. “It is not true that nine out of ten species have disappeared. But the crabs have significant negative consequences, but what we know about nature is that it will recover when the crabs have left the area”, said Jan H. Sundet.
The largest crabs can weigh seven kilos, but after the stock began to be taxed, the average weight remained at 3-4 kg. The maximum paid was 90 NOK per kg. Svenska Dagbladet followed crab fisherman Yngve Pedersen from Bugøynes, located in Finnmark about fifty km from the Russian border, as he brought up a large catch of crabs in the Varanger Fjord.
“I started to fish for crabs 1998. This year I have a quota of 2800 kilos, for which I get at least 50 kronor a kilo. So I earned 200 000 kronor on crab this year. Compared with other kinds of fishing, it is an easy job. A dead cod is placed on a hook as bait inside the large cage. The crabs crawl in and most are not able to crawl out again. An orange buoy marks the location of the cages and all that is needed is to hoist it up and empty it over the catch table. Injured crabs with missing claws are discarded. “It is perhaps 10-15 percent of them. But the claw grows back”, said Yngve Pedersen.
He himself has an ambivalent relationship with the crabs. “They do great damage to the nets when we fish cod and eat all the bait when fishing by line. But our crab quota is in a sense a compensation for that. But the crab are not at home here, so if it were possible to eradicate them I would not have anything against it. “But I do not think it is possible. The Russians do not have any such plans and new crabs arrive all the time. We may be able to reduce the stock so that it pays better to catch them, that’s all”.
Tags:extermination of species, King Crab, Norway, WWF Alarmism
Posted in Alarmism, Biodiversity, Economy, Environment, Wildlife | Comments Off on WWF wants every single King Crab to be exterminated!!
November 29, 2010
The Cancun jamboree kicked-off today and started by reiterating the Global Warming Alarmist creed. Drastic – should we say Draconian? – measures would be needed. Some of the suggestions :
- Stop economic growth in rich countries within 20 years
- Introduce food rationing
- Change lifestyles (reduce heating)
- limit electricity usage
- food transport be limited (to save on carbon footprint one understands!)
- people compelled to use public transport
The usual dire warnings of rising sea levels, droughts in river basins and mass migrations were not left out.
It sounds remarkably like the rantings of Pentti Linkola and his ecofascism.
The Telegraph has the whole story but it requires a strong stomach to read it all in one sitting!
Tags:Alarmism, Cancún, global warming, IPCC, UN
Posted in Alarmism, Behaviour, Climate, Fraud, UN | 1 Comment »
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