Category Archives: Media
When ‘functionally insane’ seems normal, time to worry
Every now and again I try to take a couple of hours out of life in La La Land (or was it Namaland?) to check in on the state of the real world. You know the one, it sustains all … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media
Tagged climate change, human rights, IIEA, justice, Mary Robinson
7 Comments
The decline and fall of the Human Empire
Below is my article, as it appears over four pages in the current edition of ‘Village’ magazine: Doomsday cults are as old as human civilisation. The Bible is a rich sourcebook for ‘End Times’ enthusiasts, who pore over Iron Age … Continue reading
Posted in Biodiversity, Economics, Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sustainability
Tagged Armageddon, CO2, Peak Oil, Village
13 Comments
Smoke and mirrors in the attack on science
The BBC gets lots wrong. Its coverage of environmental and climate issues has wavered in the last year and more, in response not to new scientific evidence, but instead to growing pressure from the denialist lobby to turn climate science … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sceptics
18 Comments
Monckton – not forcibly detaining Aids victims for life a mistake
The right honourable Lord Christopher Monckton, Third Viscount of Brenchley, former advisor to Maggie Thatcher, current the deputy leader of the UK Independence Party and darling of the US Tea Pary climate denialist circuit has done us the great honour of dropping … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sceptics
1 Comment
Mary Robinson – Reshaping the debate on climate change
For those of you who missed it in November, Mary Robinson’s lecture ‘Reshaping the debate on climate change’ is available to watch on YouTube now: John has covered this lecture in a previous post, which I have taken the liberty … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sustainability
11 Comments
Media focus on climate disappears even faster than glaciers
Global media coverage of climate change in 2010 fell to levels not seen since 2005, after spiking in late 2009 in the lead-in to the disastrous UN climate talks in Copenhagen and the theft and selective release of fragments of … Continue reading
Carbon budget – yes, but Climate Bill remains elusive
Oisin Coghlan of FOE tweeted earlier today from Dail Eireann: “Carbon Budget. 4 Green TDs and all 3 senators in chamber/gallery. Phil Hogan for FG. 0 FF, 0 Lab, nobody else yet. Oh, and no journalists.” Yes, climate change may … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media
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Calling the media to account for climate change coverage
Based on measurements for the first ten months of this year, 2010 is now reckoned to be tied with the scorching 1998 as the two hottest years globally since reliable record-keeping began in 1850. This of course is on top … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics, Sustainability
11 Comments
Yee haw! We’re gonna lynch us some Scientists!
Climate change denial is an article of faith for Tea Party candidates in today’s mid-term US elections, the New York Times reports. “Skepticism and outright denial of global warming are among the articles of faith of the Tea Party movement… … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sceptics
3 Comments
Science trumps journalism
Article below appears in the current edition of ‘Village’ magazine. It is a response of sorts to an unusually poor contribution in a previous edition by a journalism lecturer in an article purporting to offer critical insights into the interplay … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sustainability
16 Comments
Two scientists, a journalist and a duck
In an episode of the acerbic TV series, Yes Minister, The Minister for Administrative Affairs has to respond to an awkward scientific finding (smoking causing lung cancer, or something similar). His cynical senior civil servant, Sir Humphrey has the perfect advice: … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sustainability
2 Comments
Here’s to you, Mrs Robinson
It has been a bruising couple of days for the image of politics in Ireland. Yesterday morning, of course, we had a tired-and-emotional performance on RTE radio by Taoiseach Brian Cowen. A few hours earlier, junior minister Conor Lenihan had … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media
71 Comments
Dear Willie: when in a hole, stop digging
Well hallelujah! We’ve been waiting years to read something bordering on sensible from UCC’s ‘Public Awareness of Science’ officer and Irish Times columnist William Reville on the subject of climate change and by golly, this week’s offering was very, very … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sceptics
Tagged climate hoax, CRU, Duncan Stewart, William Reville
11 Comments
A burning question
Fair play to Duncan Stewart. He was in combative form on Saturday’s Marian Finucane Show on RTE radio. The subject of his interview was the one hour documentary film special, ‘A Burning Question’, which airs this Tuesday (29th) at 10.10pm … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics
Tagged climate, collapse, Duncan Stewart, hoax, Media, sceptics
12 Comments
Sunday Times shows its hand. Again.
Last April, I gave a lecture to the Met Society of Ireland in Glasnevin. A Sunday Times reporter was in the audience, though she did not make herself known to me, ask any questions or attempt to speak to me … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics
Tagged Arctic, climate change, IPCC, Media, sceptics, Sunday Times
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