Worldwide advanced country governments are committed to the road to net zero by 2050. Their plan at Glasgow COP 26 was to speed progress. The sudden invasion of Ukraine disrupted the supply of oil and gas, drove up prices and made them more apprehensive about their duty to keep the lights on and homes warm. The EU announced that it would henceforth regard gas as a green transition fuel and accept more of it. President Biden turned from wanting the rapid run down of oil and gas production in the USA to boasting that more oil and gas is now being produced on his watch than happened in early Trump. The President is urging oil and gas companies to drill and produce more, and urging refineries to convert more to products. In the UK the government has moved policy on to favour North Sea oil and gas production instead of imports, and is examining the case for allowing onshore gas drilling again.
I would be interested in your thoughts on how far this rethink should go? How much more do governments need to do for the current decade to offer enough affordable energy? It is clear India and China as large users of energy and producers of CO2 now plan to mine and burn yet more coal, delaying the world’s wish to move on from coal as soon as possible. Germany too is being forced short term into more reliance on coal as Russia cuts the supply of gas via pipeline.
Decarbonisation plans hinge on wholesale electrification of heating, industrial processes, transport and much else. In turn this will need a massive expansion of electrical power generation which must come from renewables or nuclear. It looks as if this will need methods of storing surplus wind and solar power when it is available to deliver enough power when the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow or blows too much. What do we think a realistic timetable is for installing the extra capacity and confirming the technologies for storage and smoothing?
It will also need a consumer revolution. People will need to accept the free smart meters which half the public refuses. Consumers will need to be tempted in large numbers to buy heat pumps and electric cars. How far off a popular revolution are we? Without it decarbonisation will make slow progress, and the huge increases in CO2 from the emerging world led by China will overwhelm the global figures.
July 1, 2022
Needless purchasing of products causes high waste of the energy we could use more sensibly. Each item causes so many stages from obtaining it, right through to its eventual disposal add to what others waste in the process.
July 1, 2022
âI would be interested in your thoughts on how far this rethink should go?â
Our thoughts donât count. Net Zero will resume in full when globalists decide the time is ripe to have another go.
Meanwhile, why has the chief whip not resigned as Neil Parish did? Another by-election would be unwelcome for Boris Johnson – but even so the chief whipâs offence were more serious as others were assaulted.
July 2, 2022
It may be necessary to postpone some objectives in order to walk the razor’s edge between facilitating Putin’s aggressive imperialism by inadequate response and sliding towards catastrophic global conflict.
The consequences of either would be far worse than even some of the worst climate change projections.
If coal is necessary in the interim to replace his gas then so be it. This is yet another disastrous consequence of his terrible, criminal, unwarranted war.
July 1, 2022
Good morning.
There has, in my opinion, been both a lack of honesty and information in this debate concerning so called Climate Change and CO2 part in it. Whilst I have never doubted that the climate of the earth has been changing and will continue to do so, I am very sceptical over the West’s, and it is just the West, need to de-industrialise, for that is what it is (hence the lack of honesty). It is very clear that there is more going on here than just plain environmentalism and the need to save the planet. In short, we in the West are under attack from all sides and this has been done by first marginalising those that wish to protect and preserve the nation State like former, President Trump and those that are willing to undermine it, like President / Prime Minister [insert here].
None of the ideas for alternative so called *renewable energy generation will work and satisfy the three main requirements necessary for considerations :
1) They must be reliable and work at all times both throughout the day and year, being able to meet varying demand at any point.
2) They must provide affordable energy without the need for subsidy.
3) The means by which the energy is produced must be both safe and secure.
Currently there is only one energy source that meets all the above and that is coal. Not even nuclear meets that as the Uranium ore comes from other countries and nuclear power station to remain efficient must be run at 100% capacity all the time.
Gas comes a close second but we do not have the reserves to both heat AND light our homes.
Finally. All the agreements the UK has signed up to, such as the Paris Accord on Climate Change, are a one size fits all. The UK by dint of its location cannot rely fully on renewables especially as we are increasing both demand through electrification and population. In short. There does not seem to be a coherent understanding of the issues and this is leading to bad policy even if one exists and therefore no joined up thinking.
Our political class seems happy to be told what to do rather than think things through for themselves and, where the information conflicts current mantra (eg Climate Change), push back !
It will not end well.
July 1, 2022
Mark B you have put your points across really well! Better than I have.
July 2, 2022
Thank you.
I try to keep its short for our kind hosts sake, but it is hard.
July 1, 2022
We do have considerable gas UK gas reserves. As I have said before the net zero lunacy can only make sense if all three of the below are true:-
1. Human made CO2 is causing an imminent, runaway, warming catastrophe.
2. All countries including India, China, Russia, Africa⊠will agree to and stick rigidly to this plan.
3. The âsolutionsâ being pushed EVs, batteries, wind, solar, wave, tidal, heat pumps⊠actually worked in CO2 terms.
In truth not one of these statement is really true let alone all three. Even if all three were true adaptation to any changes makes far more sense. Cutting CO2 is not even the best way to cool the earth even if this were even needed. Plus we have not even had any statistically significant warming in the last 24 years anyway. The whole agenda is an insane, group think religion for people with no understanding of physics, climate, energy, complex chaotic systems and reality. Idiots like Ed Miliband, Kwasi Kwartand, Lord Debden, Theresa May, Carrie and it seems Boris.
July 1, 2022
It is very clear indeed that electric cars and other EV increase worldwide CO2 compared keeping an old car. This when you consider fully the manufacture of car and battery (and any replacement batteries) plus typical charging – so why are government pushing these limited and very expensive vehicles ? Perhaps Debden can explain,
If they are so concerned about CO2 why are private jets, private helicopters and first class flights even allowed? Why do we allow bottles water to be transported great distance on trucks. Why do we import wood (young less efficient coal) to burn at Drax which makes no sense in CO2 terms.
July 1, 2022
Climate change IS real and it IS largely man-made (and if we dig our head in the sands about this, climate change will bite our environment AND economy in the ass, sooner rather than later).
Good news: 1) Not as bad as it could be 2) It is fixable 3) It is fixable without damaging our economy.
But requires leadership, planning, imagination, perseverance, belief in the great things technology can achieve and a dash of courage.
July 1, 2022
Total nonsense Ed M-illiband!
Natural weather changes have gone on for years
We have seen through the con! We know it is a exercise to put down people who are anti the World bullies.
July 1, 2022
I’m a realistic and adventurous-minded Capitalist who believes in new tech to solve all the problems of the environment (including getting rid of noise and petrol pollution where I live in London) whilst potentially even boosting our economy overall by the UK becoming a leader in green tech / electric tech etc that we export abroad.
You’re ultimately just being a luddite
July 2, 2022
And very comfortably off, no doubt, so that you have no sympathy at all with those who have Luddite leanings for every good reason – ie the survival of their family’s way of life (obviously much more limited than your own). Your comment smacks of ”I’m all right, Jack. Pull up the ladder, I am suitably provided for….”
July 3, 2022
‘no sympathy at all with those who have Luddite leanings for every good reason’
– that’s clearly NOT the case. I’ve said I’m as interested in the economic argument as the environmental one. In fact, I’m more interested in the economic one.
You’re simply attributing an argument to me I didn’t make or don’t hold. Because you don’t want to take part in argument on this but dig your head in the sand over your own ideological approach to this, instead of being open and objective.
Why? Because ideologies make people comfortable instead of doing the hard work of actually thinking things through more. And then you get all tetchy with me because I challenge your comfort zone. Good, I’m glad I do that instead of flattering you with what you want to hear.
July 3, 2022
@L Jones
Also, you’re ignoring the point we can’t be reliant on other countries for our fuel when fuel from Wind is getting more and more efficient every year. That’s not rocket science – that’s what technology does. It just gets better, including solving serious issues for mankind (such as dependence on fuel from dodgy regimes such as Russia). And since electric cars are just going to happen whether you like it or (including how electric cars reduce noise and fume pollution in cities), so GREEN issue is going to become more and more important whether our climate is heating up or not whether it is man-made or not. And entrepreneurs and scientists are as much behind these developments as much as greenies expect that the entrepreneurs and scientists are more efficient in what they’re doing. So a certain type of capitalist and Conservative is supporting this. And a certain type of capitalist / Conservative – like those who supported gas-guzzling cars back in the USA in the 1980’s but more and more the roads of the USA are filling with European style, efficient in fuel in cars.
July 1, 2022
Of course the climate changes. It always has always will but there is no imminent “climate emergency” and anyway the solutions pushed do not even work not even in CO2 terms. Time for the mad, religious alarmists to grow up, get real and stop talking total B/S!
July 1, 2022
Basically I agree with Lifelogic here. Climate has varied while life has been around from ice ages to average temperatures at least ten degrees centigrade higher than now (not just two degrees which contemporary scientists and most politicians are branding disastrous). Mankind can adapt and if preventative measures really become necessary in the future technological advances would practically certainly solve it- just look how Covid vaccines were developed in under a year.
July 2, 2022
Indeed – a shame the Covid vaccines seem to be generally rather ineffective and often dangerous though.
July 1, 2022
The reality is that no-one knows for sure what’s going or how to fix the problem. But here are some facts I think we can agree about:
1) We’re not doing that badly environmentally in the world overall considering the explosion of wealth and material consumption since the 1960’s.
2) Technology is amazing. To the point that it can both resolve any potential environmental issues whilst keeping our economy strong and buoyant. Even potentially helping to boost the UK tech and green industry and exports
3) We can’t roll back the green agenda now even if we tried. It’s steam-rolling on ahead. The point is how to control it not to stop it.
4) Most serious scientists seem to agree there is some change in climate and it is man-made. And this is the main reason why people will never be able to stop the green agenda steam-rolling ahead. But closer to home, I’d love to see new tech get rid of the problem of petrol and noise pollution where I live. You can’t put a price on healthy air and peace and quiet. I think millions of people think the same.
So we can keep both our environment and economy strong. We can have our cake and eat it (although with a bit of effort – we don’t want to be complacent but nor hysterical either). It’s NOT the environment versus economy. This is a false IDEOLOGICAL argument or false argument that the extremist on either side get caught up in.
July 2, 2022
Ed M
Please read a balanced account of the position. One significant problem is that models do not incorporate two important climate forcing mechanisms – earth’s rotation and sunspot activity.
https://electroverse.net/historical-myopia-by-lee-gerhard/
As other have commented, the climate has changed since the dawn of time and is cyclical, not as activists would have us believe, linear.
If anything, the earth is cooling, not warming. In any event slight warming has a well-documented beneficial effect in increasing crop yields and in making areas where agriculture was marginal, productive.
July 3, 2022
@Remington Norman
Listen, I’m a Conservative. I support a strong economy. But whatever you or I think about the environment, doesn’t matter. Society / the media has decided that the world needs is to go green. Only about 15% to 25% of Tories share you views. Go to the young generation of young Tories, today, and 90% of them have gone green (my posh niece from posh public school at posh university is – like all her posh peers / friends – strongly pro green).
So you either try and control the green agenda so as to minimise damage to our economy. Or you go off with your head in the sand about something that the majority of people don’t take seriously or want to know. So stop trying to convince me. And instead, try and figure out a way for Tories about how to control the green agenda so that it doesn’t ruin our economy. Going on about climate change not being man made won’t work and is useless and will only back fire.
July 2, 2022
Not according to the ice core samples from the Arctic which show that CO2 levels have varied even BEFORE the industrial revolution. Hence why I mentioned the lack of honesty in this debate.
July 2, 2022
Wrong: the models represent the fluid dynamics on a rotating sphere. If if were not the case, they could not represent the present Hadley, Ferrel, mid-latitude, and polar cells.
The sunspot activity is included (indirectly) via the 11-year variation of the incoming solar radiation (ISR). This variation of about 1 W/m^2 leads to a 0.1 deg C over a typical 11-year cycle.
To put things into perspective, between the January maximum and the July minimum (due to the elliptic orbit of the Earth around the Sun) the variation in ISR is +/-3.4%.
July 1, 2022
Trump, as a politician, is a loser. Not as bad as Biden (useless) and Bush (for his daft wars in Afghanistan and Iran.
The Republican Party can do way better than Trump.
(And the USA can only be made great again not by gimmicky politics / economic policy but by a ground-up cultural change in people’s attitudes in: 1) Work Ethic 2) Personal Responsibility 3) Family Values / Community Values and so on. And this can only happen – similar for Western World in general – ultimately by a positive influence in Education, Media, Arts, Church – by returning to our Judaeo-Christian values / best of our Greco-Roman heritage).
In other words, real problem with USA isn’t politics (although problem here) but collapse in the best of our Western values.
July 1, 2022
He is indeed far from ideal but they struggle to get anyone better. He is at least sound on climate alarmism and energy.
July 1, 2022
Why can’t the Republicans produce better candidates? Like someone whose done well enough in business (started up his own small to medium sized business / led a small to medium sized team of people, perhaps. Made a few million. Nothing dramatically more than that is needed). Someone who is relatively psychologically balanced. Interested in culture / sports. Conservative. That would be good enough.
July 2, 2022
If the American voters knew before they voted what was going to happen to petrol, food and energy prices who do you think would have won ? And do you think that some American are regretting their decision ? I know a lot of senior Democrat politicians, supporters and voters are.
July 1, 2022
+99
Not only has there been no honest debate, opinion that tells us any truth against the establishment line is completely stifled — Or to be more exact THERE HAS BEEN NO DEBATE.
July 1, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
Agreed! The theory is totally flawed.
July 1, 2022
Blatant lies and total B/S in fact!
July 1, 2022
Well said Mark B
July 1, 2022
Mark B
Agree with your comments
Also Smart meters are not Smart at all and they certainly are not free, we all pay for them like it or not fitted or not
The climate has been steadily warming since the ice age we simply have to learn to live with it
Certainly agree we need to stop pollution
Recycling is not new as those who were alive during the Second World War will confirm
July 2, 2022
What’s so smart about a smart meter? They only show electricity usage, not gas (or oil), and use coloured dial sectors to indicate if usage is high, moderate or low. As far as I can ascertain, they do not discriminate between the various appliances and devices and in short do nothing more that a peep at the digital meter in my cupboard does coupled with a bit of thought about the rated loads of each device.
July 3, 2022
The smart meters supply data, the data will be used against us. When load was increased decreased and for how long all tied to an address. Add in a vaccine passports health totalitarianism with id digital papers. Include CBDC digital money which will have similar tracking functions and restrictions on use which can be changed. Think coupons to be spent with loads of conditions. Inflation will be so passe. Your money could just be expired.
You will still be allowed to vote for someone though.
Why would any reasonable person trust them to not abuse the data and power?
July 4, 2022
HFC – Smart Meters – BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.
July 1, 2022
I think it reasonable to assume oil and gas will not be available forever and other forms of energy need to be found. I would prefer honesty about this if this is the case rather than climate change garbage.
There is footage of Charlesâ predictions which he got absolutely wrong about the world, yet he still spouts rot expecting people to believe him!
July 1, 2022
Theyâre finding new oil & gas deposits everyday, from off the coast of the Shetlands, the Falklands, and Barbados, all across west Africa, Alaska and north Iraq in the Kurdish controlled areaâŠ.while existing fields in Russia, Venezuela, Mexico and the North Sea still remain untappedâŠ.enough for a MillenniumâŠthere isnât any shortage of oil & gas
July 1, 2022
12 years ago Prof Machar produced his Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air in which he examined all alternatives to decarbonise and the reasons for doing so. His book was aclaimed as an important analysis and it should have been read by all politicians and civil servants. He said that we could suggest our choices for generation storage etc but it had to add up. Unfortunately he passed away but before he went he said that much though he admired wind turbines, we should build nuclear and run them all the time. This is what the French have done for 50 years using off peak storage heating and generating 80% of the output. New nuclear is coming using molten salt storage to allow more flexibility. But the UK is building the only failed design- the EDF EPR. 4 out of 5 of our present nuclear stations, the gas cooled type, are about to be closed reducing nuclear to 5% from 19%. There are 4 other designs which at present are being built around the world in 7 years. Fusion is always 30 years away. The use of LPG instead of natural gas increased CO2 because of the liquefaction and transport. We have deliberately excluded the largest reserves in Siberia and now the Chinese are delighted to be building extra pipelines to buy it instead. US fracked and liquefied gas is much more expensive and now in short supply after a fire at the processing plant.
In short, the government of the UK could not have made a bigger mess of energy policy.
July 1, 2022
Mac Kay. My new phone alters after it disappears.
July 2, 2022
I feel you pain on this one (predictive text) and thank you for your comment.
July 2, 2022
âDavid MacKayâ – it is a good book illustrating the very many practical problems and limits of so called ârenewablesâ, insulation and other practical energy issues. Though he himself was largely an alarmist âbelieverâ. But as a decent physicist he did actually understand the huge practical difficulties and often the total impossibilities involved in this agenda.
Available free on line – https://www.withouthotair.com/
July 2, 2022
His analysis of possible pumped water storage is interesting. There are not enough sites in the UK to store electricity for more than part of a day. None of the other methods can provide the necessary back up for weeks in mid winter.
July 3, 2022
I have just read Ă Lords Hansard debate and am absolutely horrified at the scientific ignorance displayed. Carbon dioxide is not a threat. For forty years the globe has been warming beneficially at 1.3degsC a CENTURY. Modern science says that ESC (look it up) is very low. The IPCC is multiply fraudulent, look it up. There is no way that the rise in atmospheric CO2 will be checked. Emissions rise 6% last year to an all time high. The COVID economic disaster doesnât show at Moana Loa. Why Not?
July 5, 2022
@mark B
Well said sir. I’ve been telling my own Conservative MP this for years. I work across the energy industry from O&G to Renewables and its been obvious to all that the NetZero policy, reliance on renewables, no E&P in the North Sea will be our downfall. The only issue I’d take with your comment is this:
“Gas comes a close second but we do not have the reserves to both heat AND light our homes.”
We actually do. But we would have to frack to get all that lovely Shale Gas, most of which sits offshore BTW so the NIMBYS would have nothing to complain about. Early estimates said we could be self sufficient for decades, but it seems that once Bojo fixed himself on being an eco-warrior, these estimates suddenly diminished with ministers rowing back. Who would have thought that /SARC.
July 1, 2022
Sir John,
Just before COP26 The Conservative Woman blog (now TCW Defending Freedom) had a piece that spelled out in a light’hearted fashion a route to Net Zero entitled something like ‘The Sensible Speech on Climate the PM will never give.’ Briefly:
Uee onshore shale gas as a transition fuel. One of the big US gas plays went from zero to half the UK’s _total_ gas production in five years.
HMG to over-compensate all residents within a specified distance of a fracking pad in the unlikely event of tremor damage. Plus free gas for all within a few miles, HMG to pay for that. (This is after all a national emergency.)
Use shale gas in new CCGT power stations which are quick and cheap.
Cancel all EPR plans – almost unbuildable, they are always over-budget and will be far too late to avert the ‘climate crisis’ or the approaching energy crunch. I suspect that the climate true believers are hurrying the Sizewell C contracts through in a bid to tie us into that failing technology. They should be discouraged with reminders of culpability, even those with a red button on their hats.
Expedite the first batch of RR SMRs.
I’d now add: NERC to fund research into compressed natural gas as a road/rail/marine fuel.
As a bit of side research (I now reveal my inner David Icke) fund NERC research into the anomalous warming of e.g. the Mediterranean, various large lakes around the world such as Michigan, and in particular the Sea of Marmara. Their anomalous heating does not fit the CO2 narrative.
Onshore fracking can save us and will even sort out the pending balance of trade panic.
Action sometime this century, it is, after all, an emergency.
JF
July 1, 2022
Well said. Gove still knocking back fracking because he lacks the political balls as does Boris. On Net Zero much of the push back is a generation (age no pun intended) issue but HMG would get more buy in if there was less spin/more acknowledgment of some of the issues. Heat pumps for instance, Ministers have, frankly, been lying to us about the cost or suitability for many of us, they continue to insist insulation is a solution when most of us are insulated up to the hilt, imposing smart meter costs when because of energy prices most of us are as efficient as possible and the âliesâ about electric cars from real environmental issues about production to cost and range.
Daily I see large PLCs giving us a date when they will become Net Zero, actions and progress.
Please Sir JR tell us when the Government as an organisation will become Net Zero. I cannot recall any pronouncements. Have I missed them?
July 1, 2022
Fully agreeâŠ..and if it was a real emergency this government would employ thousands of people to measure and monitor the sea rise along every mile of our coast â after all thatâs why weâre banning the car and reducing co2 and going mad for net-zeroâŠ.isnât it !!!
July 1, 2022
I did see that EdF had talked about withdrawing from Sizewell C, which would be good news. There has been no recent update on the problems with the EPRs at Taishan, China, since a whistle-blower let slip that they were severe enough to call for a redesign of the reactor core. Nuclear investment needs to be in proven technology that has a track record of being built on time and on budget, which require preventing the ONR from trying to reinvent the design. Building an SMR prototype needs to be predicated on the prospect of it proving to be cheaper and at least equally safe.
July 1, 2022
High population causes higher energy consumption. China & India rapidly grew to a combined total of about 1.7 billion inhabitants, although they might be declining just lately. However, large numbers who previously maintained a basic existence are developing into lifestyles acquiring products involving much higher energy consumption per person.
If we in the UK used no energy at all, our âsavingâ from relatively so few people might have no effect on the world. Energy efficiency is sensible to avoid waste, but populationsâ growth demands can burn us out of existence.
The tax & incentive system is backward. It stimulates population growth, even here in an overcrowded land: with benefits, rather than encouraging self-sufficiency.
July 1, 2022
In the light of the Ukrainian situation, not forgetting the progress that still needs to be made with fusion and hydrogen energy , the goal of net zero by 2050 would seem to be a pipe dream?
Whilst highly laudable, the arguments about global warming would seem to be at best debatable and highly equivocal?There is a natural cycle in the planet’s temperature changes as well as anything mankind is doing
Our politicians have served us badly in this as with so much else . It is self evident that we need continuity and security of supply.That oil, coal and gas will be needed for some time to come .Better that we harvest it domestically where it can be found in the North Sea, in Bowland or Sussex and in the Cumbrian coalfield. We need more storage and to continue working on the developing technologies
There are also huge economic benefits to U.K Plc by doing this . More well paid employment . Economic growth. Reduction of imports ( badly needed as our Balance of Trade is appaling ) and increased exports
Meanwhile , we should be aiming to help/encourage China and India to move away from coal
July 1, 2022
I think the government arguments may be highly lauded in certain circles they are not laudable, as they rely on extremely improbable projections of the climate and of the real global response. A failed helter skelter rush towards net zero will, far from setting an example to be followed, be a warning not to pursue such policies unless you want a collapsed economy and civil unrest.
July 1, 2022
Hydrogen (unless you talk of fusion) is not energy just an expensive and v. inefficient way of storing it.
In the Telegraph Today
Expand congestion zones to take cars off road, says PMâs adviser
OLIVER GILL
CONGESTION charging zones, low traffic neighbourhoods and road tolls must be introduced across Britain to drive the public away from using cars, the Prime Minister has been told.
Sir John Armitt, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), has published a report warning ministers against a âwait and seeâ approach towards encouraging motorists to switch to public transport.
He said: âWith many cities already back to pre-pandemic road congestion levels, a shift in demand from cars to public transport and active travel is the most sustainable route open.
Total insanity from Sir John Armitt. Public transport can be very inefficient indeed and rather inflexible, congestion causing, takes indirect routes, stops all the time, need prof. staff and is expensive. Try travelling outside peak hours or on many routes, carrying tools⊠just not practical. A good way to lower productivity hugely.
July 1, 2022
Lord Frost in the Telegraph at lease talks some sense. “Energy rationing is inevitable without a rethink of net zero” – Just abandon these lunacy. What do the morons in government this intermittent, expensive energy and energy rationing will do for productivity, food production and the economy?
July 1, 2022
Lord Frost talks a lot of sense
July 5, 2022
Frosty for PM
July 1, 2022
We are witnessing nothing less than the absorption of the western civil world into the sphere of authoritarian State politics. This political plan and its supporters that now control all areas of governance are determined to impose changes without our permission and care not one jot that we know what their despotic intentions are. Such persons know the civil population won’t fight back against this agenda for fear of being targeted and sanctioned by invasive laws designed to capture and trap.
Any and every angle is being politicised and weaponised to justify such an assault. From human, gender and racial identity, to medical issues and even the weaponisation of energy and environmental issues.
Tory MPs know full well what is happening here and they know how dangerous it is. Lord Frost has spoken out against it. It is time for backbench whose views and belief are in direct conflict with this realignment to speak out.
July 1, 2022
+many
As often saidâŠit all is like âThe Emperorâs New Clothesâ.
MPs have been too cautious and polite and maybe too easily influenced.
The little boy needs to shout much more loudly!
âThe Emperor is NAKED!â.
July 1, 2022
The biggest problem DomâŠ.it that thereâs no one to stop them. And theyâve convinced themselves that its what the people want because thereâs no dissentâŠthereâs no dissent because this government is blinkered by the green lobby and ignore the people
MPs fear being cancelled if they talk up fossil fuels
July 1, 2022
For those interested in what Lord Frost has to say about this dangerous world view:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/06/30/energy-rationing-inevitable-without-fundamental-rethink-net/
July 1, 2022
Dom, agreed.
Greenism is part of political correction. You are evil if you dare question it.
De-industrialisation = de-civilisation and it is being done for our own good so we must shut up and take it.
First major black-outs will be seen this winter. There will be extreme poverty by the next general election and “Labour would be worse” simply won’t cut it any more.
July 1, 2022
I believe/know that net zero is a load of nonsense. Western governments have fallen for a scam.
July 1, 2022
++++10000000
July 1, 2022
They haven’t fallen for a scam, they are the scam.
July 1, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
SirJ might know net-zero is a scamâŠ.but no MP will issue a press statement saying itâs a scamâŠ.oh no; that would lead to an interview without coffee with carrie, and a series of re-education lessons with the civil service
July 1, 2022
Nikkei Asia,30/6/22:”China is steadily wiping out German Industry.” by Diana Choyleva
July 1, 2022
And by 2030 China will be in control of 90% EV batteriesâŠ.no-one does a cartel better than Chain
July 1, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
Correct but have they fallen for it or is it just a ruse to con the public. In the do as I say not as I do Prince Charles/William/Carrie mode!
July 1, 2022
In this clown world of 2022 where actual science is completely disregarded in favour of agendas nobody runs the numbers. For a start decarbonisation is impossible in a world based on carbon. It is an absurd fad being used to enslave humanity. Then we have the problem that the “green” technologies are anything but green. Then the little problem that there are simply not enough raw materials available to make all the batteries, solar panels and windmills required even if they actually worked as advertised- which they don’t. This world as it exists cannot run on zero carbon and in a sane world the desire to do so would be regarded as madness.
Want to be green? How about not starting wars with Russia and China as NATO is gearing up for? Your government, Mr Redwood, is the enemy of the people and so completely corrupt and hypocritical it is beyond salvation.
July 1, 2022
Agree apart from Nato ‘starting wars’ with Russia and China. It is foolish to state the aggression comes from Nato when any action taken is to try to protect the growing victims/states from the unjustified exapansionism.
July 1, 2022
Pete I agree with you – well put!
July 1, 2022
‘For a start decarbonisation is impossible in a world based on carbon’
– That’s an inherent contradiction. The argument is to get rid of being based on carbon.
Problem is that the hard left are being hysterical about Climate Change. Whilst the hard right are responding to that hysteria instead of responding cooly and calmly about what we can do to protect the environment without damaging our economy. It IS possible. Requires some effort though. And we’re not doing that badly overall in terms of how the wealth and consumption of people on this planet has increased hugely since the 1960’s whilst the environment could be a lot worse. However, let’s not be complacent either. Let’s avoid the complacency of the hard right and the hysteria of the hard left. Then we can have best of both world (strong economy, clean environment). Instead let’s stick to a sensible, Conservative way to this problem.
July 1, 2022
+1 Pete.
The Government and large corporations are the enemy. Itâs all about control.
July 1, 2022
Wars to preserve the privileges of a tiny parasitic minority who are going to be put out of business by the new trade and financial architecture that China and Russia are putting into place.
I see it reported this week that India is buying large quantities of Russian coking coal and paying for it with Chinese Yuan.Russia is already by far the largest international holder of Yuan reserves.
Bye-bye dollar!
Oh..and the Gulf Co-operation Council has said it will not support the western policy decision to seek to impose price caps on Russian oil prices.
That “initiative”lasted all of two days.Another one bites the dust!
July 1, 2022
Peter,
I very much enjoyed reading your comment, and am with you about 70%. I DO think there is/could be enough material, both vergin and recycled, to produce the required energy, IF we stopeed wasting it.
The main issue, is your first and last point working together to limit the chances of success, very sadly.
July 1, 2022
+1 are they not fighting the wars with renewable energy and battery powered tanks, bombs, ships and aircraft then. Why not? Perhaps it could be because it simple does not work?
July 1, 2022
If electricity fails, as it is bound to at the moment when the weather stops sun and wind for perhaps a week or so, then there is going to be serious political disruption. Nothing – heating – food – t.v. – all computers – mobile phones – travel – NHS – will work. I do not think the green people realise how caatastrophic their demands are on ordinary people like me who simply cannot afford an electric car or underground heating. Our (insulated) house depends entirely on electricity.
July 1, 2022
+1
Oh yes they do realise.
Most definitely!
July 1, 2022
‘I do not think the green people realise how caatastrophic their demands are on ordinary people like me who simply cannot afford an electric car or underground heating’
– Don’t listen to the hysterical greenies. Instead listen to those who argue problems with the environment can be fixed without damaging our economy. Let’s agree to that first. Then we can move on to argue how we can achieve that. At the moment, so often the focus is all about the greenies and how to deal with them. Forget about the greenies. Let’s just look at the environment objectively and how to fix the problem without damaging our economy (our economy could even grow / increase !).
July 1, 2022
Indeed – the popular revolution may be as near as the first major power cut.
July 1, 2022
The more âgreenâ they are the less about energy, climate or physics they actually understand.
David Frost today in the telegraph:-
âEnergy rationing is inevitable without a fundamental rethink of net zero.
A dangerous world view is gaining ground, one that dictates we must atone for the âsinâ of prosperity.â
Atone that is in a way that helps no one, does no good (indeed does considerable harm) for zero benefit.
July 1, 2022
I can see why smart-metering is expensive for the electricity suppliers but not what possible benefit it brings to either them or the consumer. I’ll stick with my view that it is a massive mis-direction of capital – right up there with Qatar building huge stadiums for a few weeks of yob-ball. The project needs another darn good looking-at by the Commons. (Without a smart-meter I have reduced my electricity consumption by a third and my gas consumption by a half.)
P.S. I saw some commentary on TV that imports of oil & gas are ignored in our ‘Net Zero’ calculation, while our dometsic production isn’t. If that is true then we really are in a lunatic asylum.
July 1, 2022
There are two and only two beneficiaries of âsmart-meters
(1) The energy supplier has reduced staffing costs
(2) The government can control the âoff-switchâ
July 2, 2022
Regarding your first point, I report my usage to my supplier online – so he doesn’t need to make use of any staffing to make up my bill.
P.S. Darn, I unthinkingly called my energy supplier a ‘he’; I must check up on what pronoun(s) I should have used.
July 1, 2022
True and yes we are! Importing wood on diesel ship to burn at Drax pretending this saves CO2 another lunatic example.
July 1, 2022
But it ticks the green box
July 2, 2022
Not in reality only superficially for those that do not understand the scientific realities.
July 5, 2022
Drax has a license to generate until 2028 (I think). They are now building a Carbon Capture unit to ensure they continue to generate. Its all part of the Humberside decarbonisation program.
July 1, 2022
Sea Warrior. Smart Meters are another scam.
Their real purpose is to make it easier to disconnect anyone who does not obey The Powers That Be.
July 1, 2022
I doubt the science (more of a religion), but in any case the UK is pushing ahead too quickly to net zero BEFORE there are viable alternatives. The current ‘green’ generators of electricity are unviable, unreliable, extremely expensive and rarely available when needed. As we cannot currently produce enough ‘green’ energy, the government is pushing to reduce consumption by pricing energy out of the market. Few people will be able to afford to heat their homes, cook, or power their EV’s. Private transport likewise. Public transport may also be unaffordable, as it will virtually become a monopoly, and we know what money pits monopolies become!
Maybe we can put all etc ed
July 1, 2022
+1
They want us on our knees begging to be saved.
They hoped that would happen with covid but they were a bit too cocky.
Cold and hunger and more fear might do it.
More imprisonments tooâŠthis time to save energy/the planet/ourselves/granny?
Then we can have world-wide communism.
July 1, 2022
‘The current âgreenâ generators of electricity are unviable, unreliable, extremely expensive and rarely available when needed’
– the first aeroplanes were a bit dodgy. Remember the Wright brothers flying their plane on the beach? 35 years later, man was testing the first jet engine (Frank Whittle!)
We need more optimists and Frank Whittles …
July 1, 2022
Fine R&D might make sense but roll out of duff technology know to be expensive, pointless & duff is insanity.
July 1, 2022
Yes, R&D. That’s all I’m essentially saying at this point. Just trying to get people thinking about this instead of being over-focused on the greenies and their agenda. Forget them. Our agenda is to BOTH tackle this man-made climate change thing without damaging our economy (in fact, even boosting our UK economy if we can export produces / services based around the new green tech of the future).
July 1, 2022
Any transition of use of new tech must be organic, market & consumer led, by freedom of choice in a competitive environment without subsidy or government intervention, âŠ..otherwise weâre in a Marxist collective and doomed for failure
The biggest words here are âââconsumer ledâââ and âââfreedom of choiceâââ, the words that this so called capitalist conservative have forgotten
July 2, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
Unfortunately, the whole premise behind Net Zero, that anthropogenic CO2 is the single driver of climate change, is demonstrably false. Net Zero is a religion and not provable fact, look at real – or measured – temperatures and not fanciful toys (which is what the models actually are) and this is abundantly clear. We urgently need someone to act like the child shouting “the empower has not clothes”.
July 1, 2022
UK needs to stop being goody-two-shoes and play the game:
1. We’ve already reduced emissions per person by more than other countries, if only by stopping manufacturing and energy production.
2. Other developed countries are talking not doing, maintaining their economies and laughing at the UK naivety.
3. The UK is trivial in world emissions, so until USA/India/China play ball why bother?
4. Where is the evidence man’s 4% contribution to global CO2 output is the single driver of (alleged) rising temperatures?
July 1, 2022
correct.
July 1, 2022
5. Where is the evidence that even if the alleged humankind contribution to climate change ceased or was materially reduced, there would result any noticeable effect?
July 1, 2022
no evidence
July 1, 2022
Hydrocarbon reliance should only be reduced as and when there is sufficient ârenewable green energyâ and available back up provided in a sensible time frame and not before. In the meantime, a switch to lower emissions home produced hydrocarbon extraction from imported sources must be encouraged.
July 1, 2022
The irony is, that from space, the areas on earth that use the highest amount of fossil fuels – are physically greener! India and China predominantly.
July 1, 2022
+1
The trouble is we tried all the now-called âgreenâ stuff before.
Wind, nuclear, electric vehicles.helium,hydrogen, solar ( drying, warming, growing) and whatever else..
We âprogressedâ to safer, more efficient etc.
All in order to pursue the lives foisted on us by those who now want yet another abrupt âAbout Turnâ!
July 1, 2022
Fully agree, I welcome progress, technology and growth in an environmentally sympathetic wayâŠwhich most countries doâŠremember the biggest polluters are from China, India and Africa â no one talks about pollution its all climate
July 1, 2022
Sensible comment. At same time, though, we need to emphasise the reality of climate change and that we need to think creatively and be proactive about how to resolve it without damaging our economy. At the moment, the debate is being hijacked by hysterical greenies and by their political opposites who are being complacent / head in sands that there is no man-made climate problem.
July 1, 2022
hysterical greenies and weak politicians
July 1, 2022
In politics it is usually the case that the need to change policy (which is embarrassing and expensive) is almost always due to the initial policy being very stupid. If you are not logical when you begin you will end up in a mess – as has happened here. The government needs to start with the right priorities, and everyting else will flow from there. And the three priorities for energy should be:
1. The UK must be 100% energy self-sufficient;
2. The energy must be as cheap as possible;
3. The energy should be as clean as possible.
The priorities are IN THAT ORDER. Energy independence and a cheap energy policy are the two TOP priorities. The government is too stupid to understand this, which is why they are screwing everything up.
July 1, 2022
Agree
July 1, 2022
The UK is but background noise in this saga. We should sit this one out and produce our own energy. By all means set the academics on to nuclear fusion , carbon capture storage etc. to sell to the world if they want it. Fund the research by carrying on with our own coal, gas etc. until we can set up the clean green plants and produce energy economically in 30 to 50 years time.
July 1, 2022
Wise words indeed….and china continues to build coal fired power stations every week
July 1, 2022
The US supreme Court has just dealt a blow to sleepy Joe. The rest of Europe ate dusting off coal mines and coal fired stations and we have Gove and nut nut blocking both.
The first power cut and your history.
Nowhere to hide after 13 years in power.
You’ve had the warnings but too stupid to act
July 1, 2022
Ian, I can’t believe Carrie can block anything, if there was a will amongst conservative MPs collectively to sort this out it would happen whatever Carrie wanted.
July 1, 2022
Carrie doesn’t have to control all the Tory MPs…she only has to control one
July 1, 2022
So thatâs the USA courts saying net-zero is barmy, Russia, India, China and the continents of Africa and South America all agreeing net-zero is barmyâŠ.that just leaves the UK and the EU to save the worldâŠ.
and whatâs so funny is that its China that controls the manufacture of EV batteries and wind-turbinesâŠthey think weâre stupid
July 1, 2022
your’e
July 1, 2022
As far as I can make out the situation in Ukraine has been on-going since 2014.
The West has escalated and twisted it in order to get popular support for Net Zero.
What better than to have something/someone on which/whom to blame the artificial supply problem.
Who is or isnât privy to this is another matter.
Are they all globalists or not?
July 1, 2022
Your second sentence is nonsense.
July 1, 2022
You think?
July 1, 2022
Pootin wants to restore Russia to its Soviet Union borders. Borders that were appropriated under a Communist system (and an important part of Stalin’s power rested on that). Pootin needs to be defeated for many reasons, one being to give the two fingers to Communism and how it caused such misery to the Russians and Easter Europeans for so long as well as to us in the West.
Long-term, Russia needs to embrace democracy and the rule of law. And for its economy to benefit properly from its natural resources. Not just for the sake of the Russians and Eastern Europeans but also for us in the West so we don’t feel threatened by dictators and also we can then do more good trade with Russia.
July 1, 2022
We should kick Russia out of the UN…..or leave ourself
July 1, 2022
+1
But I DO feel threatened by dictators!
July 2, 2022
I think you will find that the borders of the Soviet Union,broadly speaking-and minus Finland-were the same as Tsarist Russia – so,not”appropriated under a communist system”.
Russia is now effectively an Asian country which leaves “Europe” as the outer fringe of Eurasia.
Invest in a decent primer on Russian/Eurasian history if you want to appear credible.
July 1, 2022
The west is controlled by the Masters of the Universe-except that they are not really masters of the universe at all -as they are now finding out.Their attempt at global central planning-the financialized global economy and resource allocation through manipulation of fake money is collapsing.
The Sirius Report tweet this morning:”Russia has demonstrated how defaulting on western debt is an irrelevance if you operate outside it’s financial system and the US Treasury has shown the world that’s the case by forcing this meaningless default.They truly are brain dead.”And they refer back to a tweet sent out on 15 April:
“Western #fintwit still hasn’t grasped that if you operate your own financial system and trade zones with 87% of global population,you can default on your western-centric debt because you don’t ever intend to utilize it again.”
(87% represents those countries that have not sanctioned Russia)
July 1, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
It started when the UN became supreme and governments started to listen to them over their own people âŠ.then our government, in conjunction with the UN, made policy and law to make âclimate changeâ irrefutable upon fear of being âcancelledâ
The whole UN climate change campaign is insidious, menacing and a direct threat to democracy
July 1, 2022
+1
July 2, 2022
Agreed.
+1
July 1, 2022
Everhopeful.
A very interesting comment.
How much ‘they are all globalists’ I’m not sure. Certainly NATO seeks to rule the world.
I’ve commented elsewhere this morning, that in my opinion, Russia is the only SANE Country at the moment.
July 1, 2022
+1
Agree
And I hope we are right!
July 1, 2022
I’m absolutely in favour of keeping our planet clean and healthy. But the headlong rush to net zero is a nonsense. CO2 (not Carbon) is .04% of the Earths atmosphere and a vital plant food. Too many scaremongers led by a schoolgirl have credited this tiny amount of gas with magical powers of destruction.
It’s time to take stock and look at reality. The real threat to our lives/lifestyles comes not from CO2 but from the madness of destroying our energy capability on the back of exaggeration and unproven myth.
Meanwhile China/India/Russia/USA carry on as normal. Their CO2 output dwarfing the tiny amount produced here. Making our expensive plan to reduce UK emissions a complete waste of time on two fronts.
July 1, 2022
Wise words Old Albion
July 1, 2022
Net zero and the pandemic are being used as a way to un-industrialise modern societies. It is being used as a common purpose/goal, to save the planet and to control the too large world population.
The data, as with the pandemic, is being selected to portray the message wanting to be given. Fortunately, this is now being exposed by a variety of outlets.
Looking around us, all the governments are watching the destruction of their respective economies⊠and only because of the war and population pressure have decided to back track.
So as long as the modern societies can recover enough to allow people to eat and heat⊠with a knock on effect to favour the poorer countries too⊠it doesnât matter how far they go. It was only ever designed with mal intent!
July 1, 2022
300 more migrants arrive in small boats in Kent.
At 4am, the first group of about 40 landed on the beach at Dungeness, Kent, where children were handed grey blankets, above, by soldiers.
Ten male migrants then came into Dover at 7.30am, while 50 more men arrived over the next hour and a half.
Between 60 and 70 migrants were escorted to shore just before 9.30am, then dozens more were brought into the port at 10.30am. Yesterday’s total was a large increase on Tuesday’s figure of 25 – with those all arriving in one boat.
It took the overall number of people rescued en route to the UK to 2,973 in June so far and 12,537 this year.
July 1, 2022
No fear the aeroplane is still on ‘stand-by’
July 1, 2022
It really is time that we sanction the French government
July 1, 2022
The combined view here is very clear, and reflects that of a large proportion of the voting public.
Net Zero by 2050 is a pipe dream that is both undeliverable and would be ruinously expensive.
Our government’s plan to shame the big polluters by example is utterly pointless. They will carry on, laughing at us for making our country poorer and our industry uncompetitive. Instead, we should be aiming to make progress to net zero at the average pace achieved by the USA, China and India : certainly no faster.
The political situation here is dire. Every political party is signed up to the Net Zero religion and every party, bar the Conservatives, wants progress to be far faster and more in-depth than the government, making the situation even worse.
By the next election the government should reign back the policy and make sure that every voter understands what the costs and other implications will be for them personally. In that way your party will establish clear blue water between itself and the rag-tag coalition of Labour, Lib Dims, SNP and Greens that is the only realistic way that Starmer could conspire to take power away from the Conservatives.
To change direction on climate policy will almost certainly require a change of leader, but that would probably be best in the long term interest of governance in the country. Whether that is achievable will depend on how many current Conservative MPs are signed up to the existing Climate Change policy.
July 1, 2022
“Green” power relies on electricity which needs batteries to power electric cars, mobile phones etc. The most vital constituency of batteries, as I understand it, is cobalt. A recent report has suggested that at the current rate of use, and if no major new sources are found, the world’s supply could run out by 2030.
Furthermore, some 70% of all cobalt mined is derived from one country: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly one of the most troubled countries in a very troubled continent. The State owns the cobalt mines, and is in partnership with Chinese enterprises to gain their investment … some of those companies are now refusing to pay the contracted sums, and there is nothing that the DCR can do about it, realistically.
Finally, there was a German-Africa Energy Forum in Hamburg this year. Africa’s abundant reserves of oil and gas and how to leverage them were the focus of discussions.
July 1, 2022
I do hope that there are not still gullible politicians who have not yet realised what a huge scam this all is.
Spawned by the Romantic movement, taking root everywhere not least in in Nazi Germany and then morphing into various pressure groups, the environmental movement has been hijacked.
And I would say by people who use it as a shield for their true politics.
They want world wide communismâŠNOT greencr*p.
And it is all cr*p.
Scratch the surface.
NONE of it works âŠand it was never meant to!!
July 1, 2022
Does anyone really believe that polticians or anyone else can control the Earth’s temperature or its climate? They can’t but it’s another devious way of controlling people.
Net Zero is a scam and must be opposed. All the leading advocates should give up their cars, their yachts, their aeroplanes/helicopters, stop buying properties and stop flying all around the world trying to dictate how we should live our lives. They won’t do any of those things of course because, just like Covid, they know it is all part of the plan to destroy the nation state and institute one world government. If only we had MPs who weren’t signed up to it all without seeking our consent!
July 1, 2022
The only reason that “net zero” has any public support at all is that the public have been lulled into thinking that it is cost free. It is in fact very expensive.
Plans for this all assume that yet to be invented technologies, especially in energy, storage will arrive. Depending on technologies not yet invented is folly.
The path China and India are on does not delay worldwide “net zero”, but entirely contradicts the scheme.
It wouldn’t hurt at this stage to check the results and replicability of all IPCC papers, not to mention getting a solid explanation why and how temperature records are constantly being updated- 1910 gets colder every year.
July 1, 2022
13th July 1808: ‘Hot Wednesday’: shade temperatures 33 to 35degC in E. and SE England, 37degC (99degF) reported in Suffolk
How can this be ? They had hot weather before industrialisation ? Doesnât that mean climate change is a scam ?
https://premium.weatherweb.net/weather-in-history-1800-to-1849-ad/
July 1, 2022
‘In the UK the government has moved policy on to favour North Sea oil and gas production instead of imports, and is examining the case for allowing onshore gas drilling again.’
in relation to fracking this is likely to amount to nothing – no urgent action to produce anything, certainly in any volume to make any difference, or change mad green Boris’ Net Zero intention and the party to ruin our economy and security. And how urgently will it implement the opening the coking coal mine in Cumbria to protect and defend our steel industry?
In response to your seeking our opinion – could you give us a couple of examples where following critical views expressed here you have publicly changed your view and openly criticised your party and leadership as a result.
July 1, 2022
Cold winters and non-fruit-bearing Magic Money trees will concentrate people’s minds and knock some sense into this nonsense.
O/T quote
Mark Drakeford, the Labour First Minister of Wales, has so far rejected calls for an independent review into childrenâs social work following Loganâs death.
Interesting his ÂŁ1,600 per month money for nothing for teens announced too.
July 1, 2022
In the meantime the SNP inspired Scottish Civil service is obsessed with transgender ideology and non-binary. Confused are we. It’s foggy up there for sure.
July 1, 2022
Net zero and energy security, together, are not achievable, given the current state of our technology – It is an impossible goal. The more that net zero is impinged up on us the more it will impoverish.
Perhaps that is one part of the reasoning behind the great desire of those in power to reduce populations, but there are others of course.
Globalisation has brought us nothing but standardisation and similarities around the world – where there was originality, there is now a MacDonalds. Even worse, politicians only agree when options have reached the lowest common denominator – so we get conclusions made that all can agree with and yet are far from innovative, honest or even worthwhile.
This happened with alleged climate change and Covid. No wonder we cannot trust our leaders to get things right.
We all know that pursuing net zero without an adequate substitute energy will be a disaster and line the pockets of the already rich, and yet we will be forced into this new world to face the consequences without any sympathy from those who will benefit – unless sanity is restored.
July 1, 2022
Sir John,
You write that “People will need to accept the free smart meters which half the public refuses.”
(1) Why will we “need” to do so?
(2) These meters are not “free”, they are priced into our bills whether or not we have them.
(3) Does not “half the public refuses” tell you something? We resent and resist ever more government interference in and control of our lives. Our country is assessed as the most surveilled in the western world. We are monitored when we leave our homes and there are increasing means to monitor us inside our homes. Smart meters are disingenuously presented as being to help people to use less electrcity or gas; no mention of them giving a distant functionary the ability to control if and when individual households may be allowed to turn on their power and heating.
July 1, 2022
The wishes and choices of the people should be supreme ….unless you’re in Russia
July 1, 2022
@Walt +999
Spot on
July 1, 2022
As to “how far this rethink should go?”, enough to keep us secure and comfortable, so quite a long way.
The cause of global climate change is not settled science and others sharing the globe are not going through disruptive and uncomfortable contortions to make impacts that allegedly help. We ought not to either – not least because there is likely no point.
July 1, 2022
It shameful that so many scientists have been âcancelledâ because of their views on climate change
July 1, 2022
Without inventing a new cheap reliable source of energy this net-zero policy is doomed to fail. These ideas regarding improving the environment all come from the World Economic Forumâs Davos set and you can bet that these people wonât be giving up their private planes, cars, and meat-eating. I watched a very interesting YT video yesterday by Dr. Chris Martenson entitled âThe Great Reset is Coming for Youâ. Here it explains what the WEF has in store for us and how western governments are following their plan. Some may think this is a conspiracy theory but they are actually putting their bonkers plan into action and many have bought into this suicidal religion. Until voters break the cycle of voting for these policies from our main political parties then we canât stop the destruction that is coming. The smaller political parties need to put their differences aside and band together to become a viable alternative.
July 1, 2022
Good morning,
There is mounting comment on the UK’s deteriorating import/export position putting pressure on Sterling. Today’s Financial Times attributes this to Brexit and points put that the trade balance is the worst on record since the 1950s.
Do you have any insight as to whether this is attributable to Brexit, or to the government’s relentless attacks on UK industry, such as Mr Gove blocking Cumbrian coal mining?
A winter of discontent is approaching, as Putin will surely use this opportunity to cut off energy supplies to Europe, and we are woefully unprepared.
July 1, 2022
Sir, You use a phrase â the worlds wishâ Be more precise, most people I know reject the global weather change theory and the lowering of our living standards is something we intend to fight.
July 1, 2022
As do most of Asia, Africa and South America,. âŠphilosophising net-zero is for the intelligentsia of Europe and North America
July 1, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
The Net Zero religion has forced us into a regime of very expensive energy. It has deliberately blocked us from using our own resources, gas, oil, and coal well before we can make use of modular nuclear generation or the long term aspiration of fusion energy. We should be using our own gas at affordable prices to satisfy the domestic and industrial market while at the same time encouraging hydrogen production which wil ultimately replace it. Hydrogen is a much better Net Zero answer for vehicle propulsion because it can be done at similar sales prices to ICE vehicles and is minus all the uncertainty of electric charging, and the environmental cost of battery production and disposal. The mad dash to EVs and Heat Exchangers heaps an unacceptable financial burden on the electorate. A bill that will be picked up by the so called conservative party in 2024.
The incompitent energy policy of the UK is directly responsible for the current inflation. Everywhere you look, BOE, Treasury, Government you sense and see people of unbelievable uselessness.
By putting all our eggs in this poorly crafted basket of 100% dependence on electricity, government is waving two fingers at energy security. It is an act which ensures the opposite. Look at Merkel’s legacy in Germany if you fail to see the sheer stupidity of UK energy policy.
July 1, 2022
So there we have it, you want to return us to the Stone Age which I suspected all along!
Have you any plans to prevent the rebellion which will take place?
Smart meters are the devices that will switch off our electricity remotely, why donât you just admit that youâre part of the Great Reset?
COP 299 where all the world leaders gather in their private jets and huge motorcades to tell US that we must not be allowed adequate food and energy
July 1, 2022
The purpose of a smart meter is to halt domestic consumption of electricity at the push of a big red button. It has no other benefits.
I look forward to removing CO2 from the Earth’s atmosphere. The death of all vegetation on the planet will doubtless surprise the likes of Mrs Johnson. The subsequent extinction of all animal life will be unfortunate, but at least the Third Rock will have returned to its natural state! Well, nearly…
July 3, 2022
JM, Do you really think it is possible to remove all of CO2 from the Earthâs atmosphere, going to zero ppm? The current contributor who keeps on harping about the 150 or 180 ppm of CO2 and the death of all vegetation does not appear to know that right now there is 400+ ppm on a global basis, with local maxima in tropical areas where deforestation is happening at 410+ ppm and often 420+ ppm over Northern China (courtesy of the OCO-2 satellite via the Copernicus website).
As Alexander Pope (Essay on Criticism, published in 1711, Part II 2nd stanza) had said:
âA little learning is a dangârous thing,
Drink deep or taste not the Pierian Spring,
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us againâ.
July 1, 2022
In this country politicians of all parties and at all levels cave in to NIMBY locals to prevent building new houses. Given this there is zero chance that either fracking or smaller distributed nuclear power stations will ever be allowed. Until the power cuts.
July 1, 2022
The new northern ‘relief’ road in Wokingham is now open, built not to ‘relieve’ but to service all the many new homes that are being built around us. How many of these new homes are built to the highest insulation standards (equal to Scandanavian or Canadian new builds)? None, because the buildings regs still don’t require anything like that standard. But obviously it must be far cheaper to build-in high levels of insulation than to try and add/update it later. Just one obvious example where the drive to net zero doesn’t seem to have any joined up thinking involved.
So I can see very little (if any) sense in the Governments current energy strategy, in fact I can’t see any energy strategy at all – unless you want to call “net-zero by 2050” a strategy – even if we have to import everything from abroad and pretend it cost nothing in CO2 to produce it elsewhere. They will make documentaries about this madness one day – and I have a working title for one called “Dumb and Dumber”
July 1, 2022
Everything youâve mentioned today SirJ has been driven and led by outside international bodies/organisationsâŠ.what of the people of the UK, what do they want. They most certainly didnât ask for a policy of net-zero, a green revolution, higher prices and social engineering/control
This government is completely out of step with the majority of people who are just trying to surviveâŠ.they look out of their windows and see the same weather, the same weather they had while they were children and canât understand why governments have turn âstalinâ
July 1, 2022
So ….. the West imposes sanctions on Russia and reduces purchases of Russian energy.
So ….. Russia is selling more energy to China.
So ….. China can then manufacture even more stuff for the West to buy.
Stupid or what ?
What if the UK were to manufacture more of its own stuff instead of buying it from China.
At least the UK might then have some control over the energy manufacture and use which is switched from China.
The UK’s import of energy makes no sense if we can produce much of it here and now. The people of the UK need cheap(er) and reliable energy and they need it now. Sadly, the UK Government’s energy “policy” has been flawed and its virtue signalling will have to come to an end or at least undergo a change of narrative.
Oh …. I forgot …. the UK has a few people who glue themselves to things and they seem to have driven the Government’s energy policy. The UK’s CO2 emissions are around 1% of world emissions. If these people really care, they should go and glue themselves to something in China, USA or India.
Renewables, on a serious scale, are work in progress.
July 1, 2022
“Worldwide advanced country governments are committed to the road to net zero by 2050.”
Surely this is the problem – committed, but for no grounded scientific reasons. At times it seems you accept the need for the NZ goal, at other times you seem to think the target needs modifying in some way but that it still has intrinsic merit.
The consumer revolution you mention is no such thing – it is entirely driven by top-down diktats, unsurprising as the solutions on offer are inferior to those we currently use.
Far better to abandon the target in its entirety and embrace market-oriented solutions that will deliver more effective delivery of energy.
July 1, 2022
Why did Boris bring his targets forward from the manifesto pledge to 2050 to 2030, ridiculous!
Smart meters like smart motorways aren’t smart, ours isn’t reporting properly and hasn’t been for months (B.Gas), my daughter’s Ovo isn’t working and was causing problems with the billing, problems even getting this company to respond to enquiries.
If I thought Solar energy would make my home and office self-sufficient I would invest in it but the returns are poor and take over seven years to cover your initial investment then they’re only guaranteed for 10 years, a lot of the solar energy generation seems to be just taken by the grid with no ability to store yourself and how do you get the correct price for that electricity? I have concerns about reports of third-world children mining lithium and how they are made. Also about the breakdowns of them and the cost of repairs and the disposal of them, if they were so good hot countries like Spain and Portugal would have solar on all their roofs.
July 1, 2022
”Why did Boris bring his targets forward” He was told to !!!
July 1, 2022
So much for sovereignty its all an illusion, Boris jumps to the tune of the same piper that we had in the Eu, that is very evident now otherwise he would be making much more progress, he has a 70+ seat majority which doesnât seem to stand for anything, its all a crock, they can change laws immediately when they wanted to with regards to covid.
He could cut VAT totally on domestic bills, we donât need to reduce it in N Ireland they could have a reduction elsewhere (corporation tax maybe or a reduction in council tax!)
He could ease the vehicle fuel bills.
He could tell Sunak to stick his extra corporation tax rises and get people back interested in reinvesting.
Boris would rather play the big man on the stage with the other bunch of flabby men, Putin is right they are embarrassing, two faced and disingenuous. Giving much more than any other EU nation to the Ukraine what is that about? A fair share yes, a disproportionate response whilst telling us he canât afford to ease the burdens in the UK – get stuffed.
July 1, 2022
Have a look at the two âsmart metersâ A-TRACY, I bet they are made in China like all the rest of the trash on sale in Britain
July 1, 2022
All I ask is that the government be logical – and patriotic.
1. There is NO PROOF that man is responsible for climate change, so there is absolutely no need for urgency.
2. If it is believed, nevertheless, that man’s greenhouse gas emissions are responsible, then, logically, it should be the main producers of these gases who should cut back first. As a minuscule emitter the UK does NOT need to take immediate action.
3. If the target date of 2050 is agreed by other countries then there will be a market for net-zero technology and products, so investing in R&D and manufacturing of these, to meet that export demand, is sensible, but there is NO need to rush into adopting these ourselves prematurely.
4. We DO need to be energy independent though, so need to build up capacity NOW. Large, foreign nuclear plants DO NOT WORK. We need to accelerate the roll-out of the RR SMRs. Also, as I have said before but for some reason no-one seems to be listening, we have the ability to generate 25% of all our electricity needs from deep geothermal energy. In addition, shale should be explored, and R&D into fusion and space-based solar energy should be accelerated.
5. In terms of sustaining our economy and supporting the public, we need a major CUT in energy prices NOW. This can easily and immediately be achieved at the stroke of a pen: simply abolish all the green crap carbon taxes. NOW.
6. The bringing forward of the 2050 target date to 2030 and 2035 for motor vehicles and electricity production respectively is MADNESS and must be reversed. Allow vehicle technology to progress and you will find that battery and/or hydrogen vehicles will dominate by 2050 anyway, as they will be cheaper and better. There will also, no doubt, be plentiful green biofuels available by then, which will be best for the most intensive energy demands, such as jet engines. Let’s wait and see what emerges, and not rush into hasty and ignorant decisions now.
July 1, 2022
“All I ask is that the government be logical â and patriotic.” Well that would be a first for a UK government over my lifetime so far.
July 1, 2022
It’s often deliberately ignored that the energy used to migrate from an existing working system with years left ahead of it to a new ‘energy-saving’ one can be large, often huge.âFor example, upgrading the National Grid from powering electric ovens and kettles to re-charging the cars of all commuters from the early-evening onwards.âAnd too often the new system, which is promoted and pushed by subsidy before it’s ready, turns out to be poor and soon in need of replacement.âThere is no attempt to attract market demand on the system’s merits.âThis early replacement causes more energy to be used in addition to wasting that which went into the ‘former model’.
July 1, 2022
Sir John,
Oil, gas, coal and nuclear are what we need. Not this virtue-signalling net zero nonsense. Well now the tide is slowly turning, and for this we have to thank…Vladimir Putin.
July 1, 2022
Indeed what is needed is a market that is not rigged. Solar and wind have their place stop the subsidies and see what that actually is in an unrigged market.
July 1, 2022
Hello Sir John,
You want to know what we think about the focus on net-zero & the need to be more self sufficient in energy. First net-zero is nonsense & It is unbelievable that the government has fallen for what is complete stupidity. Second, as you have said if green energy was cost-effective it would not need any subsidy & commercial businesses would be happy to invest in it. Third what is dafter than investing in two separate sources of energy because one is unreliable, ( wind & Solar ). Surely common sense says you invest in the one system that is reliable 24/7. Fourth the Trade Unions sense that the PM is weak, as demonstrated by negotiations with the EU, hence the strikes & strike threats. What has that to do with the UK energy situation? A strong confident PM with some vision would not accept net-zero & make the decisions about fracking & developing the North Sea fields plus allowing the coal mine in Cumbria to go ahead, & maybe open a few more NOW! China, Russia & India must be laughing their heads off at the UK & the west’s focus on the net-zero nonsense. Meanwhile, your voters are being alienated by the lack of action to become self-sufficient in energy, by the fiscal drag of frozen allowances, the current level of taxation including the utter stupidity of the new N.I. tax, the refusal to remove VAT & green subsidies off energy bills, the lack of post-Brexit action to free the UK economy, the weakness in allowing the Civil Service to WFH & the general anti-conservative approach of this government! All of which relate to the weakness & lack of direction of the PM & I say that as someone who voted for him in the leadership election & the 2019 General Election. We voted in a conservative government with an 80 seat majority, where is it?
July 1, 2022
“We voted in a conservative government with an 80 seat majority, where is it?” They morphed into socialist, tax to death, green crap pushing, manifesto ratting & regulate to death morons!
July 1, 2022
Lord Frost has put the case succinctly in today’s DT:-
Energy rationing is inevitable without a fundamental rethink of net zero.Mission
Basic stuff beyond Boris who thinks the Industrial Revolution was a sin and we need to beat ourselves up and hang our heads in shame, whilst jetting off without shame.
July 2, 2022
I note that OFGEM and National Grid are toying with offering consumers ÂŁ6 per kWh to switch off via their smart meter this winter. That is an admission that real shortages are expected, and we may not be able to persuade other countries to keep us supplied when faced with their own shortages.
July 1, 2022
Given the reluctance of government to admit they are wrong about anything at all, I expect a big U TURN about 2049 or 2050 when they discover what most people know already. Net zero is not achievable and the ‘solutions’ are unafordable and unworkable. M By that time we may be well down the road to 3rd world status. I personally, like many others will no longer be inhabiting the planet! Meanwhile most of the rest of the world will have ignored the dire warnings of impending disaster and be thriving as little will have changed climate wise.
My next car will be diesel, there will not be a smart meter in our house and Princess Nut Nut can put that in her pipe and smoke it!
My question is, why are the few MP’s capable of thinking critically not hammering this home day after day?
July 1, 2022
Spot On BOF
July 1, 2022
What use is net zero to anyone with the possibility of a war on our doorstep? We will need reliable energy if we are to defend our nation. Surely our politicians have more important things to deal with. Their track record of protecting our borders now gives me no confidence. Putin could land an army before they blinked. To say most of us are p***ed off with government John is an understatement. All they do is try to score points off each other. Just travelling on Welsh roads and seeing signs warning of pollution and enforcing slower speeds. The UK has gone bonkers.
July 1, 2022
By all means try to reduce our use of fossil fuels – but only at a rate that is realistic! If you care to look into the history of the evolution of technology you find that many ‘revolutions’ took many years to happen/finalise. So I would say that 2050 might indeed be an appropriate time-scale to go for – but certainly not 2030. BTW My feeling is that it is finite nature of the fossil fuel reserves that is the concern – not some partisan extrapolations of a highly simplified computer model.
July 1, 2022
As an engineer I was interested in the science behind CO2 warming and have spent many hours studying it.
There is almost no physical evidence that there is a problem. All of the panic is based on computor models and we have seen in the last two years how hopeless a model of a chaotic system is. The fact that no one is allowed to question “the science” should ring alarm bells everywhere. It turns out the people questioning the Covid measures should have been listened to, the same is true of the so-called climate sceptics. We are destroying our children’s futures for nothing.
July 1, 2022
What about the (Sea)ISFET observations that oceans are becoming less alkaline/more acidic? that from satellite altimetry observations and in-situ observations from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution the Gulf Stream- North Atlantic Drift appears to be slowing down thanks to the diminishing extent of the Northern Polar ice cap (satellite observations from 1978) and the increased amount of fresh water at the high latitudes? that there are more frequent occurrences of blockings linked to a more zig-zaggy jet stream (with increased four-five day periods of extensive precipitations in some places and corresponding periods of very dry and warm weather in some other places? that from satellite surface temperature and albedo observations (AVHRR, MODIS, Landsat) most mountain glaciers appear to be melting with potential shortages of fresh water in the valleys lower down?
You might want to get interested (a wonderful project for an engineer?) in all the various sensors embarked in satellites measuring from the ultraviolet to the visible, the near-infrared, the infrared, then the microwave-radar wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum a large number of environmental parameters.
And the good thing about these is that they are not from models.
BTW, how do you define a chaotic system?
July 2, 2022
But the conclusions are from computer models
You speak about data input.
July 2, 2022
No, each of the facts above are from measurements/observations.
July 2, 2022
No you miss my point again heffy.
It’s the conclusions that are made from all this data.
And the models which overestimate the sensitivity of temperature to changes in CO2.
July 2, 2022
You miss my point: these observations are independent of models. Their interpretation are eventually linked to the increase of CO2 concentration, but not the observations themselves.
I think you are a bit confused, and to try to look good you throw your dead cat about the overestimation of model sensitivity, donât you?
July 3, 2022
No I’m not confused.
You give figures
Those figures are inputs into climate computer models
Relative sensitivities are defined for the different strands of data.
The computer then gives us conclusions.
We are told these conclusions are absolutely correct.
I feel these models are not as accurate and therefore not as definitive as you believe.
Your dead cats equivolent is your oceans acidity claim and the gulf stream claim.
July 4, 2022
Interesting that you are not able to understand the difference between a primary set of data, the observations, and a derived set of results, which indeed would likely require a (computer) model to provide, say, a weather forecast or a climate simulation.
What I put in my first (and subsequent) post(s) had nothing to do with a computer model, and it was my original point to J.Cooke.
For example the Gulf Stream: there are actual measurements of the pH and salinity of marine water (from measuring the conductivity of water) obtained from sets of so-called ARGO drifting buoys, which also allow to characterise the speed of a current at different depths. They are put together with satellite infrared measurements of the surface temperature and with radar altimeter measurements of the height of water.
No model there despite all your efforts.
July 2, 2022
Hefner : Wouldnât melting glaciers result in increasing fresh water in the valleys below?
Of course there is climate change as there always has been. It is just that historical records show there is no link between temperature and CO2 levels which became dangerously low at 180ppm during the last ice age maximum 22,000 years ago. What is the anthropological reason for this ice age and its ending 10,000 years ago since when it has warmed a couple of times to a temperature nearly 3 degrees C higher than today?
July 2, 2022
Indeed for a while melting glaciers result in increasing fresh water lower down. Over the longer term, and this is already happening the available fresh water decreases (National Geographic, âMelting glaciers mean double trouble for water suppliesâ: it is an old report of December 2011 but still relevant).
And what about time scales, glaciation vs deglaciation, 100,000 to 12,000 years, linked to Milankovitch cycles: what about something happening over 150 years? Which of the eccentricity-, obliquity-, inclination-, axial or apsidal precession -linked change is giving the present situation?
Palaeo, the Elsevier Journal of Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology awaits your contribution.
July 1, 2022
100% agree
July 1, 2022
And yet nothing will happen until we disband the governments climate change committee and repeal the climate change act
July 1, 2022
Another ÂŁ5 billion thrown at Ukraine in the last few days, ÂŁ37 bn previously thrown away on Test and Trace (which didnât work), unknown billions thrown away on useless PPE now being burnt in huge bonfires, billions lost in fraudulent furlough loans the govt says it has no interest in investigating, clapping for empty hospitals, Net Zero for us but not others, talk of banning cars, open borders, smart meters which confer no benefit but can cut you off remotely without your knowledge or permission, trying to foment a war with Russia, introducing sanctions which hurt us more than the supposed âenemyâ, relying on flawed computer models to support the man-made Global Warming narrative ⊠Iâm sorry, but the only conclusion I can draw is that they are out to ruin us. And I havenât even mentioned jabbing us with experimental gene therapies, shutting down the economy for two years and confining us in our homes beset by nonsensical ârulesâ. Itâs nice of you to ask our opinion, but increasingly I feel the government doesnât give a stuff what we think.
July 1, 2022
And do you feel that Sir John actually gives a stuff what you think?
July 2, 2022
Hefner. So why do you bother to post if that’s what you think? I don’t think Sir John would waste his time on these diaries if he didn’t care. I may be naive but I do actually think he takes our comments into consideration and gives much of what he reads some thought.
July 2, 2022
He allows you to vent yourself hef
So yes I think Sir John does give a stuff what you think.
July 2, 2022
I think our kind host can speak for himself.
July 1, 2022
This social engineering tory government has gone mad
July 2, 2022
Don’t worry, Barbara it is only ‘other people money’ he is throwing around. It not as if he is going to pay it back.
/sarc
July 1, 2022
Off topic, Leo Varadkar has been shooting his mouth off and I have dropped this brief letter to the Irish Times:
“TĂĄnaiste Leo Varadkar roundly rejects the claim made by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss that:
“What we have seen from the EU so far are solutions that are worse than the current standstill – that would actually mean more bureaucracy.â
(“Actions of British government could break up UK, Varadkar says”, today.)
Perhaps he would find it more credible from the lips of the avidly pro-EU Labour MP Hilary Benn:
“While the EU says it has offered to reduce paperwork, it is important to remember that it is a reduction compared with the full application of the rules; it is an increase compared with what is currently the case because of the extension of the grace periods.”
(Commons Hansard Monday 27 June 2022 Volume 717 Column 73).”
July 1, 2022
Sir John
I am carbon based. Does your government want me to be net zero?
Roger
July 1, 2022
‘Toxic masculinity’? Jesus wept. What the hell is happening to Tory MPs and their party?
Masculinity isn’t toxic, that’s Neo-Marxist feminist crap. This entire woke bullshit is destroying trust, reason and truth
The party has swallowed the woke handbook hook, line and sinker and to see it utterly repugnant.
We need a Tory leader who rejects the Trudeau’s of the world
July 1, 2022
a pale shadow of its former self
July 1, 2022
I second that! DOM
July 1, 2022
DOM, +1, Four good lines of comment
July 2, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
Nuclear fusion is a possible solution, but there is a snag. The (Horizon led) site in France (the ‘ITER’), which supersedes the ‘JET’ in Oxfordshire is projected for completion by 2035, and is one of the most complicated machines ever built.
The ‘DEMO’ which will supersede the ITER, will be built to demonstrate the ability of a fusion reactor to supply into the grid, and will be even more complicated presumably. By 2050!…
Makes me think they may be flogging a dead horse if it’s that complicated and takes so long. Wrong design maybe?
July 1, 2022
My comment is awaiting moderation!
What a surpriseâŠ. Not
July 1, 2022
I think that people have now got your measure Mr redwood đđ
July 4, 2022
L_C – Fully agree.
July 1, 2022
Sir John,
Energy security is a beneficial aim in any era. And in a technological society, prioritising affordable energy seems like a âno brainerâ.
Drastic action is seen as eccentric behaviour, and will convince very few. Also, there is the law of unintended consequences that has accompanied many quick fixes. For example, much of the currently available battery technology is also environmentally damaging.
Couple that with the paradox of about 30,000 people flying into Glasgow for Cop26 to encourage us to reduce our emissions.
Alarm bells ring when one is given a high pressure sell, i.e. âact now or lose the offerâ.
For these reasons I believe we are a long way from a popular consumer revolution, and therefore decarbonisation will make slow progress.
That said, slow progress is more effective than wearing an âhair shirtâ.
Therefore, I should give a realistic timescale of about 100 years, to allow for the development of new technologies, and cheaper production.
Regards.
July 1, 2022
Decarbonisation!!!
Carbon dioxide is not, never has been and never will be the main driver of climate change.
According to UAH data, global temperatures in Feb 2022 were exactly the same as global temps in 1988.
Once again…. Man made climate change is the biggest myth, the biggest hoax, and the biggest scam there has ever been
July 1, 2022
Spot On ED
July 1, 2022
+1
July 2, 2022
Indeed Ed.
July 2, 2022
It is a shame that this blog does not allow figures. I would encourage people to see the actual UAH curve at nsstc.uah.edu and see for themselves how 1988 compares with 2022.
Thatâs the second figure.
July 1, 2022
Much pollution can be cut by all motor vehicles run on electricity.
So it is essential that electricity is produced.
We can only produce electricity with what we currently have.
This is oil,gas,coal,nuclear and wind.
The first 3 must be replaced by other means as and when they are discovered.
Planet earth goes through warm and cold cycles.
What ever mankind does this will continue.
July 1, 2022
No in fact EVs are more pollution elsewhere vehicles. They do not even save energy nor CO2.
July 2, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
Net zero intelligence seems to abound nowadays especially within the green/wokery/extinction brigade. The earth has been warming and cooling for millions of year. Not long ago there was concern about the earth cooling. This has now switched to concern about the earth warming, though there has been little or no evidence of it in the past twenty years. The populations have come through ice ages and warm periods, warmer and cooler than in living experience. They adapted. Assuming that the earth is warming again is it important? Many scientists say it isn’t, and certainly not ‘catastrophic’.
July 2, 2022
+1
July 1, 2022
I read through a document produced by Renewables UK that is evidently their endorsement of the “Energy Security Strategy” now subject to a BEIS Select Committe enquiry. It consists of page after page of thinly disguised demands and expectations of subsidies, quotas, demands for guaranteed profits and and bans for competitors.
I have made my own submission which points out that the plans are likely infeasible on the timescale, very costly, and risk failure to have a working grid. I await finding out if the Committee will publish it.
July 1, 2022
Surely Sir John, in your heart, you know that the whole demonisation of Carbon Dioxide is a W.E.F. SCAM.
Surely you know that there is NO GLOBAL WARMING or CLIMATE EMERGENCY.
Your current leader (or his wife, or both) are intent on totally wrecking this country’s economy by his/their following of this delusion.
Presumably it is not possible to reopen our old coal mines.
Maybe new ones are possible.
Yes we do have other fossil fuels available. BUT PROGRESS IS TOO SLOW !!
Of course we should hasten advances in Nuclear Energy. BUT IT IS NOT HAPPENING is it?
For heaven’s sake work on getting someone better into No 10. Who will then choose better Ministers.
July 1, 2022
Pauline,
Today we have another naughty Conservative MP having to resign.
Lets see the result of the By-election for his seat! I believe it will show public confidence in Bojo is at rockbottom.
July 2, 2022
Why do Conservative MP’s have to resign for all and sundry yet, a sitting MP, previously from the Labour Party, who has been convicted of a serious crime, remains ?
I don’t get it.
July 4, 2022
Mark B – Rules for thee but not for me. It is Rife throughout government, both national and local.
July 2, 2022
He is not resigning, just losing the whip. He can stay as an Independent.
July 2, 2022
Let’s not forget that “Global Warming”, or whatever one wants to call it, is a political project designed to exert control over us. The WEF is pushing the UN policy, stated in its various Agendas, for a truly massive population reduction. Of course its members will not volunteer to kick that policy off by ending their own useless lives.
July 1, 2022
Others wont play their part . It is always, a small percentage of Brits who make an effort , whilst the majority waste and want more and more. Germany , China et al will just keep doing what they are doing ..As for net zero.. the plan is to reach for the stars and get the clouds.
July 2, 2022
Bearing in mind that those clouds are what most regard, at best, as fog.
July 1, 2022
There is no climate emergency. We are in an interglacial cool era and the planet has generally been warmer than today. There is no long-term correlation between CO2 levels and temperature. CO2 levels have dropped by 90% over the last 150m years and by the last ice age maximum 22,000 years ago was at just 180 ppm. Dangerously low as plants need 150ppm to survive. Higher CO2 levels will promote plant and phytoplankton growth.
July 1, 2022
Hats off to the EU for classifying gas and nuclear as âgreenâ. We should of course do the same, and get a major move on with both. On this topic I am fully in favour of harmonisation with the EU.
July 1, 2022
Very soon the EU will temp classify coal as green
July 1, 2022
Currently reading about a British army Gurkha who summited the 14 tallest mountains in around 6 months. That’s incredible. If man can do that and send a man to the moon 65 years after the first dodgy aeroplane flight on a beach, then surely we can fix climate change without damaging our economy (perhaps even strengthening our economy …).
Too many doomsters and gloomsters who think our environment is wrecked and / or who think we can’t fix the climate without damaging our economy. Just TRYING is in itself exciting. But quietly confident that trying in the spirit of adventure of the man who summited 14 of the tallest mountains in around months will solve the climate crisis and even strengthen our economy.
July 1, 2022
Look out of your window; the climate hasn’t changed….there isn’t a problem its a scam
July 2, 2022
+many
July 4, 2022
Glen, Do you possess time-integrating eyesight: I had understood that climate was weather integrated over a number of years, usually 30 years. It must be tough for you to stay at your window for such a long time. Do you even blink?
July 1, 2022
But ED M you have not been listening! So called climate change is a Big Con
July 1, 2022
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2022/0701/1307981-brexit-bill/
“UK to pay âŹ10.9 billion Brexit bill to EU this year”
Those who took and kept us in should pay for it.
July 1, 2022
Whaaaaaatttt! We only paid ÂŁ13 billion as full members.
July 1, 2022
What is the conversion ÂŁ9.4bn, it reduces from September 2022 thatâs why they need to tie us back in and the wheels are in motion to cover up the problems in the EU, they keep telling us how much better off theyâre doing than us, its all a con, it wonât change until weâre back in the Single market and customs union, sold out by Boris for his pat on the back from his buddies and being allowed to stay in the club clique chumocracy we saw evidence of this week with them posing without their ties arms around each other. Ireland keep telling us what to do and no retaliation – enough already!
Theyâre lining up Tugenhat to put the chains back on (the UKâs Macron giving him more responsibility, more newspaper inches, more interviews).
July 1, 2022
Thats just made my day….thanks a lot
July 1, 2022
Give it up Denis – nobody cares what the Irish media has to say – we are not in the EU anymore.
July 2, 2022
A lone voice, it seems.
July 2, 2022
Indeed, your posts are some of the best argued. Keep on going.
(And from time to time even more relevant than what Sir John says in the Chamber: your last one about things produced within NI was certainly better than what Sir John said to Liz Truss or David Lammy in the NI debate).
July 2, 2022
For what ? Article 50 was very clear.
3. The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of
the withdrawal agreement . . .
This means that, once we left, both our obligations / liabilities and benefits cease. We should have told them this.
July 2, 2022
But than the crafty Tories came up with a deal to surpass all deals called….BREXIT-IN-NAME-ONLY
July 2, 2022
Tell them to Foxtrot Oscar.
July 1, 2022
Of the 210 mcm/d of gas going into the UK grid today, 96 mcm/d is being exported to the EU; 46 coming from regas LNG, for a handsome profit. The UK has only 2,300 mcm in stock including LNG. Demand today is 225 mcm/d. Max flow out of gas stock is about half that rate. What are the chances of gas coming back from the EU if we need it, at a price we can afford?
July 1, 2022
Small: we got next to nothing back in 2 out of the last 3 winters. I read that already French winter peak power is trading at âŹ1,500/MWh, while the UK is running extra CCGT and coal output to export 3GW to France, which will rise to 4GW when IFA gets back to full capacity in October, just in time for winter: this is a huge swing caused by problems with French nuclear plants and should be compared with net interconnector imports of 5GW at times last winter. Of course, that means there are fewer carbon allowances to go around to meet our own demand, and that will drive up their price, and hence the price for most of our electricity while we keep France supplied.
The only thing about the gas is that we have next to no spare storage capacity but we can import enough LNG to keep the export lines from Bacton supplied – indeed, we have been doing that for a number of years in the summer. Next winter the Continent will be desperately short of pipeline gas unless the Russians relent and export more, although they do seem to be making reasonable progress with filling their storage. But they need both the gas in store and normal import levels.
July 2, 2022
‘What are the chances of gas coming back from the EU if we need it, at a price we can afford?’
Excuse me laughing. Answer – infinitesimal?
July 1, 2022
The Net Zero Strategy using low energy density intermittent wind and electrification is the worst possible way to decarbonise. We should be using nuclear fission and green methane which would mean no need to use eve or heat pumps and no need to increase the local and national grid capacity. Since China is the supplier of wind turbines, solar panels and the raw materials for batteries and motors we will have no energy security.
July 2, 2022
We don’t need to “decarbonise”; it’s a myth created by politicians to support their intended destruction of life as we know it.
July 2, 2022
CORRECT – people are trying to find solutions to problems that don’t exist
I often hear people saying we need to get rid of ICE cars without knowing way…the PR spin has been very successful…the brainwashing has been very successful
July 1, 2022
Letâs face facts. India and China are going to carry on burning coal. Therefore we must stop buying their goods. Simple. Gas is cleaner than coal. So, climate nonsense wise, it makes green sense to burn our own gas and make our own products – as cleanly as possible.
Damn globalisation. It is the root of all evil.
July 2, 2022
Succinct and undeniably correct, if only MPs could see this and ensure a Government of whatever shade observed the implications. Fat chance – the UK has more than enough idiotic day-dreamers in the wings wanting to be elected at the next GE.
July 1, 2022
I suggest the govt commission / create a scientific body to examine the evidence for climate change.
Most of the alarm comes from computer models and as It people used to say: GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).
Researchers who are monitoring the ACTUAL change show that there is no cause for alarm.
There are also cyclical issues such as changes in teh Earth’s orbit that occur on cycles of tens of thousands of years to take into account in determining if Man is having any noticeable effect on climate. In fact, there are studies to show that CO2 is at a low ebb and plants may be close to dying out.
Finally, Margaret Thatcher is occasionally touted as being the first PM to be concerned about climate change. That is the usual misrepresentation on the matter, as you’ll no doubt know first hand. The concern in that time was over deforestation, primarily in the Amazon – and concerns that the world’s oxygen would not be replenished if the rate of felling continued apace.
However, back then, science was allowed to continue to investigate and it was later discovered that phytoplankton actually produce almost all of the world’s oxygen (and they regulate the atmosphere at 19% oxygen).
Nowadays science seems to be ossifying since anyone challenging the accepted mantra is howled at, accused of being a “climate denier” so that the apparent “consensus” prevails.
WHen I wrote to my MP stating the above, her reply indicated that there was “a clear consensus” on climate change and I had to remind her of the above: that science does not work by consensus, it moves on and often mainstream views are replaced with better-fitting theories. I also had to point outy that correlation is not causation, which is the basis for many a climate change acolyte’s assertions.
Please start – or at least run in parallel, an impartial investigation into what is really happening. After all, policy cannot be formulated properly without the facts. So the answer to “What should the policy be?” is “What are the facts?”. Only those aspects that are undisputed can be considered facts.
Note: there is concern that scientific journals are no longer conducting proper peer review of articles, some are being published based on a form of pre-review which is often not conducted by a disinterested and properly-qualified party.
Furthermore, too many scientists are “doing their own stats” – they are not qualified to perform the statistical analysis of their findings and should employ the services of a statistician for the purpose.
This is why we need the government to do it PROPERLY (not just to configure a think tank of pro-climate change scientists with their fingers in the research money pot). Is that possible nowadays?
July 2, 2022
I went some years ago to an open day at the Hadley Centre/MetOffice when it was still in Bracknell. People there were quite proud showing the plaque that Mrs Thatcher had unveiled on the inauguration day (25 May 1990).
1990 was the year of the First IPCC reports following the various meetings in end 1988-1989 in which many MetOffice scientists (under Sir John Houghton) played an important role.
To say that the only concern at that time was deforestation is simply not true, as can be seen by anybody reading the IPCC First Assessment Reports. Volume I (Scientific Assessment of Climate Change, by J.T. Houghton, G.J. Jenkins & J.J. Ephraums, Cambridge Univ. Press).
It is still available in digital form on ipcc.ch âFAR Scientific Assesment of Climate Changeâ.
As for the rest of your comments ⊠one can only despair âŠ
Do you really think that scientists having gone through a BSc, MSc and more often than not a PhD are unable to do a proper statistical analysis? Really?
Do you have any idea of how difficult it is for any type of scientists or scientific labs to get their research funded?
Do you know how difficult it is to publish anything in the scientific journals? and how expensive?
It is thanks to these constraints that tens of âopen journalsâ (i.e., free and with practically no review by anybody really knowledgeable on a given topic) have sprung up these last ten years, with a very large fraction taken over by various pressure groups (and I donât mean Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth).
In meteorology/atmospheric sciences there still are the journals of the Royal Meteorological Society (Quarterly Journal of the RMS, Geoscience Data Journal, International Journal of Climatology, WIRES Climate Change – this last one by the RMS and the Royal Geographical Society).
So, how are you going to choose your panel of âneutralâ but knowledgeable referees to judge the state of the climate/atmospheric research? Are you volunteering for it?
Gee, such an uninformed and depressing comment, XY.
July 2, 2022
An appeal to authority by Hefner.
You must not ever argue against anyonet qualified higher than yourself.
A repeat of the pre reformation idea that anyone arguing against the high priests were heretics.
July 3, 2022
What authority? I am all for an independent impartial investigation: I just would want to know who XY will consider âimpartialâ enough to conduct such an investigation.
So according to you is the RMS full of âhigh priestsâ? Would you say the same thing of the Royal Society, the Royal Astronomical Society, the Royal Society of Medicine, ⊠or any other of the tens of Royal Societies/Institutions?
Or is your rhetorical claim to a fallacious argument typical of someone who has nothing to say?
July 1, 2022
What does the Tory government need to do? Abolish carbon trading. Renounce COP26. Abolish all subsidies for ‘saving the planet’ and rewilding. Let the market decide the energy mix once issues of security have been addressed.
We are already aware that the distinguished physicist, Professor William Happer has called out the global warming hoax; however yet another distinguished physicist, Professor Hermann Harde, Professor of Experimental Physics has stated that the increase in Carbon Dioxide in the last century has seen a 0.3C increase in global temperatures; he has calculated that the IPCC deduction that the effect of a doubling of atmospheric CO2 has been overstated by a factor of 5. Since man’s contribution to increased CO2 in the last century is only 15% then he is responsible for a temperature increase of 15% of 0.3C which is 0.05C which is insufficient to justify the actions of politicians in the West to close down their economies.
So when JR reports of the ‘world’s wish’ to move on from coal, he is clearly overstating the real position which is that Orientals have shown little interest in damaging their growing economies on account of a Western hoax concerning the climate premised on fake science. They will in fact be most happy that politicians in the West are so stupid that they have given the Orient the opportunity to supply them by closing down and rendering uneconomic, their own energy consuming industries. Electorates in the West can assist their governments to ditch their insane policies by voting them out of office.
July 2, 2022
The alternative???
July 2, 2022
Take your blinkers off.
July 1, 2022
Main Policy => self sufficient in power, food industry by 2030.
Make the green agenda based on carbon miles that goods travel.
All non-food items tax them, only vat on non essentials, incl. manifesto policy on zero VAT for domestic energy
Scrap all green taxes, scrap all green fuel taxes.
20k tax /ni free for all = cost of living crisis solved, min 10% tax on corps, 10% up to 1m, 20% after.
Close all loopholes in one swoop.
Scrap mist of IR35, 2 year work visa program if your legit, sent back to origin if your not, no if’s no butts no legal game playing; condition of visa that you leave at end, if you dont 10+k fine and removed on undertaking against visa; payg tax, 25% get refund back when you leave at end of 2 years.
These things are easy to solve with a big majority and some out of the box thinking, based on conservative values.
Finally…. despite the rhetoric on Rwanda and now Nigeria as deportation hubs for illegals, why not push back the dinghy illegals to France, a safe country. FGS just do it.
And stop making EU payments under WA (reader comments above) as they are breaking the Good Friday Agreement, with their pernicious interpretation of NIP. That’s applying pressure! Payments are not witheld, but they are cancelled until the EU cooperate with a working solution, These payments can go towards supporting the NI economy for example.
July 2, 2022
All this will take longer than we think. The world simply isn’t going to accept permanently high energy costs, There is no point in cutting back on gas and wind farms (preferably on shore for financial reasons) and nuclear power is not yet cheap enough if decommissioning costs are factored in. It is important to progressively eliminate the burning of raw coal at power stations. The cost of energy produced by clean (decarbonised is about 30% more than that produced by dirty coal. That is something worth doing because emissions per unit of energy from burning raw coal are approximately double those from burning gas.
For the UK, it looks like our Government is belatedly on the right track.
India, though, is a problem. We should let it be known that we expect India to achieve net zero carbon by 2050 like everybody else, not by 2070 as they have committed to. Wind power all along the eastern coast of India from Sri Lanka to the Bay of Bengal can take advantage of the Monsoon winds. There must be scope for using solar energy in India. Clean coal must also be part of the solution. We must tell India that some financial assistance will be forthcoming, with all other foreign aid to India cancelled.
July 2, 2022
Noone has committed to anything under the Paris treaty. They just aspire to achieve things. Since they are unachievable, it is inevitable that they will remain unfulfilled aspirations. Some countries understand this and therefore have little concern about attempting to fulfil green aspirations I the first place.
July 3, 2022
Few people have mentioned one very important fact. It is going to be difficult enough to achieve net zero carbon by 2050 as it is but if world population continues to increase it will be impossible. The simplest way to achieve world ZPG is for each nation to achieve ZPG. In the UK, draconian immigration control is the solution. We must observe that many of the would be immigrants hail from countries with high birth rates, whose main export is people. You can look up birth rates – number of children per female – by country on the internet. African …..countries are prominent among those with high birth rates. And let’s have an end to the pretence that healthy 16 and 17 year old males with top end sneakers, jeans and mobile ‘phones are “vulnerable children”.
July 2, 2022
Net zero has become a cult, and one which governments and their administrations have bought into seemingly without a huge amount of thought.
It is interesting that administrations that ae less fearful of public opinion and in hock to vested interests do not follow this religion, preferring to put their populations’ welfare above grandstanding. China and India are not stupid, if the world was really going to end and the evidence was overwhelming, they would see it too.
I call for less pollution and for energy intensive products to be improved by market forces not by diktat.
July 2, 2022
Having made our electricity generation variable with renewables the Government and industry had to get control of demand , thus Smart Meters, when demand out strips supply, to keep the Grid stable, they had to have the means to cut us off, this is the only reason Smart Meters and being forced on us, forget the garbage selling line of being able to watch your energy usage, who wants to do that? Even with all the rubbish on it I would rather watch the TV.
In the last few days the National Grid has announced a plan of variable pricing for those with Smart Meters, paying them to not to use electricity at peak times to avoid power cuts this winter. So there you have it in black and white, they don’t have the power supply to meet demand and they are talking of rationing it , and what starts as incentives to not use energy will soon become penalties. We know how this goes.
I have specially decided to not have a Smart Meter as a protest against this authoritarian grab of our electricity supply , you are going to have to force me to have one installed, I am going to make sure all this Green cuddliness gets exposed for this nasty authoritarian agenda it is.
July 2, 2022
John, The UK produces 0.95 of global emissions. Closing down the entire country would have no significant impact on global CO2, so why are we impoverishing people to achieve net zero. This is facile virtue-signalling and makes no sense in either scientific, economic or political terms.
Johnson should permit fracking to unlock our vast proven gas reserves and stop his green idiocy. He won’t because he is focused on his image and status rather than good government and delivering what benefits the country.
July 2, 2022
+111111111111111111
July 2, 2022
Total electrification is nonsensical. Only a fool puts all his eggs in one basket. To totally rely on only one source of power is irresponsible.
Where is the national discussion of the dangers of hydrogen?
Where is the national discussion of the dangers of battery chargers? The spate of exploding buses appears to have been suppressed. The fire recently in a tower block was reported to have been caused by a bike charger. The major fire that destroyed my own home a year ago is believed to have been caused by power tools being left to charge overnight in the adjoining house where a boiler was being replaced in the loft while the owners were away. We were awoken at 3 in the morning by the noise of the fire through the party wall. It took 8 fire engines and 60 firefighters to put out the blaze. But the government’s policy seems to be running chargers and domestic appliances overnight.
Where is the risk assessment of this catastrophic policy?
July 2, 2022
The inconvenient truth that the world has not warmed in the past 14 years in line with most climate models and that there has not been an increase in weather events despite increases in CO2 emissions from major emitters such as China, India and the United States, shows that those models are flawed and that the science – so-called – is not settled and that there should be a free and open debate on the issue of climate change. Especially since our Government along with the majority of Western governments have unilaterally decreed that a net zero policy must be adopted on such flawed modelling and at an unknown cost.
That is beside the moral issue that current Western policies are intending to deny peoples of Africa access to cheap and available energy as provided by fossil fuels that exist within their continent. This will result in a migration crisis to the West of proportions unknown at this time. It can be averted by investing in cheap and available energy resources which improves the environment both in transport and agriculture for those people and encourages them to stay where they are and build lives for themselves without the necessity to migrate.
July 2, 2022
Markets have generally determined the speed at which new technologies have been rolled out to consumers. There are first adopters who are willing to accept some pain to be the first in the market and companies who are prepared to heavily discount (subsidise) the products to reach some level of critical mass which leads to profitability or loss. If the latter, they are consigned to the history books, as simply not being good enough.
It should be clear to anyone who is paying attention that while wind turbine technology has undoubtedly evolved significantly over the last 30 years, it is nowhere near capable of supplying enough energy – even when the wind is blowing – to supplant fossil fuels.
Estimates vary, but the load factor quoted by the BEIS is of the order of 30% of installed output. Meaning that one needs to install 3 1/2 times the number of turbines to meet the rated output.
At noon, yesterday, wind energy contributed 9.5% to the grid when the demand was 34GW. In which case you would need 10 times the currently installed capacity of wind farms both on and off-shore comprising 11,094 turbines (RenewablesUK). i.e 110,000 turbines. Obviously, this number doesn’t include contributions from solar, nuclear or biomass, but the number illustrates the scale of the problem. That’s apart from the topographical issue of where they would be placed, given that the optimum sites for wind farms have almost certainly been adopted – and it still depends on the wind blowing.