Yesterday I wrote about the latest issue of FOCUS news magazine HERE.
I just picked up the new issue, out today, and read it. It’s an unmistakable departure from usual doom and catastropheism, which had generated so much of the fear and urgency needed to justify the rush to reckless policy making and profiteering.
FOCUS shows that the urgency is undue and that it’s time to get back to rationality, and away from all the mass hysteria that has taken policymaking on a ride on the crazy train.
Part 1: It’s getting warmer – that’s good!
In its first part, FOCUS describes the Sahara region as it was thousands of years ago – an area rich in wildlife and plants where humans settled and even built a 500 meter long by 5 meter wide protective wall 1000 years before Christ. Then came a climate catastrophe (naturally of course), in the form of cooling and drying. The once green paradise dried up into a desert wasteland. Today the Sahara desert, thanks to warming, is greening up again. Says Stefan Kröpelin, geo-archaeologist of the University of Cologne, who has been researching the region for 30 years now:
At the southern edge, vegetation in most places has been moving northwards since the end of the 1980s. Global warming here has been a blessing. If the trend continues at this pace, the Sahara will be green again in a few hundred years.”
The Sahara is just one example of the advantages of global warming. FOCUS also writes:
More and more renowned scientists are saying climate change does not lead to only catastrophes, rather it also brings with it rich advantages for both man and nature. But this will hardly play a role in Cancun. Politicians, scientists and media are too fixated on the problems of the future – from sea level rise, to storms, to the spread of tropical diseases (see page 86).
Studies worldwide show that many of the widespread horror scenarios are baseless.”
FOCUS continues to believe the science underpinning the theory that global temperatures will rise 2 – 4°C by the end of the century, and this being due to man’s activities. Here, FOCUS naively ignores the impacts of oceanic and solar cycles. But even so, it has, at least in this article, truly departed from the planet-is-going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket narrative. That’s huge progress for traditional German journalism – make no mistake about it.
And what does Stefan Kröpelin say about climate models for the future?
I trust the data from the earth’s history more than any climate model.”
Josef Reichholf, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Munich speaks on biodiversity.
The earth’s history shows that warm periods are characterized by high levels of biodiversity. In general, the rule is: the warmer it is, the more biodiversity you get.”
FOCUS then writes about the warm and cold cycles the earth has experienced, in particular the ice ages that have occurred every 100,000 years and the massive ice sheets that once covered many parts of the globe. This part really puts the earth and climate in the right perspective. Readers see that things have been far more extreme than the puny half-degree fluctuations we are biting our nails over today. The earth does change naturally, and often dramatically.
FOCUS also writes about the Holocene optimums and minimums, and the challenges and benefits that man derived from them. Climate has always been changing. The Vikings even settled in Greenland in the year 982, FOCUS points out.
FOCUS also puts CO2 in the spotlight and discovers that it is not that “climate-killing” gas everyone has been making it out to be. Indeed, the gas is actually a fertilizer for plants. It makes the planet greener. It boosts agricultural yields, which means more food to feed the world.
CO2 is often called a climate poison or climate killer, but: ‘It is an essential building block for photosynthesis, and thus the basis for all life,’ says Hans-Joacheim Weigel, Director of the Johann Heinrich von Thünnen Institute for Biodiversity.”
Part 2: The 7 scourges of the end time
FOCUS then looks at the 7 climate scourges alleged will occur as the world ends, or something, and debunks them one by one. Here I think FOCUS did a good job – a must read. Here I summarize with just a few key words.
FOCUS (in a few words):
1. Islands will sink: “Satellite photos show they are not”
2. Disappearing glaciers. FOCUS writes: “not a new phenomena”
3. Melting of the ice caps: “Highly improbable – very high temperatures would be needed”
4. Gulf Stream collapse: “NASA shows it’s not true”
5. More storms: “Chris Landsea shows it won’t be so.”
6. Polar bears will die: “They are growing in number and are highly adaptable – no big problem.”
7. Tropical diseases will spread: “DDT ban was a cause. And Paul Reiter says it’s BS.”
Part 3: Who’s who in climate science?
One interesting section of the FOCUS report was the part on who’s who in climate science? They list 11 names:
1. Rejendra Pachauri: “calls to resign”
2. Michael Mann: “doubts on his methodology”
3. James Hansen: “warning of AGW since the 1980s”
4. John Christy, Atmospheric Sciences:
Analyzes climate data from satellites at the University of Alabama. Is against alarmist statements from other scientists who warn of catastrophic temperature increases and sea level rises, and considers climate protection measures unnecessary.”
5. Stephen McIntyre, mining specialist:
The Canadian analyzed Mann’s hockey stick curve together with economist Ross McKitrick, who both found deficiencies in the methodology, which put the curve’s shape into question, as well as the claim that never in the last 1000 years has it been warmer than today. McIntyre became known when Mann refused to reveal his data. He is active with his blog Climate Audit.”
6. Stefan Rahmstorf: “A lead author of the IPCC 4AR report and many publications”
7. Björn Lomborg: “Recommends adaptation”
8. Mojib Latif: “Projected a pause in global warming”
9. Richard Lindzen:
Researches at MIT and one of the most prolific skeptics. He says the earth is never in equilibrium, and for that reason natural changes such as ocean currents or atmospheric cycles can explain the warming. For this reason it is senseless to attempt to fight climate change.”
10. Nicholas Stern: “Inaction is more expensive than action.”
11. Paul Crutzen: “Advocates geo-engineering.”
So much for the ballyhooed consensus and settled science. This FOCUS article shows that the science is hotly disputed, and more importantly, that the catastrophe scenarios are hysteria, and that warmer climates would bring real benefits.
For German journalism, this to me represents a watershed event. This piece breaks a lot of taboos in Germany. The reactions indeed will be worth following. Expect hellfire and vitriol from the greenshirts.
I wish I had time to write more, but this I think is a good overview of the extensive 14-page FOCUS piece. Go out and buy it.
First of all we still have a serious problem with our MSM:
http://rarereaders.seablogger.com/2010/11/understanding-the-msm/
It now has become very clear that the climate threats have been over hyped
including the so called “Gold Standard” of the IPCC:
Nov 28, 2010
Attn Cancun: Satellite shows sea level rising almost 50% slower than the slowest IPCC projection
By Phillip F. Schewe
http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-11-satellites-reveal-differences-sea.html
Also see this article at WUWT:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/11/28/freaking-out-about-nyc-sea-level-rise-is-easy-to-do-when-you-dont-pay-attention-to-history/
Dr. Timothy Ball has written an excellent piece calling for economic restoration of the damage done to our economies by climate legislation and green programs.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/30503
What remains is the ongoing quest for Global Governance.
This is hopeful news, although I don’t think the basis of it is accurate.
As Gerhard Gerlich and Ralf Tscheuschner demonstrate, the “greenhouse” effect is a myth and it follows that “humans” have no more ability to influence the Earth’s climate globally than ability to influence the Earth’s orbit.
I believe the end of a Holocene is approaching, but these epochs are measured in centuries and nothing more than natural variability will be observed by anyone living or their descendants for generations to come.
I think that observed changes over a couple of decades in the Sahara regions etc are the result of irrigation practices, but still, a world that supports more life and biodiversity is fun to contemplate.
Many of the horror scenario’s are based on FRAUD.
ALL OF THEM ARE BASELESS
http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2010/11/26/cooking-the-books-at-the-met-office/
It’s a mystery how the country that produced Newton, Robert Boyle, and Clerk Maxwell could could become so far estranged from science and the scientific method.
My theory is, the UK sought to regain lost stature in international science after the Beagle II Mission to Mars mishap.
Unfortunately, the Royal Society promoted hopping aboard a bandwagon that was inevitably headed for disaster, and once aboard, abandoning it became impossible
When Alexander the Great (323 BC) conquered his empire he could do so because of a very warm climate known as the Roman Warm Period.
When Hannibal (182/183 BC crossed the Alps with his elephants, he could do so because of same warm climate conditions. At those times North Africa was the grain basket of the Med and a major exporter of wine.
Hannibal financed his armies from silver retrieved from mines in Greenland, now covered by a thick pack of snow and ice.
The Vikings 1800 years later build settlements on Greenland and North America. They too were able to undertake their long voyages thanks to an warm climate, much warmer than today.
Their luck turned around 1400 AC when the Little Ice Age begun and agriculture was no longer possible due to the cold.
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 was doomed due to extremely harsh winter conditions that took out the brunt of his army.
Today in Scandinavia, North America and China freezing temperature records from those day’s are broken.
And now we have arrived at a point where we are discussing global measures to prevent non existing AGW at Cancun while the entire NH hemisphere is in a relentless cool down even before the official winter has begun? They must be joking.
Today on German TV, the entire AGW warmist charade about sea level rise and melting ice caps was presented in the Heute Nachrichten, immediately followed by “Das Wetter” reporting about heavy snowfall in Bayern and temperatures of -6 to -15.
Can you think of any better way to blow up the AGW charade?
Blowing up AGW will be a long, slow, process. FOCUS is one magazine. Until the Lamestream Media regularly reports the anti-warmist ideas we can’t relax. The warmists have built this extensive facade of “expertise” and “necessary peer review” that must be torn down first. What we are seeing now is just the first trickle over an earth-fill dam. The base of the dam must be proven to be mud before it will collapse. Keep digging, everyone.
C’mon Ed,
We’re much further along than that. Everybody thought the same about the Soviet Empire, just before it completely disintegrated before our eyes.
That mud under the dam is pretty mushy! It’s about to go!
You’re right though – we cannot relent.
It could be getting worst, not only are they paid and funded with billions, but they have “learned how to hide”, as H.J. Schellnhuber told the FAZ yesterday 29/Nov./S. 6: “In climate protection matter we need majority decisions”, (Wir brauchen im Klimaschutz Mehrheitsentscheidungen):
“__FAZ-Question: How big was the damage to the climate policy, which was caused by the scandals surrounding the IPCC and the email scandal “Climate Gate”?
__H.J. Schnellnhuber: Concerning the IPCC, there was one greater and one or two marginal errors, which shouldn’t have happen. There have been three independend reports about the thousands of emails that have been stolen from a server at a British research institution, which all came to the conclusion that there was no scientific fraud. There were a few blunders. We have learned from this: Everyone who submits a mail should write them so that they could end up with his worst enemy. The foundation of the science was not been shaken in any way.”
AGREED: “the dam must be proven to be mud before it will collapse,” which will not happen soon.
Arnd Bernaerts
Here is an interesting map from Napoleons raid on Russia.
It shows the loss of troops and the temperatures during the march.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Minard.png
Even in the historic reports posted at Wikipedia the warmists have been active to change history by rediculing the cold during Napoleons march stating that in these days it was common to exaggerate cold conditions (see the straight line of a stable temperature graph in Michael Mann’s Hockey Stick graph eliminating the Medieval Warmth period and the Little Ice Age).
.
I think most of you will agree that exaggeration of facts is typical for the AGW alarmists.
Therefore I rather put my trust one of the first Army Meteorologists who accompanied Napoleon on march to Russia.
Also read this excellent article by James Delingpole:
AGW I refute it thus Central England Temperatures 1659 to 2009
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100022226/agw-i-refute-it-thus-central-england-temperatures-1659-to-2009/
Your article dovetails well with a new posting about sea levels found here:
http://www.c3headlines.com/2010/11/memo-to-incoming-republicans-climate-scientists-are-full-of-sea-lies-crazy-ass-predicitions.html
The fake AGW scares and fears are finally being exposed. Keep up the great work, Mr. Gosselin!
It’s a start but the AGW bandwagon is bankrolled and trundles on, the post normal nutters will not be deflected.
They know the science (what there was of it) is shot but, by the bombardment of BS articles, they hope to circumnavigate the TRUTH and carry on as normal
That’s the way they work.
The battle is far from over, the science (of AGW) was always a ‘curve ball’ anyway.
The goal is nicely on course, Cancun will sail imperiously into the next bun-fight/oral fartfest (COP17), this is what it is all about, more conferences, more BS and more ‘binding agreements’ – for the pension funds, EU bankers, Socialists and eco-lunatics.
Bottom line: money.
Bought it. Liked it. Best writeup about the various players in the climate game i have seen in German media. But the warming, it will probably not happen. The Sun is against it – my opinion only.
Brian G Valentine
29. November 2010 at 15:55 | Permalink | Reply
“It’s a mystery how the country that produced Newton, Robert Boyle, and Clerk Maxwell could could become so far estranged from science and the scientific method.”
I’m not. It’s Socialism and our political establishment is completely infested with them.
In the UK the Socialist are not only active in the Labour but they also control the current governing parties.
They continue to shout about opposition against the EU but in the mean time they agree on everything the EU is proposing and they show a firm support for the Green Agenda.
You will need a firing squad liberate the UK again.
We probably will need the for all of Europe as well.
Pierre, have a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W17dW_aJEwU&feature=player_embedded#!
Also have a look at Joe Bastardi’s video site.
He claims the UK NSIDC is cooking the ice books projecting the current Arctic ice extend below 2007 data.
Very convenient for the climate negotiators at Cancun
http://www.accuweather.com/video/691895942001/monday-morning-sea-ice-global-temp-report.asp?channel=vbbastaj
Not entirely off topic since the subject relates to the green madness that currently thrives among our officials turning our world into an idiocracy.
Anyhow, the title of the article behind the link connects perfectly because the choice of the European Car of the Year 2010 is an honorable decision.
If you are living in an idiocracy that is.:
Completely mad
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2010/11/completely-mad.html
Great post PG! Plenty thanks to ‘Focus’ – endlich mal! Vielen Dank!
I think the below, from ‘down under’, is rather worth while reading:
http://jonova.s3.amazonaws.com/corruption/climate-corruption.pdf
Best from the icy Bestcoast of Sweden.
//TJ
The author of this piece is deluding himself. Further more he doesn’t speak german. A serious handicap when commenting on the german media. I just accessed the focus website …and the first article I read can be accessed under
http://www.focus.de/wissen/wissenschaft/klima/klimawandel/tid-20563/klimawandel-es-wird-waermer_aid_575688.html
This is pure AGW propaganda. Trust me the german media is steeped in this type of b****shit and no amount of Wunschdenken will change that fact
Very interesting.
Zeit Online published this article about Cancun and Kyoto.
It’s the usual empty warmist pro IPCC rethoric.
But then I read the first comment, clearly from a Skeptic and a response from the paper: Bitte belegen Sie Ihre Aussagen. Danke. Die Redaktion/lv
http://www.zeit.de/wissen/umwelt/2010-11/klimakonferenz-cancun-auftakt
I think it’s great to see yet another indication the door has opened and discussions have started.
Der Stern reports on weather … http://www.stern.de/reise/wetter/kaeltester-dezemberbeginn-seit-langem-1629902.html
“Pünktlich zum meteorologischen Winterbeginn herrscht rekordverdächtige Kälte in weiten Teilen Europas: In vielen Orten ist es der kälteste 1. Dezember seit Jahrzehnten. In Polen starben mehrere Obdachlose, Flughäfen in Genf oder London wurden lahmgelegt.”
Loose translation:
Winter has struck pnctually (??) with record-like cold throughout Europe: It’s the coldest 1st of December for decades in many places. Several homeless people died in Poland and airports in Geneva and London were paralysed
(Damned shame that the Cancun participants have already fled to the warmer climes.)
And http://www.stern.de/panorama/winter-in-deutschland-das-eisschrank-wetter-bleibt-bis-maerz-1629512.html
“Das Eisschrank-Wetter bleibt bis März ”
Ice-box temperatures to stay until March.
Temperatures are expected to drop to 40°C below zero in this week as winds sweep across the country.