EnviroSpin Watch

Europe's hypocrisy and shame needs to be thrown in the Manneken Pis.....

For 10 years, ecochondriac Europe has been lecturing and haranguing the rest of the world about 'The Great Global Warming Scare'. Its hypocrisy knows no bounds. The reality is truly shame-making:

(a) Germany, Europe's biggest emitter of so-called 'greenhouse gases', has just announced that it will permit an increase in emissions, and the German cabinet has decided to exclude the coal industry from the EU's carbon-trading programme, permitting new coal plants to opt out [see: 'New German rule could increase greenhouse gas emissions' (The New York Times, June 29: log-in usually required); 'Berlin accused of capitulating to industry in carbon emission targets' (The Financial Times, June 29); and, 'Germany gives coal opt out under CO₂ emission plan' (Planet Ark, June 29)];

(b) France is to keep its extremely generous CO₂ allowances to support its struggling economy [see: 'France to cut but keep generous CO₂ cap in 2008-12' (Planet Ark, June 29)];

(c) Greece is going to be a marathon off its Kyoto targets (forecasting that, by 2015, CO₂ emissions will have increased by 47.7% from 1990 levels, and by 58.3% in 2020). It is facing a massive fine; just watch it run the marathon - away from Brussels. Nearly all other European countries, like Ireland, Spain, and Portugal, have equally appalling records [see: 'Greece fails on Kyoto targets' (Kathimerini, June 29)].

Now, one wouldn't mind all this if Europe hadn't been so self-righteous and so 'holier-than-thou' over climate change. After all, readers of 'EnviroSpin' know too well that the Kyoto Protocol won't work, that governments will not be able to cut emissions, and that it is a nonsense in any case. Moreover, the hard economic reasons for failure have been recognised for a long time [see, for example: 'New studies reveal real cost of Kyoto Protocol' (PR Newswire, November 7, 2005)]:

(1) Kyoto targets will cause average rises of 26% in European electricity prices;

(2) Kyoto targets will cause average rises of 41% in natural gas prices by 2010;

(3) There will be significant job losses of at least 200,000 in most countries, rising to as many as 611,000 in Spain by 2010;

(4) There will be serious damage to European economies, with significant reductions in GDP below base levels by 2010: 0.8% for Germany; 3.1% Spain; 2.1% Italy; and, 1.1% the UK.

The truth is simple. There is no way that Europe can, or will, cut its emissions in any significant fashion. Why does it, therefore, try to tell us differently? It is surely time to come clean, and to throw the nauseating ecochondriac rhetoric into the Manneken Pis. There have been too many sops to the strident Green lobby, and it has to stop. In a globalising world, Europe cannot afford to lose its competitive edge. The thought of a declining France and Germany is not a "nappy one".

Philip, increasingly angry that, in Europe, we have been talking such codswallop and cant over climate. No wonder there is deep cynicism over the EU and its political pontificating. Still things are looking up - it's time for tea. [Hat tip to Dr. Benny Peiser for the above links].

The 'global warming' industry (mafia?).....

The excellent John Brignell over at Number Watch has produced a wondrous list of everything that the 'global warming' industry, or mafia, has concocted as media scares (and all on 0.6 degrees C over 100 to 150 years): 'A complete list of things caused by global warming'.

If you think John has missed any of the rampant nonsense (there is so much!), he is keen to augment the list, and he provides a contact so that you can keep him up-to-date with the 'Climate Change Follies'.

John is a man who knows how to balance risks, and he is indefatiguable in rooting out the misuse of statistics. For one's sanity in this febrile world, Number Watch is thus always worth a visit.

Philip, off into the garden. A lovely day, with warm sun and a gentle, cooling breeze. Coffee 'neath the laburnum, I think, with The Times crossword. "Yes dear! I'll repaint the front steps soon!"

Europe's climate policies fall apart.....

As long-predicted on 'EnviroSpin', Europe's blatant hypocrisy in constantly claiming the moral high ground over climate change is being revealed for all to witness. It is not a pleasant sight.

Europe's leadership is in tatters, as economic reality catches up with the rhetoric. Let's hope that we are witnessing the beginning of the end of European hype and hubris over 'global warming': 'Germany to spark "climate crisis"' (BBC Online Science/Nature News, June 27):

"The German government is about to trigger a new crisis in Europe's flagship climate policy, the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

BBC News understands the German cabinet is likely to agree a deal that will reduce carbon emissions from industry by only 0.6% between 2004 and 2012.

The decision is likely to influence other EU countries, including the UK, which still have to set their own caps.

Climate analysts now fear a meltdown of EU climate leadership....." (read on)

And you know things have truly collapsed when even the Swedes turn up [I was tempted to put 'turnip' - as you see, I resisted] the heat in the sauna. Birch twigs all round.

In practice, of course, there has never been any "climate leadership", just pompous blather. It is surely time for the people of Europe to be told the round, unvarnished facts of life about the 'Great Global Warming Myth' - as in my blog below.

Philip, European countries may be doing okay in the Football World Cup, but, in the Carbon World Cup, there are more dives and histrionics than in a local squad from Napoli. Time to call foul, and to show a few Red Cards. A beaker of the warm south first, of course. "Lachrymae Christi?" "Mama mia! There goes young Vesuvio - erupting with the ball in the centre circle. He passes to Lava. Can he beat that old hand, Pliny, in goal?"