http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12524042 Richard Black claiming they have found some climate change forcasting proxies in Scott's antartic samples - the cold must have really preserved those chicken entrails!

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2011/2011-46.htm

'Water poverty' to rise in the UK as scarcity pushes up bills
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/20/water-poverty-uk-scarcity-bills

Heavy on Climate Change - I particularly liked this paragraph ..

"Water poverty is expected to be acute in "urban heat islands" – built-up environments that retain heat more than surrounding areas."

Carrier bags are good for you, but only if the study is peer reviewed and its been over a year in review, wonder why, sarc off

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/plastic-fantastic-carrier-bags-not-ecovillains-after-all-2220129.html

Members of Congress are asking something novel of NASA: to actually study space, not global warming.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/congress-to-nasa-study-space-not-climate-thats-not-space/?singlepage=true

For many years, NASA has been spending vast sums of money to study global warming, despite the efforts already undertaken at other federal agencies where such research is more appropriate. The letter asks that NASA refocus on what it was created to do, which is to maintain and develop our space program.

IPCCRIP

http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/2011/02/19/house-votes-244-179-to-kill-u-s-funding-of-ipcc/

"Mr. Chairman, if the families in my district have been able to tighten their belts, surely the federal government can do the same and stop funding an organization that is fraught with waste and abuse. My amendment simply says that no funds in this bill can go to the IPCC. This would save taxpayers millions of dollars this year and millions of dollars in years to come. In fact, the President has requested an additional $13 million in his fiscal 2012 budget request"

AN interesting report here describing the European project to put a Laser ranging device in orbit to measure and track aerosols to strudy cloud formation. Nice quotation from the scientists: "Scientists say knowledge gaps in such areas severely hamper their ability to forecast future [climate] change."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12506847

Monseigneur

The French Cours des Comptes (the equivalent of the National Audit Office) has ruled that the premium that EDF is obliged to pay for electricity from renewables and which it passes on to consumers is a tax. It notes that it has been rising rapidly and says further increases should be subject to approval by the Assemblée.

(link for francophones)

http://www.ccomptes.fr/fr/CC/documents/RPA/8_compensation_des_charges_service_public_electricite.pdf

Why do I always get an uneasy feeling when this man appears in the news?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12508050

Apologies Barry, too fast in getting into the detail. good post by the way.