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Saturday, September 8, 2012

Deniers receive a much-deserved thrashing

Taking themselves far too seriously, dizzy members of New Zealand's denier community formed a ridiculous anti-science cabal, the "New Zealand Climate Science Education Trust" and went breathlessly to court to challenge NIWA, a genuinely science-based organisation, over their equally genuine findings. The deniers got sent home with their tails between their legs. Nice.


"A group of global warming sceptics has lost a bid to have temperatures collected by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), declared invalid.

A High Court ruling released today by Justice Geoffrey Venning said the New Zealand Climate Science Education Trust had not succeeded in any of its challenges against Niwa.

Justice Venning also ruled the trust had to pay Niwa costs and if they could not agree on the amount, he would make a ruling later."

Come on guys, get a grip (on reality)!

I presented the deniers and sceptics in my own Council with the challenge of making their position clear to the public, at our recent meeting. Some couldn't help themselves and argued publicaly that 'the science wasn't settled yet' and that AGW was the stuff of myth and legend. Councillors Horrell, Cook and Coburn in particular, squirmed at my suggestion the the Council was bound to support the position some of its in-case-of-climate-change policies revealed, and make its stance clear. Chairman Timms was adamant that the Council would do no such thing. I'm determined to follow up my questions with a presentation at another meeting in the near future. My belief is that the ES Council, charged as it is with the health of Southland's environmental and economic health, must get real about AGW in order to do its job. Hiding behind vague references and not so blurry denial isn't good enough for a governing body like ours, I believe. 

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robert,
I thought you would have read the article and comments in The National Business Review Online before exposing yourself on this matter.

Tired Farmer/Colin McIntyre

paulinem said...

Well said Robert ...I just wish I was on council to support you..

Yeah the deniers are becoming such a bore.....

We have real problems with the environment now and in the future due to CC.

Its time preparations goals and prevention strategies were made for this reality for ALL the Southland communities benefit, now and in the future years.

Deniers etc need to get it in the head the weather patterns which come from the Antarctic/ Arctic circle can take about 40years to go around the globe

This means no matter what measures we take now to stop greenhouse gases in the atmosphere it will be years before a change is noticeable.

In other words the extreme weather pattern we and particularly countries in the Northern hemisphere are experiencing will continue and become the norm for about the next 40yrs or more unless we get a grip on our pollution of the environment.

The extreme weather of droughts and floods are destroying the global food growth..they say India will loose a third of the food -(due to extreme weather) they need to feed its population.

A hungry world is an angry world ...a angry world could cause another devastating war .. a lot more nastier that WW2

Anonymous said...

If AGW was accepted by the council I would like to hear what solutions you would deem appropriate. Robert and Pauline.
Mr E

robertguyton said...

If AGW is acknowledged by the Council, Mr E, Pauline and I will let you know of our solutions.

robertguyton said...

Naturally, I was gently provoking you, Mr E, with that comment.
I'd continue with my personal 'be reliant less on the sorts of things that contribute to climate change' programme, broadcast that as a model for others who see that as a useful way to contribute to reducing the effects of AGW. I'd continue to enable self-sufficiency in my own property through developing food and fuel independence, and spread that 'technology' throughout my local and regional community. I'd involve myself in discussions around 'transition' activities, such as relocalising food markets, developing transport systems that use less/different fuels, help with redesigning physical communities so that they are easier to navigate and more rewarding to live in. I'd challenge the status-quo thinking on all of these matters, maybe get myself installed onto some sort of local government where my influence could be greater :-). I'd select and support the political party that espouses similar ideals as mine and I'd be vocal in opposing those parties and policies that lead, in my view, to a worsening of the situation. I'd oppose the worst of the industries, so far as increasing greenhouse gas emissions is concerned and do what I could to advertise the reality of their claims, especially where they seek to hide the effects they will have on the atmosphere.
Those are just a few of the actions I'd take, Mr E.
I can cover more, but you've probably become irritated by now, so I'll taihoa.
I'd work with tangata whenua too, on magnifying their influence on this issue, one they have made clear statements of position about.

Shane Pleasance said...

Who funds NIWA, Robert?

robertguyton said...

I don't know, Shane. Do you?
Not Big Oil, I'm guessing.

Shane Pleasance said...

I suspect we all do?

robertguyton said...

I guess.