Bishop Hill readers looking for an expensive 'green' Xmas present for a spoilt grandchild are directed to the Horizon H-Racer. The child will learn some useful lessons about green technology: (i) when the sun isn't shining, you have to use AA batteries to recharge the car [i.e., coal-fired powerstations in the grown-up world], (ii) the fuel cell will fail and replacement is very expensive [about half the cost of the car, in the case of this toy], and (iii) after four minutes driving, you are out of fuel and will need to recharge [there's an energy density moral in there].

Yesterday I attended the book forum on Roger Pielke Jr's book, "The Climate Fix", sponsored by the GWPF at thr Legatum Institute in London.

Maurizio Morabito left his impressions here: http://omniclimate.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/microblogging-of-roger-pielke-jrs-london-debate-with-benny-peiser/

I got Roger to sign my copy of his book and I did chat with him briefly but I'm afraid I asked him more questions than gave him a chance to reply to them.

Lord Lawson was there but he left just as the Q&A bit was starting.

Roger's main argument was that state intervention in energy policy and R&D is a reality, it's not a question of whether it should be done or not, and we just have to make it work sensibly towards decarbonization policies - regardless of the climate issue. I hope this is a good summary of his views as he put them.

Benny Peiser essentially argued that state intervention, also on energy matters, is not only unnecessary but counter-productive. He made a point about shale gas making the energy crisis obsolete.

There wasn't much more to it really. Several members of the press seemed to be present as they were furiously taking notes but they didn't really ask anything.

The GWPF was distributing hard copies of Andrew's report on Climategate so I got one.

I was fortunate enough to get into a delightful conversation with a lady commenter to this blog - "age" or "h"? and her friend.

From the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11771754

Mr Cameron said: "We're not going to get a global legally-binding deal at Cancun... eventually when you've got countries like Britain and maybe states in America that are leading the way on electric cars, on solar panels, on heat pumps... when other countries see the success of green growth and the green economy, even the laggards are going to say 'hold on, I want a piece of this'."

Are we leading the way on electric cars and solar panels?

Richard Black's back...

...and I'm being removed for further consideration allready.... (Comment 17)

I only mentioned this article about Bishop Hill's Submission.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/2010/11/copenhagen_or_babel_-_a_climat.html

This could be AGW sceptics' anniversary present for climategate: Sarkozy has pulled the plug on France's super ministry of environment:

Great News! Sarkozy Kills French Super Environment Ministry “Medad”

According the the American Geophysical Union, John Christy and Richard Lindzen are not considered to have enough expertise on climate to talk to journalists:

http://europe.wsj.com/video/opinion-journal-manufactured-climate-consensus/09830130-409E-4202-A205-55365DC06B76.html

An amusing comment found on the page linked too by Turning Tide below.

"Journalists can try to influence public opinion, and I am glad to see that you Richard are sticking to your guns unlike many others, but what to do about "climate fatigue" and what do the public know anyway? Catastrophic Anthropogenic Climate Change is the biggest threat to mankind and democracy is the biggest impediment to saving mankind, democracy must be put on hold until this one is fixed, and perhaps a few more big problems need to be fixed at the same time."

Suspend democracy and do what you want guys! That'll fix it!

@Barry Woods

Black is back - talking about Cancun: Copenhagen or Babel? A climate conundrum

On Conservative Home -

Chris Huhne should worry about warming gran's house, he can't do anything about global warming

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2010/11/chris-huhne-should-worry-about-warming-grans-house-he-cant-do-anything-about-global-warming.html

An extract - full article above:

"By massive margins, Tory members have long believed that energy prices, not climate change, will be voters' top priority. They have been vindicated. There is going to be no progress on combating climate change for the foreseeable future. The climate change lobby was badly wounded at Copenhagen, late last year. Last week, because of the US mid-terms and the election of a sceptical Republican Congress, the lobby is close to death. Yes, we should continue to do green things that have other benefits (eg energy conservation). Yes, we should invest in clean technologies (but Dalibor Rohac sounds a warning on this). But no, we should not be doing anything that pointlessly hurts energy consumers, handicaps UK manufacturing and which does nothing to stop China, India and other energy-poor countries from increasing the world's carbon footprint.

We need to do what Lord Lawson has long recommended. Get richer so we can afford to adapt. A richer world can then afford to invest in resilence against extreme weather events. In the meantime Chris Huhne should we worried about warming Aunt Mabel's house. He can't do anything about global warming."

And my comments have not been deleted yet!

Paul Hudson (BBC) is allowed to be very sceptical - about the energy gap...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulhudson/2010/10/energy-bills-update.shtml

The notion that most of the costs associated with reaching our renewable energy generation targets by 2020 will effectively be met by better insulating our homes and being more energy efficient may take some selling to the general public.

oops,someone called Bishop Hill, got to his coments allready!!

Climategate Anniversary this week...

Here's hoping. for somehing new (a million to one chance - no doubt ;) )