Yet another set of facts and figures that may be open to question.
Addendum below. Post redated from 02/02/08 accordingly.
I spotted the gov's official CO2 emission figures the other day and thought that as the supposed reduction was so small, it was hardly worth commenting on. However, as reported by Channel 4, some green campaigners claim the figures are 'misleading', especially as they "ignore emissions from international flights, which are increasing."
In fact, they reckon that if you add in the international flights factor, the gov's figure would show a 5.5% year on year INCREASE in CO2 emissions.
Errrm ....... just who the hell are we supposed to believe?
We are simply left in an unknowing dilemma when facts, figures and statistics are massaged to suit a particular argument, as we have already commented on before.
ADDENDUM (Junkk Male) - Now here's a useful thing. A little effort of C4's I subscribed to only recently, called Fact Check. And looky here: FactCheck: have UK emissions really gone down? Neither hyped up nor spun down? I think they're being generous.
ps; And as the typo king I'm one to talk, but have to love their spelling of 'largerly'
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I find it sad that when it comes to belief of facts and figures provided, I, at least, rate our government quite low on the scale. Which is... a worry.
If you recall, the DEFRA release came in while I was on that rather odd Gaurdian online 'debate' t'other day with the Carbon Trust.
I rather whimsically suggested that it seemed that the job seems to be almost done already, but asked what all present thought of such remarkable results.
Oddly, there was no comment from anyone.
Frankly, these things seem hardly worth the [insert vast amounts of time, money and/or resource here], but do at least provide gainful employment for a lot of folk creating them, adjusting the and then defending them.
But to do anything we need data. Just... where the hell are we suppossed to get any from that is credible, objective and trustworthy.
I watched an old episode of 'Yes, prime Minister' today. It was so accurate it was no longer a laughing matter (ok, it was so well done it was).
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