Did anyone watch the Channel 4 programme last night on Greens changing their minds? I watched the first hour and it seemed entirely accepting of CC or GW which would be necessarily be catastrophic. They even spoke about Himalayan glaciers and Greenland disasters. The change of mind over nuclear power and GM foods seems to be recognition by a couple of previously activist people who have seen those subjects as arguments that the environmentalists will lose. Sceptics got a mention in the intro and I spotted Steve McIntyre's name on the opening shots, but apart from that- nothing.

My jaw is still on the floor after reading this article from the Beeb.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11685516

And they've discovered that while increased carbon dioxide (CO2) is the biggest cause of global warming, it also makes some plants grow faster which builds new soil and helps the land keep pace with rising sea levels.

"We've been doing this work for a quarter of a century," says Dr Megonigal. "That kind of long term data gives us something that short term experiments can't.

"We found that when you combine nitrogen with CO2, the positive effect on soil elevation is cut in half. So while increased CO2 helps the marsh keep pace with rising sea levels, increased nitrogen seems to work in the other direction. What you give with one hand you take with the other. It's a very complex situation."

CO2 is bad Nitrogen is bad, can't wait until they get around to Oxygen.

London, Tuesday 16th inst.
Drs Pielke Jr and Peiser
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2010/11/you-are-invited-peiser-vs-pielke.html

Does anyone remember that "Scientific Peer Review, ca. 1945" (a parody of the "Hitler explodes" scene from Der Untergang) videoclip that appeared on YouTube around the time of climategate? It was posted by a user who calls him/herself indusieumgresium. The video captions appear to demonstrate some knowledge of the climategate emails.

http://www.youtube.com/user/indusieumgresium

Someone called xyzlatin posted about it on WUWT in Dec. 2009: go to http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/12/07/comprhensive-network-analysis-shows-climategate-likely-to-be-a-leak/ then seach for his user name to find the details. xyzlatin also posts on other blogs as "Chris in Australia", and he speculates that "indusieumgresium" could be the climategate whistleblower.

Here's something that may be significant and may not: I check out indusieumgresium's YouTube channel from time to time. He/she joined on 19 Nov 2009 and uploaded the "Scientific Peer Review, ca. 1945" video. Normally the profile shows no recent activity and no recent visits - he/she doesn't even seem to have gone back to check out what reception the video got. But today I noticed that indusieumgresium visited his/her channel three weeks ago.

I wonder if there could be a climategate 2?!

Of course, it could all just be coincidence - the timing and the similarity of themes between the videoclip and the content of the leaked/hacked emails. Intriguing, nonetheless.

Looks like tonight’s C4 documentary "What the Green Movement Got Wrong" has ruffled a few feathers of those who appear in it. Will be an interesting watch with the debate afterwards. George Monbiot is making an appearance.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/02/channel-4-green-documentary

Anyone catch John, 2 Jags, Prescott on the Today program this morning trying to resurrect the carbon case?
Unfortunately I only tuned in for the last minute but hypocracy was the first word that sprang to mind.

Finally read HSI. Irritating to find an error in the foreword. Did RealClimate miss it? You states that you got 30000 hits in 3 days. That comes out to ten per minute, not ten per second. Also, in Britain is smelt used as an equivalent of smelled? 'smelt a rat' doesn't look right to me.

Overall, loved the book. I found Chapter 2 too dull, though of course it is necessary. The overall book is a level below Caspar and the Jesus paper in my opinion as far as maintaining a dramatic pace.

And yet another nail in the coffin!

Why the United Nations (UN) climate change talks are now largely irrelevant By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/8105844/Why-the-United-Nations-UN-climate-change-talks-are-now-largely-irrelevant.html

But please don't stop there, check out all the comments to the article it's an exquisite crème brûlée after a rib eye steak. Bring on the Irish coffee we are just about done here.

From Hansard this evening

Energy: Climate Change House of Lords

Motion to Take Note

3.53 pm

Moved By Lord Marland......

4.15 pm

Lord Teverson:

To me, energy saving is not just a virtuous circle; it is a virtuous spiral. Let me explain why. We have estimates from Ofgem that we need £230 billion-worth of investment in our generating and electricity supply industry over the next few years to meet our energy gap. It is obvious that the more we meet our energy savings targets and go beyond them, the less we need of that investment. In terms of energy savings, we have the planning system, which was mentioned earlier. We do not have to ask for planning permission for energy saving. It can go ahead without delays. In fact, energy saving is one of the ways in which we can meet targets without the great changes that we need otherwise.

Let me take one or two other issues. One of the ironies about carbon leakage is that, although we are about to meet our Kyoto targets at the end of 2012, as measured by carbon production, we will increase our carbon consumption by some 19 per cent over that time in comparison with 1990 levels. By saving energy, we do not have that conflict; indeed, we reduce it. On renewables, I am in favour of them, but we have a problem with intermittence in wind power. Yet with energy saving, we have a completely non-intermittent way of meeting our energy requirements.

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld/ldtoday/10.htm

I guess I must of missed the '£230 billion-worth of investment in our generating and electricity supply industry over the next few years to meet our energy gap' in the governments appraisal of our future budgetry requirements. But to try and reach that figure by energy effiency savings is going to be crippling to industry over the next few years.

I really liked this Alex Cull comment on the Guardian article about the Fate of the World computer game.

"As a card-carrying evil Denialist, I would like to suggest a few exciting add-ons and extra mini-games for Fate of the World, which I wouldn't mind spending some of my ill-gotten oil industry money on.

Terminal Turbine Trouble: In charge of DECC, you have unlimited green ambitions but a limited budget. See how many thousands of these underperforming steel and concrete behemoths you can splash out on, before all the money has vanished and the lights go out!

Carbon Casino: Become a carbon trading wheeler and dealer - use all your wiles to enrich yourself with no tangible result to the environment and see how many millions you can amass before the carbon market falls through the floor or Interpol come knocking, whichever happens first!

Jolly Hockey Sticks: Here's a game all the family can enjoy. Using the game's red-noise generating algorithm, see if you can beat all your family and friends to be the first to create a hockey-stick shaped graph!

Klimate Kop Kidz: It's Earth Hour 2012 and all the grown-ups ("Groans") on your block are resistant to the idea, being addicted to their creature comforts and electric lights. Use all your powers of cajoling, pressurising, conniving and outright threats and menaces to see if you can get 100% compliance this year!

Cannibal Zombie Thermogeddon: It's 2030 and Climate Chaos is worse than we thought! As president of a designated Earth Lifeboat nation in the Arctic Circle, fight off invading hordes of malarial, cannibal zombie climate refugees, and see if the human race can survive until 2031!

Ten-Ten Red Button Blast-o-Rama: Use your secret Red Button weapon to gain points in this fast-moving and violent game (not for under 15s). Explode all the pesky climate change deniers and delayers first, then all your friends and colleagues who are just a little too slow to comply! You're up against the clock - but no pressure!

Game on!"