Category Archives: Global Warming

Global Warming

OMG, what if the deniers are actually right?

Fat chance, of course, that the climate change deniers/liars from the assorted propaganda factories will, in the end, miraculously turn out to know more about climate science than, well, all of climate science. But hey, when we’re told that natural … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sceptics, Sustainability | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Reporting our changing world

I nearly missed the report below. In yesterday’s the Irish Times the near one-third rise in arctic methane emissions wasn’t reported in world news; rather it was on the bulletin page, a fine page – no quibbles here – but … Continue reading →

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Plimer vs Monbiot

From the website of Australian TV network ABC. Click here to view the debate. Transcript TONY JONES, PRESENTER: Here is some background notes to tonight’s debate. When Professor Ian Plimer’s outright denial of man-made global warming was championed in the … Continue reading →

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Repeat after me: Weather is NOT climate!

Oh dear, here we go again. An editorial in the Irish Times yesterday was headlined ‘Global cooling’. It began: “So much for all of that guff about global warming! Are world leaders having the wrong debate? We are experiencing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Copenhagen a new framework for climate chaos?

The original intention of Conference of Parties (COP) 15 in Copenhagen was to complete negotiations on a new international agreement on climate change to come into force before 2012. What emerged was a slim three page Copenhagen Accord with a … Continue reading →

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Time for prosperity without growth

If there’s one book you read this winter make it Tim Jackson’s Prosperity without Growth. We can have a stable climate and leave enough resources for future generations. Or we can continue with the fantasy of perpetual economic growth, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Energy, Global Warming, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Greens Flavor of the Day in Domestic Climate Policy

Amid the white noise surrounding last week’s budget, the government made a number of announcements with potentially profound and long-term implications for Irish climate policy. Much as the PD’s allegedly provided the sauce in the meaty Fianna Fail coalition sandwich, … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Latest recruit to Confederacy of Climate Dunces

One by one, they’re coming out of the woodwork. Occasional climate sceptic William Reville was the latest to re-surface, this time in his weekly Irish Times column. I read it with dismay; I genuinely have no problem with him having … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Leaks no Impact on Copenhagen Blueprint

The leaking of hacked emails from one of the most highly regarded climate research units was perfectly timed to coincide with the start of the Copenhagen COP. Without entering into the minute details of just what was or was not … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Sustainability | 1 Comment

15 Reasons to be (Mildly) Optimistic about COP15

As the Copenhagen conference progresses, I thought it might be worthwhile to take a brief look what’s the various different countries have offered, and reasons why there is some room for optimism about a decent deal being done… 1. The … Continue reading →

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Planning for the 21st Century: More Than Permission to Build

Planning as a concept has become synonymous with “permission to build” in this country. As in: “I got ‘the planning’ for the apartments on the flood-plain at the outer-rim of the commuter belt”. The original meaning – taking a strategic … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability | 7 Comments

A sceptic on the couch

I’ve had my say on KennyGate, as have a good many other people (to my new cadre of hate-mailers, sorry for not posting all your anonymous spleen. Life’s a bitch, eh? Give my regards to Elvis). Meanwhile, a regular correspondent, … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

John The Apostle Walks The Plank

Hell, it seems, hath no fury like a broadcaster scorned. After my recent adventures with RTE’s Pat Kenny, it was only a matter of time before the veteran broadcaster would try to even the score for what he no doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics | Tagged , , , , , , | 46 Comments

Copenhagen: As MAD as it seems?

“We’re eyeball to eyeball, and I think the other fellow just blinked” – these were the words of Secretary of State Dean Rusk at the height of the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962. It may be abhorrent to some, … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus | Tagged | 16 Comments

Keeping our heads above (rising) water

In these dark November days, as parts of Ireland lie submerged after a virtually stormless deluge, it’s natural to want to look for some positive news. Images of tens of thousands of people using the public sector strike on Tuesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments