Climate of confusion

Newsnight is one of the more significant news/current affairs programmes we have in this country.

That's not saying a lot.

I watched this, and the protagonists selected, with my jaw on the ground.

How much has changed?

Just watched the chat... 'legally-binding' came up a lot. Lot of eggs in the kitchen?

I just hope that, whatever does get discussed, agreed, and bound up, most people will move beyond the fact that a treaty has been established to what it's actually committing folk to and with what in mind.

With the current level of global boxtickocracy and short-term legacy jockeying, I'll be fascinated whether emissions actually get reduced, or just shunted around a lot more as various interested parties take their cut.

Monday 9 November 2009

Just now watched Mr. Rowlatt's kitchen cabinet meeting.

If this is the calibre of political heft and serious journalism surrounding this huge, complex, vital issue that we may expect... oh.

I do indeed now expect that President 'only if it's going to look good' O will swing by to bestow blessings on a bit of a thing... and no one present, observing or hoping to be adequately informed will end up having the slightest clue who has committed to what and whether it will make a blind bit of difference - save to boost business and first class seat uptake, convention hotel and 5 star restaurant bookings, and a few folks' golf handicaps. These things always seem to happen, a lot, in nice places.

Meanwhile populations will grow, economies will need to expand, forests will be felled, green fields will turn first brown and then get concreted over, affordably, runways will be added, nukes will get commissioned... and a BBC 'science' moppet will point at the business end of a Tesla as others will Copenhagen and declaim 'Look... it's not emitting, and meeting all sorts of lovely bonus-driving, fine-avoiding, lobby-pleasing targets'. So long as such things make sense environmentally and practically in complement with other socio-economic parameters, fine. If not, its just a silly game, with the only winners being those on the pitch and a few in the sponsors' and media boxes, with the rest paying.

However, it is not enough to observe and/or critique, so when the opportunity presents I will grab it:

Update on your questions for Ed Miliband

What will be the outcome to total global emissions of a 'successful' outcome?

Then... where from? Up or down? Country by country, industry by industry. Plus cost impositions... or gains, as a consequence.

And of these what % will be tangible, practical, genuine enviROI+ reductions, and what % redistribution or redesignation?

How, with expanding populations encroaching or dependent on ever more territory and resources can the growing economy mantra from all governments to support these be satisfied without further increases in consumption and hence pollution vs. in the situation suggested, held and reduced?

There is no such thing as a free lunch. What, honestly, is going to have to give? In terms a worker in a factory making stuff to sell and be consumed can relate to job wise, to the lifestyle-centric mind of a student with an eye on the latest iPhone or LCD TV from John Lewis (non-list) can relate to. For good or ill.

In committing all efforts and funds to avoiding/mitigating the potential consequences of (A)GW, has any thought been given to the possibility that it is (now/already, as claimed by some in high office) unavoidable (whatever the cause) and contingencies made to support best practice coping mechanisms?

Or are all bets on 'man' being the sole cause, and hence all efforts by our race should be committed to reversing our impacts?

In case this proves incorrect, and/or the efforts made prove ineffective/insufficient, what will be the consequences to this country?

I am hoping he might answer some, and the key ones, and not waffle. Or choose a distracting line.

I have tried to be careful to avoid any hint that my concern is on whether PMWNCC is happening as per any 'line' or fact to prevent the inevitable extreme artillery barrages. My interest is in what he and his merry crew have actually considered or, and equally important, not considered around the consequences of a 'warming' planet.

I just had a mate call me up in a rage. He took the now redundant RE:boxes to the bring site as his new green wheelie has arrived to improve things. They wouldn't take it and suggested he pop over the road and pop it in the landfill skip. Somewhere a box is binned and another is ticked or a target in one area is met that is not counted against one lost in another. And a planet weeps another tear.

But I will never stop trying to find tangible, practical, enviROI+ solutions wherever and whenever I can. Always have (wow, was it 5 years ago? And those boxes had years left in them yet). Always will. If I am able.

Go Figure

I don't usually 'do' politics here, but I must say this caught my eye.

Only a few hours ago I was watching BBC lunch news with much gush on the 400k jobs in 'green' industries, and then I read this....

Miliband promises more green jobs but Vestas wind turbine plant is closing

Now there may be all sorts of nuances behind the optimism of one and the facts of the other, but something is really struggling to add up here.

And another nail in the coffin of Ministerial 'R&R' rhetoric vs. reality? And another reason to wonder just what some of our media actually does these days bar churning out press releases from Whitehall.

I was going to say we deserve more honesty from our pols, but really that is a boat that has sailed, been holed, sunk and is now at the bottom of the Marinas Trench.

Daily Politics - Green shoots and wind turbines -

Telegraph - NEW - Miliband's brilliant plan to combat climate change: 'We'll export unicorns to China' - using the pejoratives, I'd say the 'denier'/'warmist' ratio here is about 20:1 (on the Guardian it is reversed - go figure. I'd say Mr. Delingpole and Monbiot could be hired to remake the 'When Two Tribes Go To War' FrankieGTH video), so there is no point joining in. And again, verifiable facts are thin on the ground, so we are in the realms of conviction and hyperbole. But I was interested in the claimed job loss stat in Spain. Just as matter cannot be created or destroyed, it is often the case that a job in one area results with a loss in another. And this government seems very poor at thinking in... well, just thinking.

O......k

Climate change: Green dreams

Editorial: Everything must change and yet nothing must change, Ed Miliband insisted yesterday

Yes, I can see how that will work. At least as articulated in the subhead.

I do think we are on dangerous ground these days if consequences are not appreciated, but such facile spinning seems to be the order of the day, and such mismanaging expectations of is a very dangerous, downward path that if followed makes it ever more difficult to reverse within democratic processes.

Something to bear in mind when targets get mentioned in certain quarters

And at certain odd, rare, times....

Why did the government dump its green building regulations plan?

I often disagree with Mr. Monbiot*, but he does raise a worthy question here.

Maybe one for Ed Miliband, who was out and about recently.

*Especially on matters of 'tis/t'isn't climate change. When he comes up with stuff like this, it steer well clear as it really can only end up in tears... and no winners.

Head 2 head with Mr. Ed

Post your questions for the energy and climate change minister Ed Miliband

They have their flaws these efforts (esp. what gets chosen to be answered...Michael Jackson's passing???!), but can still be enlightening. I did note this:

Q - Have you read David MacKay's book Sustainable Energy - without the hot air? How will you ensure arithmetic is at the heart of energy policy given it doesn't seem to have been up to now?

Ed Miliband: MacKay's a smart guy. His book is by my bedside and my permanent secretary keeps telling me I have to finish it!

Actual answer seems to be.. 'No, I haven't read it and I just do what other folk tell me'

Explains a lot.

What's in a name?

Miliband seeks private plane hire

No, sillies, he's the other one. Who now doesn't 'do' the green bits his brother tells us we need to.

So it's all OK.

Actually, I accept fair and reasonable commitment of resources if they are necessary and produce results. So shunting at least one of these ineffective numpties around in the style to which they have become accustomed might be a good deal, but for the fact it just seems to get them places to screw up and make the UK look bad a lot quicker.

NoW - Plane stupid - Not perhaps my favourite paper, but the one with the highest UK readership by a major margin.

Indy - NEW - Private jet for David Miliband defended - speaking of relative circulations

A man to like, on several counts...

Miliband's new green helper

I shall follow now follow another so described: 'impeccable "green" credentials. He is also outspoken and not afraid to criticise the Government. With interest.

Bogey persons

Opposing wind farms should be socially taboo, says Ed Miliband

This should, technically, be under the ALT. ENERGY category, but I think I'll give it its own splash.

What the heck does that headline, and by association the words of a government minister, mean?

'Should be socially taboo'? Is he simple? Or just playing to the crowd at the premiere of the Age of Stupid which, a few blogs earlier I have stated I wish to watch, but am more than unimpressed that will not allow any dissenting commentary to enter their realms.

Opposing wind farms should be subject to reasoned debate, facts, objectivity and (what is left of it) democratic process. Plus...enviROI. Just because there's a big whirl thing that meets an EU target and a lobbyist's entreaties doesn't make it right.

Next thing you'll find is Ministers will go on air claiming that the court of public opinion should take precedence over the law....oh.

I think these things can and should be embraced, wherever and whenever practically and cost/eco-effectively possible. But then I don't live near any. I like the look of them. But I accept there are negatives, from noise (close up) to property prices being reduced. Such things cannot be dismissed in such a manner by breaking out of one's pod like something from 'Invasion of the Body Snatcher's and hissing 'Nimby' at folk who have other views, any more than one should throw around pejoratives like 'denier' or 'Treehugger'. Especially if thy are there and you are just passing by.

I'm with Voltaire here, and I while I may agree with much that Mr. M is trying to do, I think he has a darned doltish way of saying it.

Whodathunkit?

No, minister: mandarins frustrate Miliband's green revolution

I liked this bit::

'One high-profile political colleague was surprised to find the Climate Change Secretary holding a meeting in a small side room with plastic chairs, rather than in the more suitable surroundings of a ministerial office.

"After holding court in the plush ministerial office of [former Environment secretary] Hilary Benn, it was a bit of a change to find Ed in a small room with plastic chairs, a table and a white board," said an official present at the meeting. "It looked like a classroom."'

Well, yes, I can see how not having nice offices would be seen as below the plush levels one expected of a person looking to balance the needs of economy and demands of environmental issues. 'Like a classroom'... indeed. The very idea. Good enough for our kids, though, I guess.

Telegraph - NEW - Where’s the investment needed to green the economy?

I can see tough. But why tougher than anyone else?

A first test for the other Miliband

Not sure that the rest of the piece's optimism is justified.

Oh, what a state(sperson)

Finding a climate for growth

As to the agreeable (new adjective du jour?:) Mr. Brown, it might be worth looking back and seeing what he has said (or, more likely open-endedly mis- or possibly not spoke) vs. what he has done, on most things but in particular anything to do with my kids' futures on this planet.

As to the awesome thought and authority that has gone in to this... "This is not the time to abandon a climate change agenda which is important for the future... The climate change agenda is part of the solution for many of the problems we face as a world economy"... well, I bet those words stopped all those rowing in their tracks with their substance, depth, detail and insight.

But at least some, somewhere, will be happy. 'We' have yet another, brand new target. Apparently.

Let the lobbyists out of the traps and the subsidies flow!

Telegraph - Ed Miliband promises less hot air

Well, when it comes to assessing talent, everything is relative I suppose. Is there a bar on the shores of the Dead Sea?

Newsnight -

You know what I found most telling about Mr. Miliband (the Even Younger)'s vox pop was his acknowledging that he, and indeed most, involved would not be around in 2050.

For a pol today, that is enough for me to know that a) it ain't going to happen, but b) a lot of folk are going to see target-based careers enhanced and/or making a load of money in the short term looking like they are trying.

Meanwhile, this is another press release that I imagine is already filed.

If we are going to be exposed to this government's latest whirly wheeze, and especially with a ringing stamp of 'You're all doing very well, aren't I' from Young PM Queeg, might we at least have a bit of historical context from the last decade to see how the latest claims might stand up and/or work out.

INdy - Loophole in minister's new emissions target - Rather sets the tone: like "telling everyone you're going on a calorie-controlled diet but not counting cream cakes".

Guardian - Can Ed Miliband deliver?

Guardian - Post-bubble possibility

Guardian - Saving the economy or saving the planet is not an either-or

See, there I was, getting all awed by the massive brainpower and seduced by the compelling skills of persuasion that score one the big bucks in the halls of power, and then I got to this:

"I am confident that we have the bold and challenging leadership we need."

I am sure you are, dear.

Is the Guardian now in the business of posting job applications as well?

At least the posts in reply made the energy consumed reading on worthwhile.

Guardian - Another green dream?

I am continually amazed by the way some manage to divorce 'Britain' from its 'government' - especially in terms of words and deeds carried out in its name - and the 'people' who in theory have given their mandates through 'votes' to others, especially to blow their money in their name via taxes.

Telegraph - Ed Miliband, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has his work cut out

Indy - Miliband's blueprint for greener homes - while I was on board with much here, some of the suggestions do fail on my current enviROI measures, and hence rather colour the overall thing with a wash of green.

Guardian - On our present course, the bold new carbon target is worthless

When one's course is set by PM Queeg of the U.S Less 'I feel your pain (well, the pay, perks and pension might help ease it a bit)', cheered on at every repeated Titanic iceberg-ramming by a collection of Westminster Useful Village Idiots already nice and comfy in the few lifeboats, I must say 'worthless' is what first sprang to mind, too.

This is one mutineer ready to sign up on this 'ship in a state'.

Guardian - The greening of Brown

So, if I read the first para right it is basically: 'A distracting chance to just look good to your mates in high places whilst blowing yet more on saying a lot but again doing b-all'.

If his 'towering intellect' hadn't understood and/or got interested until now, then he's a few gigawatts short of a becalmed wind farm.

You damn the man with the faintest of praise.

Indy - Rebels to force climate change Bill concessions

I'd just be happy with a world-class climate my kids can enjoy.

But hey-ho....

Unleash the targets, crank up the bonuses and let the box-ticking commence!

Department Next

Ed Miliband, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has his work cut out

Interesting analysis, but the replies are worth a scope.

Just what we needed... another department

Miliband's new department - what does it mean for the climate?
'...a country safe from climate change."

'Send a letter to Miliband now, congratulating him on his new appointment and encouraging him to begin a green energy revolution.'

Dear Ed...

As we head into autumn, I do hope that a ceratin amount of climate change will still be permitted.

But I feel so much happier knowing one with your experience, backed by a whole new department and all that entails, is on the case.

Yours,

BBC - Greens welcome new climate dept - BBC says 'Greens are happy'. At least further down the piece are some more pragmatic questions being asked.