He gave us in An Inconvenient Truth a melee of graphs based on sound scientific data; the affect of which was amazing in bringing the issue of climate change to the homes and cinemas of the middle-classes. 

However in a worrying change of tone, Al Gore stated yesterday in a speech in Copenhagen that:

''Reason based analysis has thus far proved of limited value in motivating action''

Now this may be true but the alternative- to rely on emotion and fear- plays right into the hands of deniers who claim the climate change movement is one built on unlikely doomsday prophecies. 

The risk is also enormous when you consider what has happened to the climategate emails. Those much analysed documents seemed to show a similar reasoning by renowned scientists who were frustrated by inaction so they used their credibility, and reputations to fuzz the numbers. 

Now it may have been a throw away comment, but I really hope that Al Gore- still the climate change movement's most prominent face- stays patient and prudent.  . . read more

Without a single day of talks, the vast majority of pundits have already set the bar of expectations so low that it seems we should be popping the champagne if the most anodyne of political agreements is reached.

Not to fall into the trap of optimism, but shouldn't we be a little bit hopeful and a little bit proud of the victories this fight has already won?

For instance, there cannot be a single sane leader on this planet who can realistically ignore this issue.

Yes, so far most of the world's responses have bordered on the tokenistic, but the sheer awareness and the fear of backlash, is a sign that the movers and shakers are getting scared.

Not to exaggerate but there could also be a dangerous connotation to this wide-spread cynicism-that connotation being that the most modest of successes will cause surprise and a spark of hope amongst a grey and apathetic public.

Sort of takes the heat off government leaders who thought they'd have to thrash it out in debates and eventually return to their countries exhausted, treaty in hand proclaiming that the problem was finally solved.

Instead, with the contour-less global media poised with their fingers quivering over keyboards (and the letters that spell 'failure'), an undue amount of column inches will be written for the promised funds for developing nations, as renewable technolgies are extolled and the great demon coal is exorcised. 

My point?

Well we really have to keep our collective critical thinking cap on, because this about to become a no-holds barred grudge match where everything will be too little, too late, too much, too weak etc.

Just don't be too pessimistic because fatalism never fixed anything.   . . read more

So it turns out that "the greatest moral challenge of our time" might not be our greatest policy priority.

So which "greatest" challenge are we talking about?

Health? Education? Preserving the capitalist world order by using socialist inspired economics?

No, it's climate change! The one time cause of choice for middle-class city dwelling youngens and leftist coffee quaffers.

Now though we've come to our senses and the CPRS (the policy equivalent of the lonely and unloveable fat kid at school) has been thrown onto the backburner until worldwide whisperings become intolerable screams and shouts.

Until that day, take solace in the fact that Rudd- the genius of expedience- will again get to dodge the danger of the hard graft and again Australia will look to the world as a follower.

Ignoring the inevitable and shying away from what the science tells us will save us.  . . read more

The emails could prove to be extremely damaging to the reputation of the scientists and the robustness of their research if they are revealed to be authentic.

A UEA spokesman said: "We are aware that information from a server used for research information in one area of the university has been made available on public websites. Because of the volume of this information we cannot currently confirm that all of this material is genuine."

The authors of the emails include Philip Jones, the Director of the CRU, Keith Briffa, also at the CRU, and Michael Mann at the University of Virginia.

An anonymous link to an FTP server where the data was posted by the hacker first appeared on the blog The Air Vent yesterday.

According to Dave Britton, a press officer at the Met Office, the security breach occurred a couple of days ago. "We don't know yet whether the data that was stolen is authentic, but a thorough investigation is underway," he says.

Mann declined to comment on the content of the emails, but added, "However, I will say this: both their theft and, I believe, any reproduction on public web sites, etc. of individuals emails that were obtained, constitutes serious criminal activity. I'm hoping that the perpetrators and their faciliators will be tracked down and prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows."

Published at New Scientist, click view for more information  . . read more

I urge you to reconsider your position vis-a-vis the controversial proposal to create a Gas Hub at James Price point in the Kimberly, particularly in view of the recent incidents of serious off-shore disasters in the Timor Sea and the American Gulf coast.

I recently watched a snippet on YouTube by local elder and law man Joseph Roe, who is one of the many people opposed to this ill thought-out project that could well cause untold environmental damage to the area, and it brought tears to my eyes.

It seems to me, Mr Barnett, that the thinly veiled threat to compulsorily purchase the land (which I understand belongs to the local Aboriginal people under a "Land Rights" grant) smacks of hypocrisy!

I don't know whether either of you have a family home or estate, going back with several generations of history. If you did, try to imagine how you would feel if your Aboriginal gardener dug up some ancient Nungar bones, and was able to prove it was a sacred site, and was allowed to compulsorily purchase your home (probably for far less than it was worth) and demolish it - and your history into the bargain?

As for you, "Silent" Peter - do you remember a song you were proud to sing with the Oils called "Warakurna"?

Words used like "it's their land, let's give it back" would appear in retrospect to be so much hot air!

C'mon, both of you!

It's time to "Stand up! Stand up and be counted!".

The safety of this pristine environment, and its whale breeding ground has to be worth more than money....? 

Michael Stewart  . . read more