Case in point, this recent missive from the University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit and Met Office in the UK. I will also add that the CRU was the organization at the center of the climategate e-mail scandal wherein all manner of dirty tricks and junk science were exposed.
The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years.
The figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century.
Based on readings from more than 30,000 measuring stations, the data was issued last week without fanfare by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit. It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997.
So, based on actual observed data, global warming ceased in 1997. No wonder the Met and CRU released this report "without fanfare".
As if that wasn't bad enough news for a Canadian environmental warrior, there is this;
One of the world’s top climate scientists has calculated that emissions from Alberta’s oilsands are unlikely to make a big difference to global warming and that the real threat to the planet comes from burning coal.
“I was surprised by the results of our analysis,” said Andrew Weaver, a University of Victoria climate modeller, who has been a lead author on two reports from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “I thought (the threat of oilsands emissions) was larger than it was.”
In a commentary published Sunday in the prestigious journal Nature, Weaver and colleague Neil Stewart analyze how burning all global stocks of coal, oil and natural gas would affect temperatures. Their analysis breaks out unconventional gas, such as undersea methane hydrates and shale gas produced by fracking, as well as unconventional oil sources including the oilsands.
They found that if all the hydrocarbons in the oilsands were mined and consumed, the carbon dioxide released would raise global temperatures by about 0.36C. That’s about half the total amount of warming over the last century.
When only commercially viable oilsands deposits are considered, the temperature increase is only 0.03C.
It now seems that many of those who most loudly beat the AGW drums are now backing away from their specious claims. The world has not warmed in the past 15 years and even if it did the Alberta Oilsands are all but inconsequential in the bigger picture.As the renowned philosopher, Kermit the Frog once said, "It's not easy being green."
Update:
Just to underscore the problem Andrew Weaver's downplaying of the impact of Alberta Oilsands on AGW presents Elizabeth May, check out the links Here, here, here, here and here. Over the years Elizabeth and Andrew have been practically joined at the hip.
This NP editorial from a year ago also provides some insight into Andrew Weaver's possible motivation for backing away from warmist hysteria.
At the end of the day I suspect Elizabeth will do the only thing she can, tear out the goalpost and run like hell.
