Saudia Arabia’s announcement that the CRU email hack will have a "huge impact" on the Copenhagen summit is unsurprising. But it doesn't change the science.
Saudia Arabia’s announcement that the CRU email hack will have a “huge impact” on the Copenhagen summit is unsurprising but deeply unsavoury.
Al-Sabban, the Saudis’ lead spokesman on this, is now saying:
“It appears from the details of the scandal that there is no relationship whatsoever between human activity and climate change”.
But let’s remind ourselves of the long and deep history of Saudi Arabia’s support for the denial of man-made climate change; the concrete actions that they have taken to prevent timely action; and their pitiful failure to take any action themselves over the greatest of all threats to our species and our living world.
Climate-deniers don’t like to focus on the role of the likes of Saudi Arabia and Exxon in backing them up. They prefer to talk about things like the minutiae of the programmer’s code used in working on the CRU data. For example, on last night’s Newsnight (11’45”) in which the new ‘Harry’ programmer’s code controversy is presented.
As has been shown expertly here and here, there is no smoking gun at all; just a vague suggestion that the way that the CRU data has been worked with has not been as flawless as the way that NASA’s has been. For more, watch this video:
Does this cast any doubt at all on their fundamental findings, or suggest any kind of conspiracy? The answer is simple: No.
The bottom line is this: There are many people out there, some of them just wilful contrarians, some of them directly profiting from the continuation of the fossil-fuel-economy, who are desperate to do whatever they can to try to hold off the moment when they have to change. CRU is one of the messengers saying that change in the way we live is necessary, if manmade climate change is not to overwhelm us. At the end of the day, the mad furore around this hack is simply a new case of a very old phenomenon: shooting the messenger.
33 Responses to “Shooting CRU, the climate change messenger”
Henry
The irritating thing about climate change deniers is that they drivel on about wanting an endless ‘debate’ after there is clear evidence that urgent action is needed. Typical middle class dinner party stuff. I can see why Rupert Read is frustrated.
At what point do we close down these discussions & actually do something about what is probably the biggest issue that faces us?
Anon E Mouse
Henry – Since I am not, as you would describe a “climate change denier”, I fully concur with your most of your comments.
I am also 100% working class and I never do dinner parties – full of too many Champagne Socialists for my liking – all educated in Karl Marx quotes without any real idea about what he meant. Not my background I’m afraid.
The biggest issue that faces us is a nuclear armed Iran, especially with the Labour Party and it’s love of supporting US Presidents in overseas wars. That worries me more.
Regarding the Climate Change stuff I do not like self appointed “experts” such as Rupert Read constantly making false statements in a bid for his self promotion – especially when the poor are the ones who will pay for this lot.
“Closing down discussions” I’m afraid I cannot go along with Henry. Who does the closing down? People like you and Rupert Read?
Funny thing democracy and although your party loves laws to control the population I seem to be in a minority on this blog being Real Labour.
Regarding my views on (man made) CO2 driven Climate Change I hold the majority opinion and the working classes in this country detest this Climate Change stuff as much as they detest Gordon Brown but then I suspect people who read this blog have as much in common with the working man as Harriet Harman.
Oh and I exaggerated the Gordon Brown bit – he is TRULY detested by the plumbers, chippys and sparks the country over. Up the workers!
Anon E Mouse
Dave Cole – Where are you man? Missing our discussions dude…
Henry
Anon: Um, I’m not some Labour hack. I sometimes vote Labour, sometimes LibDem!
I don’t think the issue about climate change is what some poll says(& there have been several recently that you can interpret in different ways). The real question is this: what is the consensus amongst scientists who have the relevant expertise?
I’m not qualified to pontificate on it any more than Nigel Lawson (who has a degree in Politics, Philosophy & Economics).
Anon E Mouse
Henry – My problem with this knee-jerk, reactive, fag-end government, is they will grab anything they can as a means of winning over the voters and this is just another example.
As I have mentioned previously I do more than most people with recycling and not driving etc in my personal life. Same in my professional life and the technology I work with is energy saving related.
I just see no concrete evidence of the increase in man made CO2 being the main cause of the climate change. The problem I have is when links are posted showing CO2 absorptions, planet cooling, water vapour effects etc the Climate Cooling Deniers simply ignore the point and carry on.
Prime example is this guy Rupert Read. It is glaringly obvious he has no scientifically based education yet feels qualified enough to make untruthful statements, like his “accidental bug” line above without being challenged.
Like it or not that software was written to produce a dishonest result. That’s a fact and no matter what the gloss, spin – whatever that is put on it can change the fact that the data from the CRU cannot be trusted.
A judge would throw it out in a heartbeat but when the matter is brought up Rupert Read goes into smear mode with his disparaging and unfounded remarks. He even has the audacity to suggest that “The whole species is under threat” blah blah – rubbish.
For some reason the left seem blind to anything they disagree with and are unable to face the truth. Prime example on this site was the thread elsewhere where people kept repeating that Spain was in the G20 when it clearly isn’t.
It concluded with the statement: “As for definitive evidence of whether or not Spain is in the G20, G20+ or G∞, your guess, mes amigos, is as good as ours…” What a crazy position we on the Centre Left are currently in with remarks like that.
I feel the same on this Climate Change stuff. Answer every point please, prove your case and stop smearing people who disagree with you.
Finally the most stupid political move I have personally ever seen was Sunday when Gordon Brown called people who disagree with his view Flat Earthers and deniers.
I know the worst chancellor in British history and the least popular Prime Minister since polling records began knows in his gut he is despised by the electors in this country but to alienate people who hold the majority view is crass and arrogant. Stupid man.
As for Lawson please remind me again what qualifies Ed Miliband to be right while he is wrong?