Some policies which would cut human CO 2 output

The experts assembled for COP 26 claim that the world’s average temperature is rising and that the cause is the output of too much CO 2 and methane by mankind.

This being so, shouldn’t they require all anti Climate change conferences to be digital events? It is quite obvious that Glasgow is producing a surge in emissions from travel, banquets and air conditioned hotel use. A cavalcade of 85 vehicles to bring the US President does not offer a good look for all those telling the rest of us  to walk or cycle.

The debate should begin by looking at population growth. As a freedom loving democrat I do not recommend population control policies. However many countries do express views on population numbers and family policy. China, the world’s most populous country for many years did have a one child policy. Most countries do have family policies based around taxes, benefits, child care and education policies. Does COP 26 have something useful to say about how many people the world can sustain and what is a sensible balance between helping families without providing financial incentives for larger families?

 

For any given country policy should take account of the needs of wildlife and nature. Too many people can mean the removal of habitats from wildlife, and the loss of species.The best green policy the U.K. could adopt is to return net migration levels to those of the 1990s before Labour opened our borders. At current rates  we need to build a city the size of Plymouth every year to accommodate new arrivals. This generates a lot of extra  CO 2 for the construction. It erodes our countryside. It requires expansion of public services.

The governments assembled could all pledge to green their own activities, switching all public buildings to electrical power and removing diesel and petrol cars to show the rest of us how to do it. If they pioneered maybe they could get the costs down making it more attractive and feasible for others. Saving energy is a good idea and requires millions of sensible daily decisions. Before the pandemic I went to a big government meeting on green matters. The  sun was shining  strongly through the windows of a huge government room, where all the many bulbs in the chandeliers were alight. I was the only one who asked if we could turn them off.

278 Comments

  1. SM
    November 1, 2021

    Sir John, I applaud your ability to express in polite terms the anger so many of us feel at the appalling hypocrisy currently demonstrated so blatantly at the COP26.

    Prime Ministers, Presidents and Princes admonish us daily to restrain our behaviour lest the world shrivels up and dies, yet cannot perceive what idiots they are making of themselves.

    And just for the record, I haven’t been on a plane for more than 3 years, I’ve never wasted food (couldn’t afford to), I’ve made do and mended wherever possible, and whenever I’ve renovated a house I’ve installed insulation and double-glazing, etc etc.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      Same here SM. We’ve recently purchase an older property and have spent a fortune on insulation, new efficient radiators, a new boiler, always turn off lights, never waste food and have one holiday a year sharing a cottage with friends in the UK. We are being good compliant citizens but we are still to be punished further.

      1. Andy
        November 1, 2021

        You aren’t.

        1. No Longer Anonymous
          November 1, 2021

          Despite population growth of 11 million people over 30 years the UK’s energy consumption has fallen by 13%.

          You and your ilk talk to us like we’re shit whatever good we do.

          That’s why you got your Brexit.

          1. Nottingham Lad Himself
            November 2, 2021

            So it would appear that you voted Leave not for any possible benefit for the country, but rather the reverse, because you thought that it would cause more displeasure to people whom you dislike than it would to you.

            Your dislike is misplaced in any case. Most people of any standing don’t waste their time by ranking others as to whether they are to be looked down upon or not.

            So if you wrongly imagine that they do, then that in turn says quite a bit about you too, I reckon.

      2. Donna
        November 1, 2021

        I do the same, but not because I am compliant with the demands of the hypocritical Elite. I do it because I want to and because, being a child of the late ’50s, I was brought up not to waste resources.

        I am sick to death of being lectured by these arrogant, wealthy hypocrites who are quite prepared to ensure that the little people “own nothing” ….. they really don’t care if we’re happy or not …… and have no intention whatsoever of it ever applying to them.

        1. Hope
          November 1, 2021

          Johnson would not have children by three different women in three separate households if he believed the garbage is currently spouting. Nor would his mate Goldsmith have more than one home one of which a holiday home to lend to Johnson. Very hypocritical to say the least.

          Why are wives there using valuable carbon footprint?

          400 private jets arrive at Glasgow. So many they have to take off and park 30 miles away! Oh how these looney tunes are saving the planet.

          How many homes does Charles need exactly? Why cannot this all be down by zoom? All exempt from Chinese restrictions placed on the rest of us oiks!

          Good article in con woman where a female politician actually holds her govt. to account because the opposition will not. Sound familiar. Worth a read and watch by you and colleagues JR.

      3. John Big balls
        November 1, 2021

        Johnson caves to French demands and issues 100 new licences to fish in our waters.

        Get rid ASAP before he destroys the Tory party forever.

        1. Micky Taking
          November 2, 2021

          I think the last rites were read a good while ago.

    2. J Bush
      November 1, 2021

      Ditto, although I haven’t been on a plane for nearly 15 years.

      I did read somewhere, though not sure how accurate this is, there will be a fleet of electric cars to transport the many thousands of attendees from across the World to and from their shindig. However, Glasgow only has one charge station for electric cars and diesel generators had to be brought in. Oops, so much for green ‘credentials’. I am reminded of that old but, apt expression, ‘all fur coat and no knickers’.

    3. Cynic
      November 1, 2021

      Policies to cut CO2. All hypocrits. By their actions shall you know them!

    4. Lifelogic
      November 1, 2021

      Exactly but of course they do not really believe CO2 is the problem. They provided grant and extra taxes to encourage you to scrap your old car and cause a new EV one to be built. This actually increases CO2 emissions.

      What about bonfire night? Were all this wood allowed to dry and used to heat houses rather than burned and the heat waster outdoors it would save load of gas and other energy. Plus all the energy that goes into making fireworks. Though if you really wanted to save CO2 you should chop down mature trees (use the wood for building or long lasting furniture or bury it) Then allow new trees to grow in place of the old ones. But as I say they do not really care about CO2 it is another daft and indeed evil religion. An excuse to tax more, an excuse for government failure (as we saw with the failure of flooding alarm systems in Germany recently.

      Adaptation is the way to go. The fool Boris thinks COP26 can finish Climate Change and yet the climate has always and will always change. These Classics graduates are potty his daft Father is even more so.

      1. Lifelogic
        November 1, 2021

        Talk on the radio that the train crash last night was perhaps caused by one train taking out the signalling system and then a crash. Surely any decent signalling system should it “fail or get damaged” should fail to a safe setting. Any decent engineer would surely design it so.

        Will they put this crash down to ‘climate change’ too? Such a wonderful evergreen excuse for government failures and endless taxation.

        1. Excalibur
          November 1, 2021

          @ Lifelogic Apparently seven minutes between the first derailment and the crash. How onearth could that be allowed to happen ? This is supposed to be the age of instant communication.

        2. miami.mode
          November 1, 2021

          LL, I too am astounded that there is no apparent fail-safe system if a railway signal fails and it’s obvious where the HS2 money could be better spent.

        3. Hope
          November 1, 2021

          I used to be a strong supporter of the monarchy, if nothing else to stop further political corruption by MPs. However, I now want to get rid of it or at least have the ability to get veto if not up to standard or inappropriate behaviour ie Charles would fulfil the criteria. His moral compass is non existent and he wants to lecture us! He’s dog Church of England- no thank you, if he wants to be political and promote political causes stand down and get elected, if not shut up.

          Clearly out of touch with public mood considering behaviour of son Harry and brother Andrew.

        4. dixie
          November 2, 2021

          Once more the armchair expert in absolutely everything spouts off blaming the engineers when there are so many different people involved in design, construction, operations, maintenance ….
          As an engineer with a background in high availability critical systems my first reaction was to wait and see what the accident investigators have to say. But then I am not an expert in absolutely everything like you.

    5. alan jutson
      November 1, 2021

      SM
      +1
      I think its an older generation thing, to avoid waste, to try and conserve what you can, it was drummed into us as Kids by our parents who spent more than 5 years conserving anything they could, and making do and mending during world War 11, because then you simply had to, everything was in short supply.
      Recycling is not a new idea, neither is growing and preparing your own food, although many youngsters seem to think is !

      1. John Hatfield
        November 1, 2021

        And rationing after the war SM.

    6. Nota#
      November 1, 2021

      @SM +1 Agreed you like the rest of us are paying for this hypocrisy with our taxes and way of life. While the advocates of this new religion get to profit from it and absolved from contributing

    7. Peter Wood
      November 1, 2021

      Take a look at Spiked this morning, Brendan O’Niell has makes the point in spades.

    8. Nottingham Lad Himself
      November 1, 2021

      Never mind your diversionary Straw Men.

      It is thanks to the work of many at this conference that nearly half of the UK’s electricity is being generated by completely CO2-free means on this day.

      The benefits of that utterly dwarf the relatively tiny amounts caused by these very busy and important people, dependent upon present-day technology like the rest of us, in travelling time-efficiently to such crucial events.

      1. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        They could have done the whole conference via the internet.
        Millions of ordinary people have been able to work this way recently.
        They need to lead and set us an example.
        They have completely failed to do that.

        1. dixie
          November 2, 2021

          @Peter2 – completely agree. They clearly don’t believe it is a real emergency.

      2. dixie
        November 2, 2021

        A dog chasing it’s tail is very focused and busy but achieves nothing at all.

        You display a typical autocratic mindset but you cannot command innovation. The world depends utterly on technologies and science that were developed by no-one “important”, not the politicians, activists or journalists who may or may not be present an the COP cons.

    9. oldtimer
      November 1, 2021

      To borrow and amend an old saying: If you make bold assertions and keep repeating them, people will believe them. The assertion can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political and economic consequences of the assertion. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to suppress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the assertion, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

      The emergency faced by the State is not the climate emergency, its bold assertions proclaim, but the consequences of the extreme measures that it seeks to impose on us as the response to those bold assertions. When they are rumbled, people will demand a different leader.

      1. Nottingham Lad Himself
        November 1, 2021

        What like “brexit is good”, you mean?

        The BBC report:

        “The UK has been “left behind” according to steel makers after the US agreed to end a trade war over items that also included whiskey and Harley-Davidsons.

        President Biden has signed a deal to end tariffs on steel imports from the EU, which were imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump.

        But the agreement does not cover exports from the UK, putting British steelmakers at a disadvantage.”

        It just keeps giving and giving, doesn’t it?

        1. Peter2
          November 1, 2021

          Whiskey and a few motorbikes
          lol
          You are obsessed with brexit

        2. dixie
          November 2, 2021

          More like “the EU is the most civilised and cultured collection of countries” crap, but people saw through the veil of bullshit you remainers put up and rejected you and the EU.

    10. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      You’ve done enough, anything else is just supporting China and India

    11. DavidJ
      November 1, 2021

      +1

  2. Mark B
    November 1, 2021

    Good morning.

    Well if a growing world population is the problem, then all I can see as a solution is that those countries that are the biggest (China and India) do something about it.

    Our kind host makes many fine proposals and observations. All of which few would disagree. However he is missing the obvious. This has nothing to do with CO2 or the climate but wealth transfer and world Communism. Sounds a bit tinfoil hat like but are there any other reasons which can explain the insanity of what we are witnessing.

    1. Sharon
      November 1, 2021

      Mark B

      I agree! This green revolution is nothing to do with the climate changing and everything to do with wealth transfer and world communism.

      The arrogance that it’s going to work is why the leaders et al aren’t even trying to lead by example.

      By the way a GWPF daily report on Flop 26 started yesterday but I haven’t yet watched it. Link here.

      https://thegwpf.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c920274f2a364603849bbb505&id=2168c60a6e&e=9ea36bba31

      1. Hope
        November 1, 2021

        +1
        Ie Build back Better- all the same (except elite) and lower standards of masses to the lowest common denominator.

        Top 1% of earners in US provide the same tax as the next 60% of middle earners! Some levelling up during Chinese lockdown, elite corporations and its elite leaders got even richer!

    2. Ed M
      November 1, 2021

      The world is due to stop growing at about 2 billion+ more prople. And then plateau out / go into decline.
      The world is NOT over-populated. And the world hasn’t done a bad job at managing things since the profound rise in population, use of technology and consumer goods, and wealth in general since about the 1960s.
      There are so many profits of gloom from the left and right and greenies when if we just smarten up a bit and THINK and have a bit more cojones and imagination then we can create the technology of tomorrow that guarantees strong world-wide and UK economy without doing damage to the economy.
      Science is amazing. Human ingenuity is amazing. But we have to be more positive.

      1. formula57
        November 1, 2021

        @ Ed M “The world is NOT over-populated” – although if all the people of the world were to enjoy a living standard like those in the O.E.C.D.countries now, the resources equivalent to two more Earth-like planets would be needed.

        1. Ed M
          November 1, 2021

          Listen mate, your argument is academic not pragmatic.
          The reality is that the world isn’t suddenly going to get rid of poverty / low wages.
          If it did, that would be amazing. And if could, then we would be could EASILY be able to create the technology and systems for everyone to live comfortable and interesting lives. No problem. Technology is AMAZING. Human ingenuity is AMAZING. But only when people believe in themselves, are courageous and so on (who would have thought that when the Wright brothers flew their plane on the beach that 60 years later or whatever man would be sending a rocket to the moon!)
          World needs to be more positive – and cheer up.

      2. John Hatfield
        November 1, 2021

        Tell that to those poor African chidren we see daily in the charity advertisements.

        1. Ed M
          November 1, 2021

          Arggh. Your reply is completely illogical / fallacious!

          Creating great technology and systems is about:

          1) Ensuring everyone (including poor in Africa) can lead comfortable and interesting lives thanks to having strong economy and civilisation
          2) Preserving the environment

          People in the West just need to CHEER UP more and be grateful for what they have. Why are so many people in the West so cynical / miserable?

        2. Mark B
          November 2, 2021

          Yes. All asking for money to be sent to Africa to build a well. That scam has been going on since I was in short trousers.

      3. dixie
        November 2, 2021

        The heart of the problem is consumption and consumer goods – just look at the rows of 2ft high plastic Christmas gnomes in the supermarket and pretend they are so much more important than ready access to water.

    3. X-Tory
      November 1, 2021

      The problem can most clearly be understood if we use analytical ‘game theory’. Boris Johnson is so stupid and deluded that he thinks the world is engaged in a ‘co-operative game’, whereas the truth is that the rest of the world (excluding us!) is engaged in a ‘competitive game’. When that is understood then it becomes obvious that the UK will ALWAYS LOSE.

    4. IanT
      November 1, 2021

      The birth rate of most Western countries is in decline because they no longer hit the required 2.6 average birth rate required to maintain existing population levels. Population growth in the UK is pretty much down to immigration. Even China is on the verge of population decline (because of the one-child policy) and will be over taken in numbers by India in another decade or two.

      Perhaps one of the reasons the Chinese are not in Glasgow is because they are having problems at home keeping their lights on, due to a shortage of coal. Stopping imports of Australian coal has had unexpected side effects on the Chinese economy – something that has received very little mention in our media. Large parts of Chinese industry has been spluttering in blackouts recently, as power producers cannot afford to sell at (state regulated) prices which are below fuel costs. This sounds somewhat familiar, maybe there are parallels to the failure of so many UK energy suppliers?

      What is Wealth? FIAT currencies? Gold, silver, Crypto? Perhaps real national wealth should be measured in ‘energy’ the one thing we can’t print. We used to be energy rich, building an industrial revolution with that wealth. In fact we still are rich in natural resources, just unwilling to use them.

      Whatever the truth of Climate Change, one thing I’m sure of is that there are a lot of countries (including China) that will put their economic interests before anything else. So COP in reality is a lot of wishful thinking and weasel word promises that will never be kept. At least the Chinese didn’t bother pretending to go along with the charade.

      1. Mark B
        November 2, 2021

        Whatever the truth of Climate Change . . .

        There is only one TRUTH. Climate Change is real, and it has been going on for millions and millions of years, and will continue to change long after we are gone. What is in dispute, is man made CO2 and methane. But that is so small, especially the UK’s, that the measure to combat it will cause more harm than good, and to those who can least afford it. That is why only rich people get to fly in at COP26.

    5. John C.
      November 1, 2021

      Mark B. Quite right. Any discussion of how to cut greenhouse gases is a waste of time. It is a diversion from what we should be discussing, the whole c.c. myth. The climate always will change, first warm, then cold. How did a succession of ice ages come about? Nothing to do with Man.

      1. Mark B
        November 2, 2021

        Thank you.

        No one ever asks the question. What caused all the ice to melt in the last Ice Age, which was some 10,000 years ago. Not that long compared to the age of the Earth.

        1. hefner
          November 3, 2021

          Ever heard of Jorge Peder Steffensen, Niels Bohr Institute, U. Copenhagen, Denmark? He must be one of the ‘no ones’ who appears to spend his life answering the question.

          ‘The world at the end of the last Ice Age’, link.springer.com, the paper by L.G.Straus, 1996, has a bibliography of a score of papers by ‘no ones’ already addressing in the 1990s the question.

          1. Peter2
            November 3, 2021

            Cut n pasted off the Internet again.

        2. hefner
          November 5, 2021

          Yes, P2, I looked at the internet. Is it forbidden? Do I have to feel ashamed? Are you jealous? Do you want me to give you a primer on the best way to look for things on the web? I would give you a discount as you seem to be a really good fellow.

  3. Fedupsoutherner
    November 1, 2021

    Yet another sensible post from you John. As you rightly point out the amount of CO2 bring generated for COP is ridiculous. 85 cars? Why in hells name does Biden need that many? Our system of, in effect, rewarding single mothers who cannot afford to bring up their children with more benefits for each child is crazy and immoral. Letting in hundreds of people from France is mad. Shipping coal, wood and gas from around the world is ludicrous when we have it under our feet. Pretending it’s green doesn’t cut the mustard. There will be a lot of drivel spoken at COP which will make the leaders feel important but you can bet the UK will be the only nation to bankrupt itself in carrying it all out to the letter. While the rich carry on as normal – many getting richer from noses in the troughs- the working classes will pay the price through job losses and a cost of living rise which will be beyond their means. Still, Boris and Carrie will be happy if it means getting rid of white van man’s few treats that’s he’s worked hard for all year. China and India will further industrialise where the legislation to protect precious wiki life is non existent which will in turn put more species on the endangered list. Utter madness all of it and as soon as I hear the words COP26 I switch off.

    1. Lifelogic
      November 1, 2021

      Indeed. Climate alarmism is a wonderful way to hose pipe tax payer money into private pockets.

      Terrifying our children with doom mongering lies & propaganda on climate change is nothing less than child (and gullible adult) abuse in my book. See the drivel on Marr yesterday. Good to see that most are not so gullible & do not fall for it.

      1. Lifelogic
        November 1, 2021

        What a sick joke Andrew Marr is with his pathetic programme on sunday and HIS moronic interview of St Gretta of doom valley. Did she only agree to being “interviewed” if he only asked her pathetic and wet questions or is that all the fool Marr could think to ask her? Yes St Gretta what moronic “wisdom” would you like to impart on the nation next? Thanks very much for coming and taking such BS.

        The good old “impartial” BBC not a single climate realist or rational scientist to be seen.

      2. John C.
        November 1, 2021

        LL. Alas, I’m not sure, but I suspect a majority has fallen for it. A referendum might solve that question.

    2. Ed M
      November 1, 2021

      The solution is to for people to return more to our Judaeo-Christian (and the best of our Greco-Roman) heritage / values – and so becoming more responsible for themselves and family and not to depend on state so much whilst growing in sense of patriotism and public duty.
      That, in itself, would reduce government expenditure by billions and billions right off as well as just make people much more happy, cheerful, themselves and more integrated and fulfilled body, mind, and soul.

      1. John Hatfield
        November 1, 2021

        Whilst being swamped by immigrants of other cultures and religions? Good try Ed.

        1. Ed M
          November 1, 2021

          Immigration is another subject to world-being-over-populated, mate.
          But I agree with you, immigration is a concern here in the UK.

          1. Micky Taking
            November 1, 2021

            Most immigration between France and England consists almost entirely of males….on that basis them generating over population is of lower concern than other aspects of supporting them for another 40 to 50 years.

    3. alan jutson
      November 1, 2021

      +1

    4. MFD
      November 1, 2021

      I agree with every word Fedup! Every word and I have switched off the bbc months ago when ukNew started, but this morning the uknews got the chop as I do not believe the trash being broadcast !

      I’m out, no more. The final straw was the talk of vaganism,no no no !

    5. a-tracy
      November 1, 2021

      Fedupsoutherner, our system could reward working couples as well as the benefits they give to single mothers including housing benefits to cover the rent, council tax reductions, free cookers and fridges, free school meals etc. I know people that are better off kicking out their boyfriend. A working couple where the Mum has to work part-time whilst the child is a toddler earning half her usual wage should be able to transfer over the total of her residual personal tax allowance not just ÂŁ1260. So if she only works 16 hours @ ÂŁ10 per hour she should be able to transfer ÂŁ4250 tax allowance to her working partner for visa versa if Dad is part-time up to their child’s 4th birthday.

      1. Narrow Shoulders
        November 1, 2021

        and don’t forget the NI allowance too.

        single earner families who prioritise their children are heavily penalised

    6. claxby pluckacre
      November 1, 2021

      Yes FUS, re India,who is over there putting in place an agricultural system that creates poverty ,destroys family farms, consumes chemicals like there’s no tomorrow ???
      It’s The same country that is advocating mass new highways and ‘infrastructure’ to divide and further carve up a unique environment…China ..no not this time…. obviously !!! No, it’s the good old UK.

      1. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        Have you got any links to where your claim comes from claxby?
        I’ve searched the internet and cannot find what you are on about.

    7. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      Scientists lost credibility over covid-19 and governments restricted our freedoms
      I can see history repeating itself over climate change cop26

      1. Mark B
        November 2, 2021

        They didn’t restrict my freedom. I carried on.

    8. Qubus Merrie
      November 1, 2021

      It’s not just the 85 cars driving around in Glasgow. What about all the CO2 generated by flying all these vehicles across the Atlantic?

      1. SM
        November 1, 2021

        And allegedly 400 (four hundred) private jets bringing all those who are so vitally important to exchange views on which they already agree.

        1. Micky Taking
          November 1, 2021

          Imagine the pollution wafting about Glasgow, shouldn’t Ms Sturgeon be getting pretty hacked off with it all?

  4. Shirley M
    November 1, 2021

    The excess of CO2 and methane is a myth (a religion even). The problem is far too many humans in this world, but nothing will be done. Thankfully I will be long gone when the consequences of this ‘religion’ hit home, but I fear for others.

    Nature has a balance, survival of the fittest and all that. Mankind spends a fortune and masses of natural resources to overcome nature to ensure the weakest also survive, and pass their weaknesses to future generations. The problems will get bigger, and eventually science will be overwhelmed.

    How can this be resolved fairly, to all? I doubt it can unless nature is once again allowed to run it’s course, but we know that will never happen. Humans are extremely selfish creatures. Without medical intervention and scientific progress regarding food production, then the world population would be a fraction of it’s current level. The winners are likely to be the remote tribes who never joined our artificial and unnatural world. They won’t notice any difference.

    1. Ed M
      November 1, 2021

      ‘The problem is far too many humans in this world’- WRONG!

      The large population growths are happening in poor countries which have little impact on the environment.
      The problem in in rich countries but who are not procreating enough!

      Also, scientists say population growth is going to plateau out soon. So population is NOT a problem. And in fact, we’ve done quite a good job since the rise of consumption since the 1960’s. Not good enough (things are a bit wonky in the environment). But still not bad. The solution is to find the best technology and way of living so that we can continue to have a strong and healthy environment. More confidence and encouragement and support to the scientists and human ingenuity.

      And people just need to cheer the f— up whether it’s lefties / greenies trying to destroy out economy by unhelpful green policies or right-wing luddites who keep pouring cold water on new technology and methods to try and protect our environment (whilst keeping out economy strong). We’re still in the early days of green tech. And people are still getting things wrong (often very wrong). But it’s the right idea to focus on tech as a major solution to keeping out economy strong and our environment healthy.

      1. Ed M
        November 1, 2021

        The best would be if we in the UK became leaders in technology that protects our economy AND our environment whilst we also make billions and billions by selling this tech to the rest of the world!

        People really need to cheer the f —- up and get positive. Seriously.

      2. Narrow Shoulders
        November 1, 2021

        do people in poor countries not breathe? that expels CO2 and there are a huge number of them

        1. Ed M
          November 2, 2021

          Breathing out CO2 isn’t such a problem as driving down to your garage to buy a newspaper and pack of cigarettes.
          You sound like Scrooge denying poor people the right just to exist. When scientists tell us anyway that isn’t the problem. Moreover that it’s possible for us to have a strong economy, enjoy a comfortable and interesting life for everyone, whilst having a clean environment. But it requires creating great tech and usung human ingenuity. in general. Please don’t be so negative in your thinking. I see it EVERYWHERE around me nowadays. It’s not very British to think like this. Not very Conservative. And just miserable to be around people like this. Just cheer up – please. Watch Dad’s Army, something, but cheer up.

    2. trinity 01
      November 1, 2021

      “Humans are extremely selfish creatures”
      No they aren’t.
      Widen your circle.

      1. John C.
        November 1, 2021

        Yes, they are. Widen yours.

      2. Micky Taking
        November 1, 2021

        ‘Humans are extremely selfish creatures’.
        Yes I suspect a few pester Sir John daily. Such a busy man wasting his time on this written detritus.

    3. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      UK BEIS reported the UK co2 emissions below 1890 levels FACT

      1. Narrow Shoulders
        November 1, 2021

        could you link please? that would be worth pulling out in a discussion.

        1. glen cullen
          November 1, 2021

          Here’s one link but there are hundreds…its a published report
          https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-carbon-emissions-in-2017-fell-to-levels-last-seen-in-1890

    4. claxby pluckacre
      November 1, 2021

      x a million, well said.

    5. Dennis
      November 1, 2021

      Yes the population is the only key to a sane world. Would the present problems exist if the world pop. would have stabilised to 2-3 billion not so long ago? What did Nixon say in July 1969 – “One of the most serious challenges to human destiny in the last third of the 2oth Century will be the growth of the population.”
      User friendly way to depopulate? Women are increasingly getting down to 1.7 fertility rates – very helpful. In the UK if immigration were to stop and emigration were to continue at the present rate then every 4 years the population would decrease by 1 million – a good start. Stop the UK greed of only wanting the best and brightest immigrants. What downsides would there be with a smaller population? I can’t find out, somewhat poorer perhaps? The benefits would be massive, housing, pollution lessened, energy need dropped etc., etc. A UK population of 20 million would still make us bigger than most rich developed European countries – Switzerland, Scandinavia, Iceland of course!

      1. hefner
        November 2, 2021

        How do you plan to choose who the 20 millions ‘remainers’ will be? And to choose how to get rid of the 48 million supernumeraries?
        Do you think a referendum could address the problem?

  5. Margaret Brandreth-
    November 1, 2021

    Perhaps helping globally with all the areas of deforestation and arid land as far as tree planting and irrigation is concerned, to ensure all land becomes more evenly productive and stable would benefit everyone.

    1. Ed M
      November 1, 2021

      Well said, destruction of rain forests etc seems like a short-term solution to a long-term economic problem in these countries, whilst messing up the environment for everyone. These countries need to rely more on benefitting from and developing technology to grow their economy from instead of destroying trees. Not easy, I know, but got to be said at least.

    2. Beecee
      November 1, 2021

      I agree, especially as trees and plants are a vital ingredient of net zero – the sucking back out of the atmosphere the CO2 we have just put in.

      1. Ed M
        November 3, 2021

        It would be so great if we could get millions and millions of beautiful trees planted around the UK, in the wilderness, wastelands, towns and cities. Someone made a good point here once about how its difficult to do that in urban areas because of drainage etc but there must still be more we can do?

  6. Sea_Warrior
    November 1, 2021

    Nice to see that China is facing an energy crunch – first coal, now diesel. It really couldn’t happen to a nicer Communist dictatorship.

    1. Mark B
      November 1, 2021

      Since when has there EVER been a ‘nicer Communist Dictatorship’ ?

      1. Nottingham Lad Himself
        November 1, 2021

        Well, I wouldn’t choose to live in China, but I can think of far nastier dictatorships, and some of them are US/UK “allies”, aren’t they?

        1. Micky Taking
          November 2, 2021

          but admit to some extent it is a nasty dictatorship !

          1. Nottingham Lad Himself
            November 2, 2021

            Yes, to some extent I think that it is.

            I’d never try to suggest otherwise.

          2. Micky Taking
            November 2, 2021

            A touch of realism crept in eh? seen the light have we? A sort of eureka moment?

  7. DOM
    November 1, 2021

    We are being purified. Purgatory. Thou shall admit your original sin, seek forgiveness and kneel to green and woke orthodoxy whose purpose is quite simply to destroy your sense of self, detach your from your bearings, destroy your identity and then neutralise your critical faculties using mass propaganda to confuse

    All parties are directly responsible. This PM is repugnant. All Tory MPs are directly responsible for what we are seeing.

    1. Mark B
      November 1, 2021

      They’ve become a Cult.

  8. The Prangwizard
    November 1, 2021

    The whole COP 26 party for the elite hypocrite leaders preceded by G20 in Rome is a shameful disgrace but those taking part do not understand shame. Whatever they come up with after we have been subjected to climate frightening will not bother them, their lifestyles as we can already see will not change.

    In terms of preventing the lovely planet from being overused we should designate large areas of the world out of bounds for everyone and I mean everyone. No.exception for environmental monitors who are the cause of much damage to wildlife now. They must have their powers cancelled. No airplanes to fly over no boats or shups to pass into marine protected zones. Wildlife and vegetation will expand rapidly.

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      They could, perhaps, hold all the ‘’cops’’ at the UNs own conference centre in New York every couple of years
.sadly it would mean the end to all the ‘jollys’
      Its like the Olympics – a money making machine going from country to country

  9. J Bush
    November 1, 2021

    Why didn’t this self righteous mob opt for a video conference? Why have none of dropped their own extravagant lifestyles? Why are they still using jets and helicopters to travel? Why haven’t Gore, Obama & Co left their beach mansions and headed for the high ground? The hypocrisy list is endless and so obvious.

    They claim to be ‘leaders’. Then perhaps they should cease their ‘do as I say, not as I do’ prating and lead, by example.

  10. jerry
    November 1, 2021

    I see those who celibate these COP-out jamborees are calling for Farmers to cut their CO2 emissions whilst growing our food… True, I head it on Farming Today, some people need to go back to school [1] and finish studying their basic sciences, if they ever started!

    [1] and no that wasn’t intended a reference to “Saint Greta” either

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      @Jerry. Yes, and on the BBC this morning someone said the reason we hadn’t succeeded in bring down CO2 and therefore improving the climate was because someone countries hadn’t kept up with the changes required. Who’s to say things will improve even if they do? The climate will do what nature intends and even though we had a virtual shut down of life due to Covid, it hasn’t done anything to improve the climate. It’s like black magic and guess work. Nobody knows what will happen.

    2. miami.mode
      November 1, 2021

      jerry, they’re certainly not celibate where the general public are concerned.

    3. Micky Taking
      November 1, 2021

      What a boring jamboree if all parties have to remain celibate.

  11. Lester_Cynic
    November 1, 2021

    There’s absolutely no need to reduce Co2 and until that simple fact permeates the brains of our politicians there’s no hope!

    Fighting to change a proven source of energy for something inferior, why can’t we make up out own minds, the Greens have one MP but we got them by the back door nonetheless

    Shouldn’t a decision as far reaching as this be subjected to a public vote?

    1. Bryan Harris
      November 1, 2021

      +99

    2. John C.
      November 1, 2021

      Lester, I fully agree.

  12. Hat man
    November 1, 2021

    What have the the public opinion pollsters been doing recently on this issue? They were constantly gauging the public mood on Brexit (after the referendum, especially). It’s true they have found people want a referendum on Green taxes, and they’ve found people tend not to trust the media on climate. But where’s the opinion poll that asks straight out: ‘Do you want Green taxes?’ or ‘How much more are you prepared to pay to get net zero CO2?’ I see the Swiss have done just that, and the results show that they aren’t prepared to pay extra at the pumps (especially younger people and those living in rural areas). 60% rejected paying significantly more for home heating. Why aren’t we Brits being asked the same questions?

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      Spot On

      You may have also noticed that there aren’t any dissenting voices websites listed on google
.not good for the balance of science

    2. MFD
      November 1, 2021

      Because Hat Man, they already know the answer to that! Like our answer to brexit, it will NOT be the one they want

    3. Augustus Princip
      November 1, 2021

      The Chinese don’t own Swiss politicians.

      1. Micky Taking
        November 1, 2021

        I wouldn’t be too sure about that.

  13. Dave Andrews
    November 1, 2021

    China may have the largest population, but the problem as they see it is not enough children being born, leading to a demographic problem in the future.
    The advanced countries of the world are generally looking at the same problem. When women have the choice, they may choose a career rather than becoming a wife and mother in partial slavery, starting having children at a young age and as many as their husband decides. The education of girls is a much more satisfactory birth control method, rather than any draconian child number legislation.
    What we definitely want to avoid is the importation of people with this same male dominant mentality. Where you have wealth you have low childbirth. War torn Yemen has a high fertility rate, despite being a really bad place to start a family.

  14. Everhopeful
    November 1, 2021

    Excellent article.
    The fine art of damning totally with a kind of gentle irony.
    Fabulous!

  15. Sir Joe Soap
    November 1, 2021

    Perhaps we should lead the world on this and put limits on our population. That also means atop building houses with the concomitant carbon dioxide.

  16. No Longer Anonymous
    November 1, 2021

    We chose to have smaller families in the UK.

    Our politicians decided otherwise and boosted our population levels. They didn’t answer how replacing one demographic bulge with another was going to solve the problem an ageing population – which would probably have sorted itself out anyway.

    Prince Charles thinks the UK should lead by example.

    Well I think he should lead by example if he things that will work… but he won’t, will he !

    And so this country is going back to the days of Downton Abbey type inequalities which will start to become visible by the next general election.

    1. Micky Taking
      November 1, 2021

      One assumes Prince Charles did his bit in keeping population levels low.

      1. rose
        November 1, 2021

        The Duke of Edinburgh was always quite clear about overpopulation. A dedicated environmentalist, he was not a member of the CO2 cult.

  17. BW
    November 1, 2021

    We could look a population controls. We can’t keep on going as we are. We could stop paying people to sit on their backsides producing large families as a way of life. Oops. To difficult. We could stop the Eu moving from Brussels to Strasbourg once a month for no other reason than to please the French. We could stop sending war ships around the globe. Oh the hypocrisy of it all is staggering. We could also stop 2000 people attending the climate conference which in itself will produce massive amounts of hot air.
    Why is it that everybody telling me to change my way of life to save the world are not quite prepared to give anything up themselves.

    1. SM
      November 1, 2021

      +1

  18. Roy Grainger
    November 1, 2021

    It is clear from their personal actions in Glasgow world leaders are not in the slightest bit bothered by CO2 emissions or COVID. I assume they just see them as useful levers to control what the rest of us are allowed to do.

    1. No Longer Anonymous
      November 1, 2021

      Billionaires having taken private helicoptors to a super yacht for a birthday party.

      No. We can’t do much about that.

      I want to see Andy in a small house with no car and his kids in a bog standard comp before he is allowed to come here and lecture me, who usually holidays in a tent in this country.

      If Boris wants to lie to us in a manifesto and then play the commie then I’m going to vote for real ones next time and demand harsh, redistributive taxation.

      The 80 seat majority proves that it was the Tories all along.

      They are no good.

  19. Alan Holmes
    November 1, 2021

    How about someone pointing out that CO2 is essential to the world? If it ever dropped below 150 parts per million all plant life would die. Since it has gone up slightly hundreds of millions of acres of land have been greened. CO2 is not a poison it is life blood.

    1. Shirley M
      November 1, 2021

      +1

  20. Denis Cooper
    November 1, 2021

    Off topic, this looks interesting:

    https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/the-northern-ireland-protocol/

    “The Northern Ireland Protocol: The Origins of the Current Crisis, by Roderick Crawford, is the only existing authoritative chronology of the Brexit negotiations and specifically what went wrong in 2017. It argues that commitments, particularly on the Irish border, in the 2017 Joint Report were “a diplomatic triumph for Ireland and the Commission” but that “failing to secure adequate reciprocal concessions was a staggering failure for the UK.” The paper is the story of how the UK got stuck with a protocol that was determined by a one-sided and flawed interpretation of the Belfast Agreement.”

    1. acorn
      November 1, 2021

      Worth a read Dennis. How the UK lost the Brexit battle: The course of Brexit was set in the hours and days after the 2016 referendum. https://www.politico.eu/article/how-uk-lost-brexit-eu-negotiation/ ( TOM MCTAGUE
      March 27, 2019, Politico.eu)

      If this had been an international boxing match, the referee would have stopped the contest in the first few rounds. The UK being totally outclassed and unable to defend itself.

      1. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        Is it a war then acorn?
        Or simply a decision made by a referendum result enacted by our elected representatives.

        1. hefner
          November 3, 2021

          Oh come on, P2, your ridiculous and irrelevant comment shows you have not read the politico article listed by acorn.

          This article of 2017 is consistent with Barnier’s diary, who tells his readers
          – how unprepared the British had originally been in 2016,
          – how unable subsequently in 2018-2019 they were to concentrate on the various points, and – finally from July 2019 with Lord Bulldog Frost, just plain ideological and following Boris ‘orders’ based on a wing and a prayer, just concluding the discussions either without realising what exactly the UK would be signing (or as currently seen, considering that when dealing with foreigners, the Brits could always renege on the TCA later on, and that with the complicity of people like Sir John and others among the old guard Brexiters).

          But this is the UK today.

          1. Peter2
            November 3, 2021

            Ah it’s you again heffy.
            My personal troll.
            If it pleases you do carry on with your cut n pasted bits off the internet.
            Presumably you think it makes you look intellectual on here.

          2. hefner
            November 5, 2021

            Ooh, genuinely brilliant, thanks a million, I feel so flattered to get a sweet nothing from you.

      2. Denis Cooper
        November 2, 2021

        We are not yet at the end of the story.

    2. Bytheway
      November 1, 2021

      Yeah Denis and so what you gonna do about it? It’s what yrr Govt and parliament signed up to.. EEjit

      1. Denis Cooper
        November 2, 2021

        Read the foreword from Lord Frost.

      2. Peter2
        November 2, 2021

        Oh look a new troll.
        This one can’t even spell.

        1. hefner
          November 5, 2021

          Because obviously everybody making a remark can only be a troll except P2, the decent debater.

    3. Denis Cooper
      November 1, 2021

      https://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2021/10/31/time-to-be-firm/#comment-1272416

      “This situation has been almost four years in the making, starting with Theresa May deciding that it would be clever to use the largely invented problem of the Irish land border as a pretext to satisfy the demands of the CBI and other business lobby groups.”

  21. Iain Moore
    November 1, 2021

    Agreed I do not see how they can try to tell us to live zero CO2 lives without the state running a zero immigration and asylum policy, for currently they are telling us to live impoverished lives because there aren’t enough resources while running an immigration and asylum policy that says ‘come on over we have loads of spare resources’. Go figure that.

    We would be in a much better sustainable position, like 15 to 20 million fewer people, if the British establishment had not pursued a mass immigration policy against the wishes of the British people , and now they say we have to pay the price for the disastrous decisions they made , and continue to make. Oh and what really takes the biscuit is that the cost is expected to be paid for by us, not them, their lifestyles won’t be affected one little bit. Such are the events that revolutions are made of.

  22. Brian Tomkinson
    November 1, 2021

    Politicians cannot control the earth’s temperature or its climate but they will control us, if we are gullible enough to let them.

  23. Nota#
    November 1, 2021

    COP26 and the new over zealous evangelical religion is hypocritical to its core. The disciples of this religion do not mean that what the preach should be followed by them personally, but is to apply to every one else.

    It may have been dismissed as a conspiracy but the ‘Great Reset’ is being played out daily in front of eyes with none of us getting a say.

    Given there ‘could be’ ( but still not peer reviewed science) some substance to the preachers of this religion, after all it is just another religion. What has not been demonstrated is to the value as here in the UK, that one section of humanity should be sacrificed – so the rest of the World can carry on ‘changing the climate’.

    In a UK context with just 1% of the responsibility according to the religions own prophecies, its leaders seek to rather than match the rest of the World communities action and deeds, but to destroy the UK’s make up its society so as the new head of the cult can say ‘look at me’.

    We have a government that has ignored democracy (thanks in part to the pandemic) created a new version of a Dictatorships, a new God even. No longer with the ultraistic aim of serving the people but destroying every structure first so under the rules of the ‘Great Reset’ it can dictate new control.

    In all this there is no opposition grouping they daren’t speak out. There is no point to the House of Commons they are not permitted proper formal debate – everything is announced before hand, they can talk about but do nothing after the event. Central Government is mirroring the EU Trade Commission – these are todays rule which you implement. Yes you can talk about them, but you can amend or repeal.

  24. Nota#
    November 1, 2021

    Yes Sir John – the biggest polluters and the biggest problem is this new religions zealots. Every one else just gets too pay with their livelihoods and future. The biggest creators of ‘Global Warming’ will still be there when all others have been vanquished, and our Government will bow to them.

  25. Christine
    November 1, 2021

    The United Nations know that the massive rise in the human population is a huge problem. They have written many reports on the issue. The problem we have is politicians who only look at the short term and wouldn’t get re-elected if they proposed policies to curb the growth in population numbers. Western countries have cut their birth rate right down but politicians allow migration to swell the numbers to satisfy the insatiable appetite for cheap labour. The migration bill will only make things worse in the UK as it will pull in cheap labour to replace middle income jobs just like the previous freedom of movement decimated the unskilled market. History shows us that when labour is short humans make the biggest strides in innovation. Many in the UK want our population reduced but unfortunately the minority shout the loudest, aided by the media, and politicians buckle to any criticism.

  26. Nottingham Lad Himself
    November 1, 2021

    This is just a repeat of the Straw Man used in the logically fallacious “Some Labour members send their children to private schools. This proves that they are hypocrites” leading to the equally fallacious “Therefore everything that they claim is false”.

    I’m sorry Sir John, but this piece is simply diversionary time-wasting on a matter of crucial importance to everyone on this planet, and where there is no time to be lost nor energy to be wasted.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      Get off the site then NLH if you feel it’s a waste of time.

    2. Peter2
      November 1, 2021

      Who moves to the third point in your first paragraph NHL?
      If Labour politicians send their children to private schools whilst promoting a policy of wanting to abolish private schools then it is correct to call them hypocrites.
      But I haven’t heard people then saying ” therefore everything they claim is false”
      Is this actually your own strawman?

      1. Micky Taking
        November 1, 2021

        possibly a persecution complex?

  27. Nota#
    November 1, 2021

    Question ??

    Are the building in Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster insulated to ‘standard’, is the heat source (beside the lame hot air) from ‘Heat Pumps’ and is all the lighting outside and in from 100% renewables. Is all transport used by the law makers and their staff 100% electric.
    Do all Government(taxpayer) employed staff follow these basic religious decrees or is it just us the taxpayers.

    This religions hypocrisy just demonstrates and enhances double standards. One section (the taxpayer) gets to fund everything while by decree the other gets to feed gloriously on the rewards they have dictated for themselves.

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      You do know that your name is probably on a list now somewhere
.how dare you question our elites

  28. Everhopeful
    November 1, 2021

    According to the BBC there has been a ( highly amusing) “leak”.
    Even before the real bun fight begins there is dissent in the ranks.
    The meat producers aren’t too happy at having to stop producing.
    Oil countries ditto.
    Coal countries ditto.
    They ask for the green criticism to be spoken softly
if at all!
    Who can blame them really? ( Actually I can
they should’ve stood firm!!).
    We are witnessing the biggest wealth and power grab ever undertaken.
    Control energy and food and you rule the world. Change the nature of both and you win hands down!! Chuck in a plague and the world’s your oyster.
    And maybe those who have paid cringing lip service to whoever pulls the strings are finally waking up to this?
    WW3 fought and won?

  29. X-Tory
    November 1, 2021

    1. “The experts assembled for COP 26 claim that the world’s average temperature is rising” – quite possibly, but is this actuallty a bad thing for the UK? I would like to se some specific studies on this.
    “and that the cause is the output of too much CO 2 and methane by mankind.” – there is ZERO proof that this is the case.

    2. If mankind *is* producing “too much CO2 and methane” then the answer is to get the main producers to stop – ie. China, the US, India, Russia, Japan and Germany. No other country even gets above 2% of world output, so until these 6 countries cut back then nothing significant will change.

    3. In terms of population, it has been said many times that for a country the size of the UK the ideal population would be 45-50 million people. Given that our population growth is coming from immigration, stopping this (and especially all the so-called refugees and asylum-seekers) would solve our problems.

    However, we know that Boris Johnson will NOT stop mass, uncontrolled immigration, and will NOT take action against the largest emitters of CO2 and methane, so all we can expect is a lot more self-flagellating punishment for the British people while the rest of the world laughs at our stupidity and takes advantage of us.

  30. Ed M
    November 1, 2021

    Also, all politicians and others should be made to read (or rather, hopefully, will just read) Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

    As the play implies (and as our Judaeo-Christian heritage teaches), man is – or should be in control of this world. We’re meant to work (but enjoy our work), use the material wealth of this world for our comfort and enjoyment, and looking after the natural world. We should be, meant to be, stewards of this world.
    Materialists who are just focused on acquiring and hoarding money like Scrooge must learn they will NEVER be happy, living this kind of life. Whilst greenies must realise that man has to work and be ambitious (to a degree) and that we’re allowed to use the world for its materials. And socialists and anarchists have to stop being envious of the naturally powerful in this world who do well for themselves. Then we can really start sorting out the world’s problems. But a key part of this lies in the hands of politicians and scientists and entrepreneurs and business leaders – the Prosperos of this world.

  31. Bryan Harris
    November 1, 2021

    Thank you Sir John – In your own subtle way you bring out some of the points we all think about as regards to the hypocrites that are pushing the MMCC bandwagon.

    What penalties are they going to impose on us this time – what new taxes will they charge us for their folly? It is not just a circus, it is better staged than the finest opera, for they still play to keep us engaged and with them.

    As regards population reduction or depopulation as it is more widely known these days – efforts are already in place to achieve some of that. I disagree violently with both concepts, for it has never been any kind of answer – the planet has the capacity to provide for many billions. All it takes is planning and a little effort.

    There is a TV program that looks at old abandoned buildings and underground tunnels/constructions — When I see the wasted space not re-used I am certain that we have never had a space issue for people or food. We waste so much of what we have, allow it to rot, then complain there is not enough of something so we must squash ourselves down to fit what we conceive to be the space available.
    This is an insane way of looking at things – any and all problems can be solved with a little ingenuity and good management. Neither of these are anywhere to be seen, certainly not in relation to the absurd cop26.

  32. ello ello
    November 1, 2021

    Have never been on a march.
    What marches lack is slow, loud drumbeat.

    TCW as GP comes across as a closed shop of 50 or so

    A comment above /below
    ” far too many people in the world ”
    A wanna be candidate for the globo **** eugenicist club .

    1. Nottingham Lad Himself
      November 1, 2021

      Eugenics is about stopping those whom some don’t want to be born from being born, not about killing those who are already here.

      However, the two intentions do often coincide in the same people.

    2. SM
      November 1, 2021

      There have been warnings about over-population since Malthus, and certainly within the last 50 years by credited scientists, not eugenicists.

      Do you think bringing more and more children into the world that you cannot feed or educate or find employment for is a jolly good idea?

  33. agricola
    November 1, 2021

    Virtually all espousers of climate change policy say do as I say not as I do. Hypocrites to a man, woman or any other gender definition you wish to put on them. Even the virtuous Greta got to Glasgow by various energy using means that didn’t involve flying. I’d like to see an audited account of the hot air she produced in doing so against a 1/200th of a Boeing 737 Stockholm to Glasgow.

    Climate is changing, we should take advantage of it and mitigate against it’s worst effects. In parallel we should do everything possible to improve our environment in a thousand ways that are obvious without destroying the lives of people or their finances. The plus side on the health of the nation could be enormous without stringing our streets and pavements with cables.

    1. Andy
      November 1, 2021

      An elderly man picking on a teenage girl.

      If it sounds pathetic it’s because it is.

      1. SM
        November 1, 2021

        If a teenager insists on playing Joan of Arc on the world’s stage, she needs to be reminded what happens in the final Act.

        1. Micky Taking
          November 1, 2021

          and all that dry wood could be put to better use, whittling for instance.

  34. William Long
    November 1, 2021

    But how could they appear on the Grandstand digitally?

  35. ukretired123
    November 1, 2021

    Perhaps the Glaswegian refuse collectors see through the hypocrisy of Cop26 circus….

    1. Nottingham Lad Himself
      November 1, 2021

      It isn’t hypocrisy.

      It would only be so if those attending told everyone else that they must stop using cars and planes etc. immediately.

      They do not, however.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        November 1, 2021

        But they DO have to lead by example (they tell us our country can lead by example, therefore so can they as individuals.)

        Greenism is going to hurt ordinary people. We have to see rich people feeling real pain too.

        Hair shirt time. A real cut back on pleasure as working class people are being ordered to endure.

        This is a class war. It has nothing to do with climate.

        1. Nottingham Lad Himself
          November 1, 2021

          No, all that matters is that what they say makes sense, and that it gets widely and correctly reported.

          1. dixie
            November 2, 2021

            But what they say doesn’t make sense and they don’t need to gather in a group to say it.
            COP is an exercise in mutual back slapping and reinforcing their undeserved sense of feeling important.

      2. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        Might be a nice start if these people set an example though NHL.
        Don’t you think.

      3. Micky Taking
        November 1, 2021

        It can begin once they have travelled home?

      4. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        I note you say immediately.

  36. Donna
    November 1, 2021

    Population growth is certainly the biggest problem the world faces. And it’s generally the countries which are least well capable of coping with it which have had the largest growth over the past 4 decades (ie since Live Aid) and have the largest projected growth.

    These are generally also countries which Islam or the Catholic Church either control or have a great deal of influence (obvious exception is India) so the UN and assorted Globalists don’t attempt to do anything about that. They simply haven’t the guts to take either on and they know it would not work.

    It’s so much easier to come up with a “scientific” argument that it’s the awful “little people” in western countries who have slowly acquired a better standard of living over the past couple of centuries thanks to industrialisation who are to blame …… and who must therefore be taxed and punished by forcing them to live more basic lives.

    It has been obvious for a couple of decades that continual mass immigration to the UK is having a negative effect on our environment and quality of life. BUT, because it has what the Establishment considers a benefit by forcing “diversity” on us and what the Treasury considers a benefit because it increases GDP the obvious negatives have been ignored and the demands of the British people to restrict it have been ignored. And are still being ignored.

    The hypocrisy of the Elite who lecture us about climate change is nauseating. I despise them. Particularly the Heir to the Throne who is blatantly interfering in what is a POLITICAL issue and is using his position to try and make the lives of the people he expects to rule colder, poorer, more restricted and worse in every aspect.

    1. No Longer Anonymous
      November 1, 2021

      This is the Royal Family’s King Louis XVI moment.

      “Make them eat bugs.”

      Prince Charles has lobbied our government to make ordinary people poorer.

      Create the green jobs and the renewables BEFORE you destroy all the other.

      I have been cold and hungry before, icicles INSIDE the window and a smelly paraffin heater – an old banger that I had to work on with my dad every bloody weekend, cleaning worn out parts in yet more bloody paraffin. I don’t want to go back to that.

      1. Micky Taking
        November 1, 2021

        At least with a Tesla it might be unwise to soak parts in paraffin.

  37. Sakara Gold
    November 1, 2021

    As usual, Sir John hits the nail on the head by identifying global population growth as the main cause of the climate problem. I would add that a world economic system that demands growth is equally responsible and is actually also a main driver. An ageing population here and this economic need for growth is why the government refuses to restrict immigration.

    In third word countries people traditionaly have large families, so that in their old age, someone will look after them. They have no government pensions and poor health care systems. As the developing world climbs out of poverty and their population ages, countries need to provide for their seniors. For those that do, the birth rate drops.

    Being intrigued by all the bruha, I looked into the global temperature rise issue some years ago. Choosing NASA as my source of unbiased, factual data I concluded that there is a direct causal relationship between CO2/CH4 emissions and the mean global temperature rise. Unsuprisingly, he fossil fuel industry and the DT disagree. Those wishing to make their own mind up could have a look at the charts and data here

    https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/

    And for those on the extreme “woke” side of the argument who demand that money should be provided to the devoloping world to ease the transition to net zero, I would ask which offshore numbered account they would like the money paid into.

    1. forthurst
      November 1, 2021

      I don’t agree that NASA per se is a source of unbiased factual information. When the USA ceased wishing to expend shed loads of money on a competition with the Soviet Union to demonstrate their technological superiority through space flight, NASA should have been wound up. However, civil servants are very good at dreaming up alternative uses for themselves when facing mass redundancies, hence NASA re-badged itself as an organisation promoting the myth of anthropomorphic climate change and kept the money taps on.
      We are very lucky to live in an inter-glacial period; when that ceases to be the case, the temperatures will plummet irrespective of virtue-signalling scientifically illiterate politicos and assorted hangers-on who will quickly wish to reverse their prescriptions for saving the planet.

      1. Sakara Gold
        November 1, 2021

        @Forthurst
        Your pathetic attemp to discredit NASA does you no credit whatsoever. It is, however a typical tactic of the oil/coal/gas lobby – if you have lost the argument, try and discredit your opponent

        NASA operate rovers on Mars, they have visited every planet in the solar system and retrieved pictures and scientific data. They landed humans on the moon and operate the Hubble space telescope. They also have satellites orbiting earth which measure sea temperatures, atmospheric CO2 and CH4, among other parameters. NASA are known for their scientific rigor, unlike climate change deniers.

        1. forthurst
          November 2, 2021

          There is an article about inter-glacial periods on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov ie a American governmental organisation, which clearly demonstrates the underlying drivers of climate with reference to previous climatic cycles. The NOAA does not operate rovers on Mars because that has nothing to do with Earth’s climate. However, the NAOO is the legitimate organisation involved in climate research.
          By the way, NASA or NOAA satellites do not measure temperature, one of many misconceptions, they measure radiance from atmospheric oxygen in various wavebands from which they infer temperature. The complex calculations for doing this are by no means universally agreed.

          https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/abrupt-climate-change/Glacial-Interglacial%20Cycles

          1. hefner
            November 5, 2021

            forthurst, Satellites indeed measure radiances and weather forecast models, when assimilating all types of observations, now also produce radiances at all the wavenumbers covered by the various radiometers, which means no complex inversions are required anymore.

            This was introduced in various meteorological centres at the end of the 1990s. In the UK, ECMWF (in Reading) introduced such a so-called 3-dimensional variational assimilation in 1998, followed by 4-D Var assimilation in 2000.

            If interested you could get some ideas of how it is done looking at the most recent documentation of what is done at ECMWF:
            ecmwf.int ‘Part II: Data assimilation’, 103 pp.

            For the history, all the original 3-D and 4-D Var papers were published in 1998 and 2000 in the Quart.J.Roy.Meteor.Soc.

    2. Original Richard
      November 1, 2021

      Sakara Gold : “Choosing NASA as my source of unbiased, factual data I concluded that there is a direct causal relationship between CO2/CH4 emissions and the mean global temperature rise.”

      Correlation is not causation and how do you know whether it is anthropogenic CO2 emissions which causes global temperature to rise or a rising global temperature which causes an increase in the percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere?

      1. hefner
        November 2, 2021

        So if I follow your argument, can you give me the proof that the increase of CO2 is due to increased temperatures.

  38. formula57
    November 1, 2021

    “The best green policy the U.K. could adopt is to return net migration levels to those of the 1990s before Labour opened our borders.” – or we could be even greener and aim for a level of nil, unless there is a special reason why not.

    Also, we would need a new Home Secretary, one actually able to translate words into action.

  39. John Miller
    November 1, 2021

    The combination of COVID and global warming terrifies me because politicians have realised you can bully people into doing exactly what you want them to do in the name of science.
    I have always believed talk is cheap and actions speak louder then words.
    Clearly, all the attendees at COP26 do not believe in the CO2 fairy story or they would realise how silly they look. Dopey Joe flies 5000 miles (does he even know that?) to read badly a script from a teleprompter, telling all the plebs not to rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher!!
    I’d feel more reassured of the “fight” against global warming if someone could explain the mechanism of how it works, but nobody can…
    It’s also a shame that the host country is displaying the folly of “net zero” with energy prices going through the roof and the folly of left wing ideals running rampant in Glasgow like the rats in the street.

  40. Excalibur
    November 1, 2021

    It is worth pointing out, JR, that there are around 1350 active volcanoes in the world. This figure does not include under ocean emissions. In 1808 England had its hottest summer for 50 years. In April 1815, Gunong Tambora exploded on the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia causing the largest volcanic explosion in recorded history. It was so powerful it was heard twelve hundred miles away, and affected the climate globally.

    In Europe, the summer of 1816 was described as the ‘lost summer’. Ash and gases released into the atmosphere caused a dimming of the sun’s rays so that crops failed, conditions like winter prevailed, and sunspots could be seen with the naked eye in the gloomy light.

    In the face of such dramatic consequences and of continuing volcanic emissions I simply find it difficult to believe that man made Co2 emissions contribute significantly, although man does have some effect, it is undeniable. Indeed volcanic activity has been described as nature’s way of renewal. The BBC seemed to be arguing against itself yesterday when it pointed out that a certain spit of land in Scotland had had five or six settlements destroyed since 1300 owing to rising sea levels. Yet the spit remains. What we are seeing is nothing new, and will doubtless correct itself over time.

    1. Mark B
      November 2, 2021

      Well said. And then there is the Sun and its phases to consider ?

      1. Micky Taking
        November 2, 2021

        Never read it, has it much to say?

  41. glen cullen
    November 1, 2021

    SirJ you’ve fallen into the trap that co2 is evil

    Just look out of your window….nothing has change …the climate crusaders have been telling us since the 1970s that the ice caps would melt, desert would turn to sea and the sea would rise by 10 metres and half the population would die of starvation
.nothing as happened

    Stop the attack on co2

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      ‘’co2 is good, co2 is right, co2 works’’

      1. MFD
        November 1, 2021

        +1

    2. Brian Tomkinson
      November 1, 2021

      Quite. Without CO2 and photosynthesis there would be no life on earth. So many politicians and others, trying to get rich by creating a scare, seem ignorant of the fact that life on earth as we know it is based on carbon, the element they continue to demonise. They pretend that they have the ability to control the earth’s temperature and climate – they do not.

  42. Kenneth
    November 1, 2021

    It’s not just the pollution and claustrophobic effect of more people, it’s also the fact that more immigration brings more air travel.

  43. Original Richard
    November 1, 2021

    Sir John, You are correct on all your points.

    That tens of thousands of climate activists can turn up in Glasgow, mostly having travelled by plane, shows they do not believe in emergency CAGW. It also shows BTW that our government is unconcerned about the whole World’s Covid-19 variants coming into the UK.

    It’s all a scare scam to eventually control the population of the West through energy, travel and food rationings which are to be brought about by a shortage of cheap and reliable electricity.

    When the country is totally electrified and all our electricity is from wind (Saudi Arabia of wind) and the wind doesn’t blow the PM will be on the TV saying that to save our NHS we all need to save electricity.

    This will be achieved by the smart meters rationing the amount of electricity we can consume and switching it off altogether if necessary.

    The reason that China is not targeted by the climate activists is because their population is already under tight communist control.

    In fact the CCP has the opposite problem to the West. It wants to ensure the continued compliance of their population. It will do this through a continuing improvement of living standards which needs an abundance of cheap energy and the necessity of installing a coal fuelled power station each week.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      Richard. This will be achieved by the smart meters rationing the amount of electricity we can consume and switching it off altogether if necessary.

      Ha, ha. Try charging up your electric car to get to work if that happens.

  44. Original Richard
    November 1, 2021

    You are correct Sir John to highlight that our government could reduce our future CO2 emissions by stopping the immigration into our country of 300,000 + people each and every year, as wanted by 70% of the country.

    In fact population growth is far more environmentally damaging to the planet than the level of CO2 in the atmosphere or the average global temperature and worse still will be the conflicts arising from shortages of minerals, food, water and energy.

    What has been the point of UK and World charities pumping our money into underdeveloped war-torn countries for these countries to be a few decades later just as underdeveloped and war-torn but with now 4 times the population and a succession of leaders with large bank balances in Switzerland?

  45. glen cullen
    November 1, 2021

    Historic measurements of co2 are achieved by ice core analysis
    Current upper atmosphere measures are taken at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii Their headlines say that co2 continues to rise – what they don’t explain is why co2 was at 420 parts per million (ppm) in May 2021 and fell to 413 ppm in September 2021 https://www.co2.earth/daily-co2 – nor do they explain if co2 levels follow the weather or the weather follows the co2 level
    Every co2 prediction is driven by the United Nations

    1. Sakara Gold
      November 1, 2021

      @Glen Cullen
      Absolute crap, like everything else that you post here
      The CO2.earth website is funded by wealthy American conservatives with oil interests. Its full of clever disinformation, propaganda, lies and bullshit supporting the fossil fuel industry, as is the DT

      1. glen cullen
        November 1, 2021

        Your quality feedback is always welcome
        Try NASA and any other climate website – they all say the same; September 2021 co2 level 413-417 ppm 
..are they also lying ?
        https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/

  46. glen cullen
    November 1, 2021

    Do we trust the United Nations World Health Organisation WTO about their management and reporting of Covid-19 in China
    So why should we trust the United Nations IPCC about their management and reporting of Climate Change

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      +1

    2. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      not WTO but WHO

  47. graham1946
    November 1, 2021

    The answer they say is to cut CO2 emissions. We’ve just had a near 2 year experiment of just that – Covid, where there was not much road traffic, millions on furlough, little manufacturing output in our own country. It seems similar in much of the world, but the result is that CO2 levels have gone up. What is causing it, therefore? How much cutting do we need to do if the Covid experiment of cuts led to higher emissions? Perhaps the climate ‘experts’ such as Greta can enlighten us, but I doubt they actually know the answer.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      Brilliant Graham1946 and quite right.

  48. Original Richard
    November 1, 2021

    Our PM, Mr. Johnson, has warned that civilisation can go backwards.

    This is true.

    But an increase in global temperatures will be no-where near as catastrophic for civilisation as the ending of abundant, cheap and reliable energy, in particular, electricity.

    The major and most important difference between the civilised, high standard of living, democratic West and the poor, undemocratic countries is the latter’s lack of cheap, reliable electricity.

    Does our PM not realise just how damaging it will be to our country if we are reduced to electricity rationing and blackouts when the wind isn’t blowing?

    China understands this which is why they’re building a coal-fired power station every week.

    Note that they’re NOT building wind farms at large scale for power despite they’re being the new technology and planet saving but just so they can show they can make and sell them to us (mugs).

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      We the people didn’t vote for the Green Party
      We the people didn’t vote for the Green Agenda
      We the people didn’t vote for the UN to control us
      We the people didn’t vote for the UN IPCC Cop26
      We the people didn’t vote for net zero 2030
      We the people didn’t vote to subsidise £100bn to 3rd world
      We the people didn’t vote for higher energy bills
      We the people didn’t vote for the return to the stone age

      1. Andy
        November 1, 2021

        You voted for net zero by 2050. It was literally page 1 of the Tory manifesto in 2019.

        PS: I didn’t vote for them.

        1. glen cullen
          November 1, 2021

          But the new target is 2030….manifesto didn’t say anything about banning cars, gas boiler, energy tax hikes or mass social engineering
          We’ve been sold a pup

        2. Peter2
          November 1, 2021

          2030

      2. hefner
        November 1, 2021

        Glen Cullen = We the people
        I had up to now never realised that we had a Founding Father in our midst.

        And it is surprising that someone who reads (and supposedly understands) climate data has not figured out that, the two Earth hemispheres not being symmetrical in the distribution of land/ocean and therefore of vegetated land, therefore implies that there is an annual cycle in the global concentration of CO2. It has been there since the first Mauna Loa measurements by Charles Keeling in 1958.

        See ‘Annual cycle of CO2’ , 01/06/2012, tamino.worldpress.com

        1. glen cullen
          November 1, 2021

          Mauna Loa is a useful source of primary data, however the Observatory doesn’t examine or even attempt to examine if co2 is the cause or effect of temperature

          1. hefner
            November 4, 2021

            Indeed, it does not: in addition to its telescopes, it otherwise started as a meteorological station (pressure, temperature, humidity, wind) plus some dedication to ‘climate variables’ (solar radiation, CO2 and O3 local originally, and later on total column value, then profiles of CO2 and O3, ice nucleus and cloud condensation nuclei, ‘volcanic’ particles, 
) set up in 1956 as part of the 1957 International Geophysical Year.

            The 10-15 people working there over the years have essentially been meteorologists and technicians, with some visiting scientists (astronomers and atmosphere scientists) coming for short 2-3 months stays when some new measuring instruments are set up.

            Most atmospheric data collected there transit via U.Hawaii to the wider community. So you’re right: no in-house examination of T-CO2 relationship, in the same way that people (remotely) manning the multiple CO2/T measuring sites in the UK (as for example part of the Intensive Forest Monitoring Network or of the Environmental Change Network) are unlikely to look at the cause and effect in the relationship between CO2 and T.

            End of waffle: satisfied, P2?

      3. Nottingham Lad Himself
        November 2, 2021

        It’s strange, but you claim that the expressly-defined single-issue vote on the European Union was in fact one on a whole list of grievances, from 20mph speed limits, to immigration, and back to cycle lanes and city mayors, and use it to support whatever daft position you might take on those.

        On the other hand, the General Election, which was instead on multi-issue manifestoes, printed in black-and-white, you claim was about simply one thing and one alone, Getting Brexit Done.

        It really is very funny.

    2. Sakara Gold
      November 1, 2021

      @Original Richard
      Wrong again, as usual. Fossil fuel produced electricity has just doubled in price, they have an existentiial threat to their business model caused by cheap, renewable energy.

      The cheapest form of UK electricity is produced by windfarms harvesting FREE energy that we dont have to import, the next cheapest is summer solar, again harvesting FREE energy. Today they were producing 17.8 GW or 52% of our electricity demand

      Check your facts before you parrot fossil fuel industry bullshit and propaganda.

      1. Beecee
        November 1, 2021

        I accept that windfarms have a role to play but they are not the solution, merely a support act. Tonight as I write this at 9.30 pm it is dark and cold etc. and electricity is therefore in much demand. Windfarms are only producing 22% of the supply, gas turbine generation 37%. No solar is available and no coal or oil is being called upon. Nuclear is 17% but we are decommissioning these.

        We need supply reliable electricity 24/7 and every week of every year regardless of the Season.

      2. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        Just elcetricity SG

      3. Original Richard
        November 1, 2021

        Sakara Gold : “The cheapest form of UK electricity is produced by windfarms harvesting FREE energy that we dont have to import, the next cheapest is summer solar, again harvesting FREE energy. Today they were producing 17.8 GW or 52% of our electricity demand.”

        Coal, oil and natural gas are all as “free” as wind as the Earth does not charge us for its natural resources. But they all have costs to extract/capture, store and produce electricity suitable to put into the grid.

        A series of reviews of the financial accounts of offshore windfarms has shown that despite the claims of the offshore wind industry, overall costs of offshore windfarms remain stubbornly high, and are at best only declining slowly.

        And, as I keep saying we do not know yet the true cost of wind energy as there is no known non-fossil fuel back-up for wind energy. So in effect fossil fuels are subsidising wind energy.

        If wind energy is free as you say why is China building a coal fired powered station each and every week rather than wind farms?

        Don’t they have any wind in China?

        1. glen cullen
          November 2, 2021

          Agree

    3. Mark B
      November 2, 2021

      This is because your party has decided to, Level Up the UK to the Third World.

    4. Nottingham Lad Himself
      November 2, 2021

      Yes, it is true.

      Brexit is the evidence for that.

  49. Mike Wilson
    November 1, 2021

    I would happily pay taxes to have free electricity and water and sewage disposal – essential elements of a comfortable lifestyle. All those utilities require shared infrastructure- so I would be happy for the government to tax me and provide them.

    The only way to heat homes effectively, if you don’t want to use gas, is to use electricity to power a combination of storage heaters and convector heaters. To do this for every home in the country – and to power electric cars – the government needs to build 30 nuclear power stations ASAP. And pay for solar panels on the roof of every suitable property.

    Air source heat pumps are a complete non-starter.

    1. Andy
      November 1, 2021

      Heat pumps work perfectly well in Scandinavia, New Zealand and many other places.

      Not sure why they would work everywhere else but not for you. User error maybe?

      1. Micky Taking
        November 1, 2021

        It helps if the occupants and neighbours are stone deaf. I imagine the NZ sheep don’t complain?

        1. hefner
          November 7, 2021

          MT, an air source heat pump (ASHP) is supposed to have a maximum noise level of 42 dB, at 1 meter from it, not to require planning permission.

          From experience, mine (a Daikin 16 kW reversible cooling-heating system, in South of France) does not produce more noise than an old-style (pre-90s) refrigerator. Given that the unit is set up on the face of the house away from any neighbour, I doubt it disturbs any people. At least after five years of having it, nobody has complained (yet?) and my neighbours’ hearing seems OK. The birds in the nearby trees do not look incommoded either, and if anything their songs are louder than the low whirring of the pump, when it is used in the hottest days of summer. As for the noise inside when the room units are on, it is barely noticeable, and I do not think I am hard of hearing.

          In the winter months, the unit is not noisier but admittedly can only bring the inside temperature to about a background 13C-15C (depending on the temperature outside), more than satisfactory for keeping pipes from getting frozen, but quite ‘fresh’ if one would use it as the only heating system. So good woolly sweaters, possibly a small wood fire in the fireplace or an additional electric heater would be required.
          But in terms of temperature and ways to get more comfortable, it is not all that different from the situation when I grew up at my parents’ home in the 1950s, where the winter indoors temperature must have very rarely been exceeding 18C.

          So from my experience of one ASHP, I would think your comment 
 rather excessive 😂. The noise is not the problem, too cool a temperature in winter from an ASHP only might be one, and the €10k euros (spent five years ago) might also be one.
          But overall, I am so far a happy bunny with that purchase.

    2. David L
      November 1, 2021

      I was concerned to see Greenpeace demanding a massive change to heat pumps as replacement for gas boilers. For a building to make best use of heat pumps it has to be designed and built with them in mind. Much of the UK housing stock is manifestly unsuitable and householders will have to pay out large sums only to find disappointment during the coldest weather. However, there are those who sniff a profit and the Green movement seems to have swallowed the hype emanating from them.

    3. Original Richard
      November 1, 2021

      Mike Wilson : “Air source heat pumps are a complete non-starter.”

      I agree that the standard heat pumps (a fridge in reverse) is nowhere near as good as a gas boiler and are a very poor substitute.

      But a British company, Fluid Dynamics, are working on using the Stirling external combustion engine in reverse as a much improved heat pump.

      The Stirling engine is more energy efficient than the standard vapour compressor (reverse fridge) heat pump and can produce hotter water temperatures which means, comparing with standard heat pumps :

      1) Lower energy usage for the same heat output (increased CoP)
      2) No need for larger piping and larger radiators.
      3) Quieter as no fan.
      4) Better for the environment as no need for any greenhouse gas refrigerant.
      5) No need for immersion heaters to heat the hot water tank above the minimum of 60 degrees C to kill Legionella bacteria.

  50. Original Richard
    November 1, 2021

    The BBC is very upset this morning that the Government is allowing the building of a new coal mine to produce coal not for power but to make steel.

    So has the BBC now forgiven Mrs. Thatcher for closing coal mines to replace our power generation with lower CO2 emission natural gas?

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      OR. If that the mine in Cumbria then good ho. Common sense at last. Let’s have some more.

  51. forthurst
    November 1, 2021

    The best solution to constraining population growth would be to end migration completely. This would prevent third-worlders inflicting their failings on the rest of humanity although, not popular with English-hating multiculturalists, who happen to infest the liblabcon in order to facilitate their malifactions.

  52. Peter from Leeds
    November 1, 2021

    Why is the 26th the key one? What about all the other 25 “conferences of the parties”? Where is the track record of achievement versus CO2 and hot air expended? Am I the only one looking for some return on tax payers’ money spent?

    Can anyone here please help?

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      Because Cop01 – Cop25 didn’t achieve its predicted global annihilation on schedule

  53. glen cullen
    November 1, 2021

    Petrol and diesel at its highest pump price again today – our government increases its fuel duty and VAT take – thanks Boris

    1. Sakara Gold
      November 1, 2021

      glen cullen
      Too bad. If you had an EV it would cost you about ÂŁ7 to drive ~350 CO2-free miles. Go figure

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        November 1, 2021

        Sakara. Don’t be stupid. If everyone went out and bought an EV the whole useless system would collapse then where would you be without white van man?

      2. Peter2
        November 1, 2021

        Only at home SG
        Out on the motorway services you can triple your price

  54. Peter from Leeds
    November 1, 2021

    Sir John,

    Not sure I agree that governments should pledge to green their own activities because they would end up wasting tax payer money on vanity projects.

    Tax payers want government to spend money efficiently (or not at all on pointless activities and quangos if possible).

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      PfL are you talking about the massive waste of taxpayers money on HS2

  55. MikeP
    November 1, 2021

    We’ve had 50 years of climate alarmism, flawed forecasts of ice cap melt, polar bear numbers, sea level rises, apocalyptic weather events and even the end of humanity. Goodness knows what it’s all doing to young people’s mental health, much less their ability to challenge the orthodoxy or even research how many floods, heatwaves, wild fires and hurricanes we’ve had for centuries. When the ‘scientists’ have got it so wrong for decades, how can we believe them now? Their funding is guaranteed provided they continue the groupthink we all know is a Western ruse to slow down China and India in their use of coal to grow their economies. Meanwhile we’ll all freeze to death in motorway jams of EVs caught out with flat batteries. Boris’s insistence that the decision not to go ahead with the Cumbrian coking coal mine is not for him to make is appallingly weak leadership, where he should’ve praised the scheme as being a clean source of a commodity we currently import from hundreds of miles away so reduces transportation CO2 and costs.
    We’ve also had many inept local policies, including recently:
    – dutifully recycling our paper & card, only to hear that because it got wet being left out in the rain it was unsaleable to the Council’s customers. Hence the new green bags.
    – “rewilding”, while I broadly support the protection of the countryside and giving wild flower meadows free rein, this should NOT extend to verges and hedgerows close to junctions and roundabouts, making driving more dangerous through reduced visibility of oncoming traffic. Berkshire has many bad examples of this.

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      Good comments MIKEP

  56. glen cullen
    November 1, 2021

    We escaped the European order just to be enslaved by the New World order of the United Nations

    1. DavidJ
      November 1, 2021

      Indeed.

    2. Nota#
      November 1, 2021

      @glen Cullen – and who votes for them, and who are the accountable to. World Government via the back door

  57. a-tracy
    November 1, 2021

    How much CO2 less was there when the world came to almost a stop in April 2020 for a month? This would give us a better idea of what it will take. From April 2020 to March 2021 there were lots fewer transport movements planes, trains, cars so how much CO2 did the UK and the World cut?

    Caroline Lucas in the Guardian claims “we know the public wants the government to go further, they are absolutely up for bolder and more ambitious action”. Was there a referendum I missed, has anybody on this blog been asked the question? What is the question? What is the bolder action? Precisely what is the ultimate ambitious action, to stay home, not go out often (rationing), no meat eating or 50% less, only one flight per year? or a certain number of miles allowed per person on the roads? Just what are these ambitious plans these Greens allege we’ve all signed up and agreed to.

    In one sentence she says Boris is a populist who “doesn’t do what is right, he does what he thinks is popular.” Well Ms Lucas we’re not seeing much evidence of that!

    She wants the taxpayer to fund “a comprehensive street-by-street, local authority-led home insulation programme” are you all on board with that? First tell us which are the homes that are not insulated at all? How do you know how many there are? Where are they? How much have you calculated this will cost the taxpayers nearly 80% of which have already paid for their own insulated homes or have council and housing association homes that have the requisite insulation and if they don’t why aren’t they paying to put this in the homes they rent out?

  58. Bitterend
    November 1, 2021

    Am afraid that doing trade deals with countries so far away like NZ is not going to help the situation very much. Listening to Boris at the opening ceremony i don’t see how he can square all of this with present policy of burning up thousands and thousands of ship miles and the carbon waste that will eventually be thrown up.

  59. Martin clout
    November 1, 2021

    You know, Sir John, I find it deeply worrying how badly politicians are advised and how little research they and their interns do regarding current scientific modelling and understanding of the role of solar and cosmic forces on our climate. Beware of being led by the nose . . . ! CO2 has little, if anything, to do with it.

    But then we wouldn’t be treated to this excruciating international display of virtue signalling, sackcloth and ashes and doomsayers that assemble for COP 26.

    Repeal all green taxes and let our country thrive . . . like the USA under Trump.

    1. DavidJ
      November 1, 2021

      +1

  60. Barbara
    November 1, 2021

    ‘This being so‘

    But it isn’t.

  61. Mark Thomas
    November 1, 2021

    Sir John,
    This COP 26 jamboree will just result in a lot of hot air. Boris will pledge to bankrupt the country and we’ll all have to pay for our sins. Meanwhile it was reported in the news that the Swedish harbinger of doom had arrived in Glasgow by train. Strangely there was no explanation of by what other means she had travelled, unless she walked on water. In my opinion as long as there’s been a climate there’s been climate change. Perhaps one of the thousands of covid-resistant experts in Glasgow should stand up and ask what can we do to prevent tectonic activity and volcanic eruption, in order to save the planet.

    1. DavidJ
      November 1, 2021

      +1

    2. graham1946
      November 1, 2021

      Boris will not only promise to bankrupt the UK, he will actually start to do it until he gets turfed out on his ear, whilst the rest will go home and forget all about it. COP26 it aint – FLOP26 is will be.

  62. hefner
    November 1, 2021

    ‘Does COP26 have something useful to say about how many people the world can sustain and what is a sensible balance between helping families without providing financial incentives for larger families?’

    Why do you think COP, the Conference of the Parties, whose objectives as declared in 1995 should be to review progress made by the 197 members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change regarding the ‘stabilisation of greenhouse gases concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system’ would be the best forum to address problems linked to population and demography?

    There are already divisions of the UN, Population Division, Demographic and Social Statistics, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, working on your original concerns. Do you really expect that 197 Governments would agree on anything as part of COP that they have not even agreed to discuss as part of these other UN forums?

    Strange comment, except if it is the usual red herring.

    1. Peter2
      November 1, 2021

      Well it is strange that population and migration isn’t properly considered heffy.
      It is an item in the list of things that create an effect on the climate.
      The IPPC says it is mankind that is driving temperature rises.
      So it is reasonable to consider that extra millions of people have an effect.
      Mind I’m not as clever as you heffy.

      1. hefner
        November 4, 2021

        Indeed, you’re not 😉. My point was simply that COP might not be particularly suited to address such problems. Moreover I would think there is no need for governments (and us) to give additional money to UNFCCC when other departments of the UN are already supposed to be looking at population and migration.

        Would you be ready to encourage the UK Government to give more money to the UN-sponsored COP? If so, that’s very interesting.

  63. Malcolm White
    November 1, 2021

    Dear Sir John,
    I might go along with climate change predictions if in fact they were acceptably close to reality, but they are not. The climate scientists have had decades to refine their climate modelling to bring their predictions in line with what has happened in the real world – the only proper way to determine the veracity of the various models used. Yet, even with historic data at their finger tips, they continue to be wildly inaccurate in their forecasts and refuse to recognise that the models are fatally flawed.
    COP 26 is a complete farce and we, the people, are going to suffer the economic consequences of its outcomes stemming from decisions made by inflated egos rather than brains.

  64. DavidJ
    November 1, 2021

    “The experts assembled for COP 26” are nothing of the sort; they are simple propagandists with an agenda to destroy our lives and build their own wealth and control over us. Their “science” has been refuted by many real scientists yet they persist to their own personal gain and unnecessary costs to the rest of us.

    We need rid of them, their theories and, perhaps most of all, the politicians who use them to our disadvantage.

  65. LJONES
    November 1, 2021

    From all I read (though I’m no scientist) I understand that it is the general opinion of REAL experts (with no hidden agenda) that there is no correlation between CO2 and ‘global warming’. The excellent Patrick Moore (author of ”Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom”) says: ”Advocates of the climate-catastrophe narrative want us to ignore the record of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere before 1850 so they can make it look like 415 ppm is ‘high’ compared to the pre-industrial level of 280 ppm. But… CO2 levels are still at one of the lowest levels they have ever sunk to during the past 570 million years. The alarmists want the public to be conditioned into thinking that the past 170 years tell us everything we need to know about CO2…”

    As Neil Oliver recently said: it’s not about what they say it’s about. Is it, Sir John?

  66. Nota#
    November 1, 2021

    The media is reporting that 400 private jets have been needed to get people to attend COP26. Why, will anything be achieved that couldn’t be done on a video link?

    In all some 25,000 people will be in Glasgow for the event. The UK taxpayer is paying to be insulted yet again.

    It is suggested that the UK taxpayer is to fund a $1 billion dollar loan to a Country that is not only a nuclear power, it is heavily active in the space race, already on its it 3rd lunar project. The loan is to help it go green – as if! Its just so as Boris can say look I am funding change at COP26. Who pays – Not Boris!

    The hypocrisy is without boundaries. What about the UK taxpayer Boris, we are paying a lot for your vanity, 
. yet you and your chums are exempt from every cost you throw at the UK taxpayer – those that ‘have’ to pay with their livelihoods, life style and hard earned cash.

  67. Fedupsoutherner
    November 1, 2021

    Boris compares our position with that of James Bond! Trying to defuse something before we all perish. Forgive me but I can’t stop laughing. Somehow I feel I’ve heard all the doom and crap and the envisioned dates of our destruction before. About 30 years ago. Hello???? We are still here and the Maldives are still a holiday destination. Please God let’s get this over with.

  68. Colin
    November 1, 2021

    We, we’ll a lot of us, have been against mass immigration from the beginning and yet not a single gov of either party has taken any notice, in fact instead they have slandered us. Until you lot in parliament get off your rears and put a stop to it, it ain’t gonna happen. So instead of writing a blog stating the bleedin obvious DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

  69. glen cullen
    November 1, 2021

    Climate change is for the elites
    The person in Pembroke just wants a job, the person in Peru just wants food and the person in Taiwan just wants peace with China
    Climate change is for the elites

    1. Mark B
      November 2, 2021

      +1

  70. Stephen Reay
    November 1, 2021

    The Royal family trying to reduce co2 imissions by helicopter by helicopter ride. By range rover by range rover ride ,by castles and palaces and have the biggest biggest co2 footprint of any family in the land. Prime Charles is quite proud of the fact that his Aston Martin runs on cheese whey and waste from Red wine. You just couldn’t make it up. Let the oniks of they this country do as we say and not as we do.👑s for đŸ€Ą s

  71. Paul Cuthbertson
    November 1, 2021

    The planet will look after itself as it has done over thousands of years. The COP26 is another BS jamboree to control and indoctrinate the masses. Ask the question where does all the money go from the Paris Climate Accord?????

  72. Iain Gill
    November 1, 2021

    thanks for doing your best John, but I fear the wider political class have completely and utterly lost the plot

    all of them, nodding along to agree the emperor has no clothes

    this nonsense cannot stand, the straw which breaks the camels back is surely near, and the decent pragmatic majority are going to awake and make their presence felt, I just hope it happens as peacefully as possible, and the nutters in the political class accept they have got it wrong

  73. Excalibur
    November 1, 2021

    Further to my comments on the effects of volcanic activity, I see the Express has warned of the possibility of a massive tsunami as a result of landslides arising from the lava flows from the Cumbria Vieja volcano on La Palma.

  74. Vernon Wright
    November 1, 2021

    I particularly like your implied commitment to wildlife, Sir John; even if one care not for the biological diversity of the planet, it is as important to humanity as to the natural world itself.

    Even to ask your implied questions, however, one needs to buy in to the counter-scientific premise that climate variation is anthropogenic.

    We’re all required to follow these absurd policies and assured by their proponents – politicians and ‘environmental activists’ alike – that our doing so will help to keep the warming of the Earth by 2050 (or some other mystical date) within 1.5 Kelvin degrees and that doing so will, in turn, eliminate the threat warming is said to pose.

    One cannot help wondering what the World’s electorates of 2050 will make of there having been no perceptible difference in the rate of the climate’s changing. What we – and those electors – can be sure of is that the politicians and their tame ‘scientists’ will be long retired with their fat pensions … or grants as the case might be.

    ΠΞ

  75. Javelin
    November 1, 2021

    EVERY comment in EVERY conservative online platform is using the words crazy, mad, insane, fake, scam, hoax, folkish, megalomaniac, power grab, dictatorship, unjustified etc etc. to describe the COP. I’m NOT saying the vast majority. I’m saying EVERY single conservative person online is using these words to describe the people and policies.

    I have never seen such an open revolt online and my profession is to monitoring the internet for algo trading.

    1. glen cullen
      November 1, 2021

      But is the feedback data being feed to Boris

  76. BetterTimesAhead
    November 1, 2021

    Why does our Government push Green issues so hard, when the Public firmly rejected these same Green issues?
    One MP in Brighton, out of 650!

    If the Government did not push the Green agenda, they could not then impose Green taxes.

    Climate Change presents a massive opportunity to tax the Public. A true gift from Heaven!
    Taxes already exist on gas and electricity bills, with the Government looking at taxing meat and dairy products!

    It’s just a massive taxation scam, dressed up as a concern about Climate Change.
    We know that all Governments need to raise taxes.
    Just be honest with us and cut the pretence.

    1. Lifelong
      November 1, 2021

      BTA.. truth is us we made a terrible mistake by leaving the EU.. SM and CU.. and are now on our way back – with COP 26 in full view am afraid there is no alternative

      1. BetterTimesAhead
        November 2, 2021

        Personally I am delighted that we left the EU and were able to act so swiftly and decisively on vaccine procurement, without the EU shackles.
        One very grateful person here, alive to tell the tale, because of Brexit. Three Cheers for Brexit!

  77. Wokinghamite
    November 1, 2021

    The ideas are flowing now. It was a great day at COP 26 today. I felt proud to be British.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      November 1, 2021

      I found Boris embarrassing. His speech was childlike. James Bond and locusts?

      Most of the world must be laughing and some all the way to the bank

      1. Lifelong
        November 1, 2021

        Yes .. cheap stuff remarks from Boris with no depth especially on an international stage .. makes me wonder.. anyone can be PM.

    2. Micky Taking
      November 1, 2021

      give me strength….

    3. Lifelong
      November 1, 2021

      Also forget about being proud to be British- I watched Ch4 programme last night about how tens of thousands of african Mau Mau in Kenya were tortured and killed 1950’s 1960′ it went on for nine tears .. well can’t say I feel very proud. Actually it was all a prelude to what followed in NI .. and all on this present Monarchs watch.

      1. Nottingham Lad Himself
        November 2, 2021

        Well, I’m immensely proud of Newton, Boyle, Hooke, Watt, Bacon, Paine and many other Enlightenment figures.

        However the British Establishment always kept all that on a very short leash, and continued with its brutal oppression as you say.

        We know who their heirs are.

      2. Ed M
        November 2, 2021

        Look what the British armed forces and people of Britain in general achieved during WW2.
        Can you imagine being in London during the Blitz with bombs exploding all around you. The Nazis were an intimidating foe. Britain all alone, until the Americans and Soviets joined in, in the worst episode in history: WW2, and connected to that, The Holocaust.

        1. Ed M
          November 2, 2021

          And don’t forget all those who won Victoria Crosses and other medals of honour, including one man who won TWO VCs during WW2.

          Captain Charles Upham. Winner of Victoria Cross x 2. RIP. We honour and salute you.

  78. agricola
    November 1, 2021

    Boris spoke well at COP26, but he should learn to confine himself to the targets and leave the market to come up with the solutions. Only the market understands what is practical and affordable, because they have to sell it. There are solutions for transport, commercial and personal that are infinitely better than cluttering our streets with cables and refueling delays. Much the same goes for heating and cooking. It is just a matter of getting behind mass production of hydrogen and adapting existing infrastructure to supply it. The final absolute necessity is to make electrical generation totally independant of overseas sources using atomic and gas with effective filtering of the burnoff.

  79. Michael Herriott
    November 1, 2021

    Global problems require global solutions. We never had these problems before but it’s the best way of implementing a global order. I always get very suspicious of “global” problems.
    The UN wants a global everything. Including religion.
    Time to leave the UN. It’s dangerous.

    1. Nottingham Lad Himself
      November 2, 2021

      So to which planet are you thinking of leaving?

  80. Paul Cuthbertson
    November 1, 2021

    Just listen to all the BS being spouted by the Globalists at the Glasgow bun fight.
    Do you really think they care about you or the planet?? Wake up people.

    1. hefner
      November 4, 2021

      Wake up, yes. To do what? Invade the Houses of Parliament?

  81. R.Grange
    November 1, 2021

    Meanwhile, back in the real world… China is supposed to be digging up a record 10+ million tons of coal every day to supply its power stations. It can’t get coal from Australia any more following its bust-up with Canberra.

    But that’s OK: President Xi promises that by 2026 China will have reduced its CO2 from coal. Sure – having massively pushed coal use up this year, he’ll have room to reduce it a bit.

    But suppose he doesn’t keep his promise? Not to worry: we Brits will step in with our 1% of CO2 emissions and save the planet, won’t we?

  82. mancunius
    November 2, 2021

    “At current rates we need to build a city the size of Plymouth every year to accommodate new arrivals. This generates a lot of extra CO 2.” It is also guaranteed to generate immense and growing hostility, possibly even a future civil war – but no MPs admit that openly in or outside Parliament, as their interests lie in pretending nothing has essentially changed.

  83. Mark
    November 2, 2021

    Didn’t Johnathan Swift have A Modest Proposal?

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