There is simply no evidence for your left-wing conspiracy to over-tax and over-regulate people (so as to make everyone poorer). Whereas, there is a great deal of evidence for a right-wing conspiracy to under-tax and under-regulate industry (so as to make a few people richer).
Therefore, I think it is both sad and significant that, while all remaining Republican candidates for the US Presidency continue to compete amongst themselves to see who can reject the most science and/or promise to repeal the most legislation, the Pentagon has acknowledged that anthropogenic climate disruption (ACD) poses an existential threat to the stability and security of the United States of America; a threat that – since 2010 at least – they feel can no longer be ignored and/or denied. However, why this post and why now? Well, it has been inspired by recent items on Peter Sinclair’s Climate Denial Crock of the Week: 1. US Military Forges Ahead with Climate Security. Deniers Still Looking for WMDs (2 April 2012); and 2. How to Talk to a Climate Ostrich: The Pentagon and Climate Change (24 April 2012). In the first of these two posts, Peter points out that: “A 2010 Defense Department review identified climate change and energy security as ‘prominent military vulnerabilities’, noting that climate change in particular is an ‘accelerant of instability and conflict’. It was the first time the Pentagon addressed climate in a comprehensive planning document. “A subsequent assessment by the National Research Council found that even moderate climate shifts will impact Navy operations. Sea-level rise and more severe storm surges will hit coastal military bases, and marine forces could also face more work in responding to an increase in humanitarian crises following disasters. The opening of the Arctic as sea ice disappears will likely require more patrols in harsh conditions as nations and industry interests are expected to vie for control of new trade routes and energy resources.” From the video embedded in the second of these posts, it becomes clear that the Defense Department review referred to is the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). For those unfamiliar with Latin, this means it is published every 4 years and in it, in 2010, the US Government (or at least a part of it) admitted to itself and to the World that climate change is real, it is happening, and it is a serious problem (as opposed to it being a hoax, not happening, and/or beneficial). The QDR itself can be found on the website of the Defense Department, which includes links to factsheets and summaries. However, as Wikipedia notes, a Republican dominated Congress clearly did not like to see a part of the US Government making such inconvenient and disconcerting admissions and therefore set up an albeit “independent” Panel to review it. Although “bipartisan” in its make-up, it is very tempting to see this as an attempt to obfuscate the inconvenient truths the QDR had admitted, which are as follows:
“Climate change, energy security and economic stability are inextricably linked… climate change will contribute to food and water scarcity; increase the spread of disease; and spur or exacerbate mass migration…”
Dr Richard Alley’s fascinating video, part of his Earth: An operator’s Manual series (that Peter Sinclair is currently featuring), also includes extracts of an interview of the Rear Admiral David Titley, the US Navy’s Oceanographer, who was a major contributor to the QDR (and who has also spoken at the TED conference and many others). This video is less than 4 minutes in length and, as with all the others, well worth watching (IMHO): http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5rrk4JNHXdM
Admiral Titley was one of the panellists at the 2010 US House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee’s hearing on climate science, the one that Pat Michaels tried unsuccessfully to skate around Ben Santer’s arguments and where Dan Rohrabacher showed how ignorant he was behind his smug ‘Aint I clever style’ questioning when he ran up against Richard Alley. Here are some links into that hearing: Climate Science Watch ScienceInsider (AAAS) PS I have here the pdfs of all panellist’s statements if you would like drop me an email.
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Thanks Lionel. I guess it is no surprise all these events (videos available via Climatecrocks.com and elsewhere) took place in front of the same committee but, are you saying they all took place on the same day? Boy, would that have been fun to be in the audience that day! Email will follow shortly.
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I was, by intertubes anyway, and yes it was fun, Rorhabacher especially. Lindzen nearly sent me to sleep, I think that is one of his tactics – bore the pants off people so that they don’t notice the piffle. It was interesting watching the faces of those in the background, the younger one seemed most amused by the Santer ‘BAltman Knight’ of Michaels, as were most of us.
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By way of clarification: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKhEw7nD9C4
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Delingpole has struck again, this time with rubbish about what the Met Office’s record on forecasting best start with The Rabett
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Thanks Lionel. Paul Handover has also alerted me to this with a link to the Met Office rebuttal (i.e. on their blog). http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/addressing-the-daily-mail-and-james-delingpoles-crazy-climate-change-obsession-article/
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