ACT Party Press Release 1/4/2010: ACT has now identified the number one threat to personal freedom, to unbounded economic growth and to vast wealth for all who deserve it. It is "science". "Science" creates nothing but trouble. "Science" causes climate change. The essence of the…
Looks like the Maori Party has decided to stand by their principles and oppose weakening the Emissions Trading Scheme. Their stinging minority report rules out supporting any weakening of the already too weak ETS and calls for a far greater commitment to the environment from government:…
The report of the special select committee on the Emissions Trading Scheme has been released. I've only had a chance to read the recommendations and the minority reports (the whole thing is 130 pages). The committee (with the exception of ACT) says that the climate…
Richard Black, environment correspondent for the BBC News website asks an interesting question - Has climate change hijacked the wider environmental agenda? If so, why? And does it matter? He a number of leading environmental thinkers for a BBC Radio Four documentary, Climate Hijack. He says:…
National is attempting to re-write the Emissions Trading Scheme. The new version it has come up with through the special select committee would be weaker than the already weak version Labour passed. But they've got a numbers problem. ACT won't ever vote for doing anything about climate…
There's a limited amount of carbon emissions we can make as a world in the coming decades if we are to avoid runaway climate change. So, how to fairly share the remaining 'safe' emissions that can be made over the next 50 years? The solution…
I got along to the Greens' sold-out screening of The Age of the Stupid last night. It's a powerful movie, perhaps a bit disjointed at the start but it builds to a conclusion that really hits home. You can't watch it and not come away…
Key, Mr Ambitous when it comes to cycleways and Job Summits, says that reducing carbon emissions from developed countries like ours by 2020 to 40% below 1990 levels, which the scientists say is mandatory if we want to avoid run-away climate change, is "too ambitious". Fair enough,…
An excellent post from Idiot Savant (reproduced with permission) on the cost to taxpayers of subsidizing polluting industries. I haven't noticed the mainstream media reporting this critical aspect of the governments climate change proposals. Too hard for them to grasp perhaps? Climate change: An illustration…
I'm proud to be a Kiwi, and I've always enjoyed celebrating the successes of our tiny country. It's not often that I feel ashamed of our role in the world. But our National Government's position on greenhouse gas emissions is a disgrace. It's not just…
The climate change debate is over (apart from a few luntatics of course). The debate is now about what to do, and the current focus is on the costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately we're only getting half of the story on the costs.…
Well, there goes our clean, green image. After Key announced the pathetic 10-20% emissions reduction target, we were declared 'fossil of the day' by environmental groups attending the Copenhagen climate change conference. Here's Eco, talking about the failure of New Zealand and other developed countries:"The…
As a recent article in the Guardian newspaper asked: "Can art succeed where science is proving insufficient to generate the will to act effectively on climate change? Scientists sound increasingly desperate as the evidence they are carefully accumulating stacks up but fails to prompt the…
It's interesting to see how National's spin doctors are trying to frame the Government's pathetic and shameful emissions reduction target of 10-20% by 2020. Stuff has 'Ambitious' emissions target announced The NZ Herald has New emissions target 'big ask for NZ' - Key And 3…
If ever there were a sentence that summed up our collective folly it's "Scientific opinion is that a reduction of 40 per cent is needed to prevent serious global warming but few countries are expected set that as a target." That's from the NZPA article on…
Dark material gets warmer in sunlight than light-coloured or white material. Heat energy enters our atmosphere after light strikes the surface of the Earth, is partially converted into heat, which then radiates into the air. White stuff reflects the sun's energy straight back into space without…
John Key has recently acted like a jerk to a young mother worried about what climate change is going to mean for her future and that of her child. Essentially he said that she should stick to what she knew. Bearing in mind the complete…
The Greens have presented a sensible and feasible plan to reduce our greenhouse emissions to 40% less than 1990 levels by 2020. Contrary to Nick Smith's scaremongering, it won't break the bank. In fact, at current carbon credit prices, they will save us money. phase…
Hot Topic has very interesting post up about how Act took a sudden interest in climate change denial after they received $100k from prominent climate change denier Alan Gibbs. As Gareth at HT points out: Hide's repositioning coincided with a major donation to ACT by…
Seems John Key's been name-dropping Kiwi film stars to business leaders in Brizzie. In today's NZ Herald Key is quoted slamming actress Keisha Castle-Hughes for speaking out on climate change, saying that she should 'stick to the acting'. Remember it's just a matter of days…
By telling Keisha Castle-Hughes she should "stick to acting" and keep out of the climate change debate, Prime Minister John Key is signalling to young New Zealanders everywhere keep out of politics. I guess he doesn't want us to "join the conversation" after all. Speak…
Nick Smith is the front-man for this government on climate change, and it appears that he knows absolutely nothing about the numbers. The ones he has been using are not related to his claims. It is puzzling because he was an engineer who are usually…
As expected, the Key Government has decided not to listen to the scientists on climate change. Rather than the 40% reduction in emissions by 2020 that the scientists are saying the the minimum developed nations need to achieve to start greenhouse gas levels heading back…
Just saw this...pretty good. Didn't realise Darby was another Signer Oner. Nice to see a bit of humour injected into something as grim as a toiling planet.
Greenpeace and others are campaigning for the Government to agree to a target of 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020. Where did they get that number from? From the science. The scientific consensus is that if we let carbon dioxide rise…
Short notice, but just got this in from the Drinking Liberally Wellington crew: This week Drinking Liberally is hosting Geoff Keey from Greenpeace. Geoff has been attending the recent climate change negotiations in Bonn and will reflect upon them, and Greenpeace's "Sign On" campaign. The…
Who'd have thought? An oil company coming out on the side of New Zealand's biggest environmental organisation over emission reduction targets. Gull says let the science dictate how much New Zealand cuts its greenhouse gases by, and that the cost of inaction will far outweigh…
From Greenpeace USA: Greenpeace climbers hung a banner on Mount Rushmore challenging President Obama to show real leadership on global warming. The banner read "America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming." The demonstration comes as President Obama meets other G8 leaders in L'Aquila, Italy…
Inaugural Lectures are very traditional University events; held these days to permit outstanding researchers to present an overview of their work to the wider academic community and public. Last night Prof. Tim Naish delivered a clear and decisive verdict about human induced climate change; the…