In the week a UN study warned of dire consequences for the planet, predicting a 6-deg. rise in the Earth's temperature, Tory climate-sceptics gather in Europe.
Conservative MEP Roger Helmer is today hosting a “climate sceptics’ conference” in Brussels. The news once again undermines David Cameron’s claims to that the electorate can “Vote Blue, Go Green“.
James Delingpole, wrote yesterday on his Telegraph blog, that:
“Today I’m off on the Eurostar to Brussels (”a carbon neutral journey” it boasts on my ticket – which rather makes me wish I were flying instead) to speak at the European Parliament on Climate Change.
“No, don’t worry. The Goreistas haven’t got to me. It’s a sceptics’ conference – Have Humans Changed Climate? – being staged tomorrow by Tory MEP Roger Helmer. Many of my science and eco-heroes will be there, including Patrick Moore (the co-founder of Greenpeace who subsequently bailed when the charity turned far too red), Prof Fred Singer (who’ll be talking on Can We Trust The IPCC?) and Professor Ross McKitrick (who famously helped expose the notorious Hockey Stick curve).”
Sessions at the conference include “Why can’t we trust IPCC?”, “How the Sun and its solar winds affects our climate” and “Media Bias, Climate Alarmism and the Rise of the New Media.”
In his “Straight Talking – September 2009” newsletter, Helmer writes:
“Far too often there is an assumption that everyone is in agreement on the climate change issue; I am pleased to be able to go some way to demonstrating that that is simply not so. I shall keep you posted on the event.”
The climate sceptics conference comes in the same week as the warnings from the UN’s Global Carbon Project study of a six-degree rise in the Earth’s temperature this century, which could lead to a climate not seen for 100 million years, extinctising almost all life and reducing humanity to a few struggling groups living near the poles
This statement will, no doubt, concern David Cameron who said in his conference speech, “The dangers of climate change are stark and very real. If we don’t act now, and act quickly, we could face disaster.”
The conference comes on the back of news this morning that shadow health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has campaigned against a wind farm close to his Cambridgeshire South constituency on the spurious grounds of noise pollution.
Minister of State for Energy, Joan Ruddock told Left Foot Forward:
“While serious politicians wrestle with getting a deal to tackle climate change in Copenhagen, David Cameron lets one of his MEPs convene a meeting of climate change sceptics. It shows how two-faced the Tories really are on climate issues. The Tories are out of step with the science and the politics and would put all our efforts to tackle climate change at risk.”
UPDATE 4:25
Speaking from Beijing, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has just said:
“Who are the real Tories? David Cameron may talk green but the Tories either deny climate change is happening or don’t want to deal with it. Cameron lets one of his MEPs get a motley crew of sceptics together while one of his key allies Andrew Lansley says in Not In My Constituency about wind power.
“The world has only a few weeks to get a deal at Copenhagen to tackle Climate change and the Tories are turning their backs on the truth. Here in Beijing the Chinese understand the challenge of climate change and want to tackle it.
“The Tories would leave us left behind not just in Europe on this but across the world.”
UPDATE 10.08 19/11
Political Scrapbook reveal that “Star of Tory climate change conference [Fred Singer] was paid to deny effects of passive smoking”.
Other speakers include Ross McKitrick, a libertarian with a track record of broader anti-environmentalism; Fred Goldberg, an expert in welding technology who claims that polar bears are increasing in number; and Benny Peiser, a social anthropologist who has only published three research papers in peer-reviewed journals, none on human-induced climate change.
38 Responses to “Tory MEP hosts “climate sceptics'” conference”
Anon E Mouse
Ian – I’m not deliberately being awkward and I hate pollution and wastage generally.
I “want” to believe that man made CO2 causes Global Warming so I can bang on at the government about the Heathrow Runway and stuff but I find nothing compelling so far.
Irrespective of Global Warming we should reduce our use of non renewable fuels big time. I live in Wales so let’s have the Severn barrage to give the locals jobs and generate free electricity. The views on the river (one of the local objections) are surely destroyed by the two bridges anyway.
Tidal energy as well – we are an island for goodness sake and the technology is submerged!
Crazy days Ian. Have a good weekend man.
Richard Blogger
I’ve been doing something more important but just got back.
Anon you deliberately misunderstood me. I never said that I was a climate scientist nor ever done any climate science (but I know a man who does…). I like to do experiments in a laboratory, where it is nice and warm. The climate scientists just like standing in the rain. ::grin:: I was explaining to you how science works, and then pointing out that Helmer’s little knees up is not science, it is essentially a support group.
Anyway, if you want a chuckle have a look at Delingpole’s blog. He’s now straying into delusional territory here, but who knows, maybe there really is a huge conspiracy. As I said upthread, I work on evidence, so I am waiting to see how this pans out.
Anon E Mouse
Richard Blogger – All I said was that I am not interested in scientific opinion just fact. I was not directly criticising you I just said:
“Since there is no evidence to prove the case, I have studied the available scientific opinions and with the following caveats (eg the heat from the sun is not included etc) it is my belief that man made CO2 may cause global warming”. It is impossible to say any more than that with any accuracy.
In the Times this morning Nigel Lawson argues it is cruel to poor countries to enforce more expensive forms of energy on them – I dislike the Nottinghill set type of people forcing their views on me, especially when there is no evidence of (man made)CO2 causing global warming.
Worse is the CRU and these emails that show how the data is being faked to show rising temperatures (they have to be faked since the planet keeps getting colder), no access to the raw data allowed(?), refusing FOI requests and preventing scientists who disagree with them getting papers published.
This whole thing stinks of censorship which is why this site will fail to feature the CRU thing in an article because to me being “progressive” means stamping on dissent even in the face of actual evidence rather than opinion.
Ian Bolton
Anon, how do you know the planet is getting colder? I understand the frustration of lack of proper information though. I just want to see us use more efficient energy sources. There are apparently no solar panels in Dubai, and considering this is almost a desert with constant sunshine, it’s ridiculous. I think overall we are a very stupid race and we can’t keep taking from this planet. This is opinion though, not scientific fact!!
Anon E Mouse
Ian – “At present, however, the warming is taking a break,” confirms meteorologist Mojib Latif of the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences in the northern German city of Kiel. Latif, one of Germany’s best-known climatologists, says that the temperature curve has reached a plateau. “There can be no argument about that,” he says. “We have to face that fact.”
Let’s see how long it takes to smear and lie about his character…