Newsletter #6 11 Feb 2010
Feb 11, 2010
Greetings once again, Climate Realists,
We trust you are all well.
This week has been a busy one (hence the late newsletter), but productive in a number of ways.
The ETS debate in New Zealand is far from over, and we will shortly be meeting with a number of key players to discuss a strategy and course of action which we will share with this network (and others) so that those of us who are prepared to take action to influence our government can take a consistent and coordinated approach. Watch this space…
Quite a bit this week, I haven’t got space for it all this time, will put your other contributions out next week.
All the best,
JOHN BOSCAWEN IN GISBORNE
We are pleased to welcome John Boscawen to Gisborne on Tuesday 2nd March, to discuss the effects and implications of the ETS. John is one of the most qualified people in NZ to be speaking on this issue and this is a great opportunity to listen, ask questions, and become fully informed about this issue.
John Boscawen will be speaking at the Godzone church building in Grey Street, 7.30pm, Tuesday 2nd March.
Climate Crisis or Energy Crisis? – Auckland meeting
Monday 15 February 6pm
Mecca Cafe, Cnr Remuera Rd & Nuffield St, Newmarket, Auckland.
A climate change forum, chaired by Kath McCabe, with Peter Holle (President, Frontier Centre for Public Policy) and Hon Barry Brill (global warming sceptic and former Minister of Energy).
Peter will talk about the politics of climate change from a North American perspective, while Barry will discuss whether we should be thinking less about global warming and more about energy security.
6.20pm – speeches start.
There will be a casual dinner afterwards at 7.15pm for those wishing to stay on and discuss heady matters further at Mecca – please RSVP to Margaret by this Friday 12 February at margaret@act.org.nz if you intend to come for dinner.
ACT PARTY
Rodney Hide’s parliamentary speech
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1002/S00101.htm
Scrap the Emissions Trading Scheme
ACT MP John Boscawen is calling for the Emissions Trading Scheme to be scrapped:
“The Copenhagen summit was a fiasco and the credibility of the United Nations chief climate body – the IPCC – is in tatters. Yet New Zealand is due to become the first country outside of Europe to have an Emissions Trading Scheme and the first country in the world to tax its farmers.
New Zealand’s ETS was based on the proposed Australian ETS Bill. Since passed it has become obvious that Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, will not be able to get his ETS through in Australia.
New Zealand is left facing a serious competitive disadvantage, which is why I have drafted a Private Member’s Bill to scrap the ETS. The Bill has been entered into the Ballot.
ACT will continue the fight against the ETS for the benefit of all New Zealanders”.
Hi Esther,
Here’s a good recent study of what this cap-and-trade is really intended to usher in. Did the MPs who voted for the ETS know about this? It’s hard to believe that anyone could knowingly support something so tyrannical and dictatorial. Well, maybe traitors and those fit to be slaves…
Regards,
Mike
CLIMATE CONVERSATION GROUP
Hello,
You might be interested in this fresh posting at Climate Conversation bringing the NIWA scandal over the NZ temperature record up to date. It will correct misconceptions in many minds.
NIWA loses, opts for fresh start
It’s posted at
http://www.climateconversation.wordshine.co.nz/2010/02/niwa-loses-opts-for-fresh-start/
Tuck into these tantalising tidbits to tempt your tastebuds:
NIWA did everything they possibly could to help us, except hand over the adjustments. It has turned out that there was actually nothing more they could have done — because they never had the adjustments.
The emails they referred to didn’t come from NIWA, weren’t sent to the NZCSC and didn’t contain the promised adjustments - apart from that, they were perfect. None of the scientific papers that NIWA cited in their impressive-sounding press releases contained the actual adjustments.
To be frank, the main objective of our temperature study was not to show that the raw data has been tampered with, even though that opinion was emphasised and cannot yet be excluded. Our objective was achieved upon Tim Mahood’s admission on 29 January that “NIWA does not hold copies of the original worksheets.” Our study is a complete success.
David Wratt is now strangely quiet and lets the company lawyer speak for him. Of all those at NIWA, Wratt most owes us an apology.
What comes next?
Cheers,
Richard Treadgold
Convenor
Climate Conversation Group
Climate scepticism ‘on the rise’
The British public has become increasingly sceptical about climate change, a poll for BBC News suggests.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/8500443.stm
Laugh Break
Subject: The greens have reached the stage where they can be openly mocked
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml54UuAoLSo
Tuesday 2nd Feb Barry Brill
When the UK Principal Science Adviser calls for transparency and attention to sceptic’s arguments, and is echoed closely by the Australian Principal Science Adviser, can the New Zealand Chief Science Adviser be far behind?
But as The Australian reported on Thursday, the consensus is receding faster than a Himalayan glacier:
AUSTRALIA’S chief scientist, Penny Sackett, told The Australian last night she shared Professor [John] Beddington’s concerns. Professor Sackett said climate change was a scientific reality but there was a need for absolute openness and rigour in the presentation of evidence, including recognition of which aspects of [the] science were imprecise and required further research.
Andy Mowbray sent a message to the members of
KIWIS AGAINST THE EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME
——————–
Subject: New Zealand signs Copenhagen Accord
Morning everyone,
This seems to have slipped under the news radar this morning for some news networks, going by what I’ve not heard on the radio traveling to work, but New Zealand has just gone and signed the Copenhagen accord.
We are now heading down the slippery slope of UN-controlled government.
Even with the past two months of revelations revealing fraudulent behavior from the CRU and IPCC the New Zealand government still seems hell bent on participating in this sham.
Here is the link to the Herald article
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10623527
Nick Smith, Tim Groser
1 February, 2010
NZ joins Copenhagen Accord on climate change
The Government today announced that New Zealand is joining the Copenhagen Accord on climate change and is submitting its existing conditional 2020 target range.
“The Copenhagen Accord is a constructive step forward to developing a comprehensive global deal on climate change,” Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith said.
“Joining this accord reinforces New Zealand’s ongoing commitment to doing our fair share to resolving this global problem.”
Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations Tim Groser said New Zealand was disappointed the Copenhagen conference did not make progress on a comprehensive and legally binding agreement.
“What this accord does is provide a framework for more progress to be made,” Mr Groser said. “It aims to set a limit on the temperature rise to 2°C, improves the transparency for developing countries to list their mitigation targets and actions, and acknowledges the need for new mechanisms for funding and technology.”
Under the Copenhagen Accord developed countries have to submit details of their proposed emissions target for 2020. New Zealand has submitted a conditional emissions reduction target range of 10% to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020.
These conditions are:
- a global agreement that sets the world on a pathway to limit global temperature rises of not more than 2°C
- comparable efforts by other countries
- actions by advanced and major emitting developing countries fully commensurate with their respective capabilities
- effective rules governing land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF)
- full recourse to a broad and efficient international carbon market
“New Zealand’s 2020 target will be less than the -10 to -20% range in the event that these conditions are not met as has been previously stated publicly and in international negotiations,” the Ministers said.
“For our 2020 target to be representative of our fair share, other developed countries will need to set higher targets. Alternatively, New Zealand will need to reduce its target to ensure comparability.
“New Zealand joining the Copenhagen Accord sits well with our Emissions Trading Scheme, our international initiative for the Global Research Alliance on agricultural emissions and our wide range of complementary climate policies.”
Copenhagen Accord questions and answers
1. What is the Copenhagen Accord?
The Copenhagen Accord is the document the majority of countries at the COP 15 Conference in Copenhagen agreed to at the final plenary session of the UNFCCC on 18 December 2009.
The Accord, negotiated between 26 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Ethiopia, Mexico, Sudan, Brazil, South Africa, India, China, Bangladesh, Grenada, Denmark, Russia, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Indonesia, South Korea, Norway, Lesotho, Algeria and Columbia, is not legally binding, and does not commit countries to agree to a binding successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.
The Accord maintains the status quo pre COP 15 in Copenhagen and as such is a letter of intent to pick up where negotiations left off rather than providing the binding agreement generally expected from Copenhagen.
The Accord provides a framework for more progress to be made ahead of Cop 16 in Mexico in December. It aims to agree a limit on the temperature rise to 2°C, improve the transparency for developing countries to list their mitigation targets and actions, and acknowledges the need for new mechanisms for funding and technology.
2. What does the Copenhagen Accord say about climate change?
The Accord underlines that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and highlights the crucial role of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
The Accord says that to prevent greenhouse gas emissions significantly impacting the global climate through temperature increases that the increase in global temperature should be below 2°C. To achieve this, the Accord states that deep cuts in global emissions are required according to science as soon as possible.
The Accord recognises that climate change will have unbalanced impacts on vulnerable countries and therefore there is a need to establish a comprehensive adaptation programme including international funding support.
3. How has New Zealand joined the Copenhagen Accord?
Cabinet today made the decision to join the Copenhagen Accord and the Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith has communicated this to the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn.
4. What has New Zealand signed up to?
Under the Accord developed countries have to submit details of their proposed emissions target for 2020. New Zealand has reaffirmed its conditional emissions reduction target range of 10% to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 first tabled in Bonn late last year. This is a similar response to other developed countries who have announced their support of the Accord, including Australia and the EU, with similar conditions.
Supporting this Accord reinforces New Zealand’s ongoing commitment to doing our fair share on climate change and maintains the international negotiating position the Government took to Copenhagen.
5. What was the deadline for signing up to the Copenhagen Accord?
New Zealand has received mixed signals on the timing for countries to associate with the Accord. Yvo de Boer, Executive-Secretary for the UNFCCC has said the deadline of 31 January 2010 was a soft deadline and that countries could still support the Accord after that date.
However, Cabinet determined it was preferable to join the Accord by the publicly declared deadline.
6. What climate change mitigation and adaptation financing will the Copenhagen Accord establish?
Developed countries would provide new and additional short-term funding of $30 billion from 2010-2012 to assist with adaptation and mitigation measures in the poorest developing countries. There is no indication in the Accord as to how this would be apportioned between individual contributors. On-going funding of $100 billion per year should be made by 2020 to help developing countries cut carbon emissions through technology development and transfer.
7. Will the Accord become a legally binding document?
There is little indication from the major developing economies that they see the Accord becoming legally binding.
The international negotiations have a two-track process and developing countries do not want to see these merged or replaced with the Accord. On the other hand a number of developed countries have been advocating that the two-tracks must merge if we are to achieve a long lasting agreement binding all industrialised countries.
In principle the Accord is no more than a letter of intent to continue discussions along the lines leading up to and during COP 15 in Copenhagen.
The Accord cannot be a successor to the Kyoto Protocol as it combines issues from both tracks of the existing negotiations. It also continues the separation of countries in the arbitrary Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 camps which are fast becoming outdated in terms of development and wealth.
< class="note">The Copenhagen Accord can be found at
http://unfccc.int/files/meetings/cop_15/application/pdf/cop15_cph_auv.pdf
FASCINATING LISTENING – FROM THE GREEN HORSE’S MOUTH
Fw: BBC ‘analysis’ podcast—well worth listening to! The worm has truly turned…
You can pick it up at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q3cnl
For a wealth of climate-related articles visit http://www.climatedepot.com/
IMF plans 100 billion fund to help poor mitigate climate impact
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100201/tts-davos-economy-finance-warming-imf-c1b2fc3.html
THE SHAPE OF THE FUTURE / PRESENT…
Subject: Carbon farming in 2010
Best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2010 from Carbon Farm.
As we look ahead to a new year, we would like to provide a brief update on deadlines coming up in the next six months that will be important for planning your carbon strategy for 2010.
Post-1989 forests (exotic and indigenous forests established on or after 1 January 1990)
If you would like to claim the carbon credits from these forests this year, your forest must be registered with MAF by February 1. This will give MAF time to process the application and then for the landowner to submit an emissions return and be issued carbon credits for the 2008 and 2009 accounting years by the final deadline of March 31.
If you would like advice on claiming carbon credits this year, please contact us. If forests are not registered by February, forest owners will need to wait until January 2011 to claim credits for 2008 through 2010.
Pre-1990 forests (exotic forests established before 1 January 1990)
Pre-1990 forest owners are eligible to a one-off allocation of carbon credits under the Forestry Allocation Plan. This plan has been repeatedly delayed, first in June 2009 and again in December 2009.
The Forestry Allocation Plan is unlikely to be issued before the second quarter of 2010. Because of this latest delay, carbon credits from these forests may not be issued until late 2010 or 2011.
If you own pre-1990 exotic forest, call us to talk about your options. We are carrying out preliminary work for pre-1990 forest owners in preparation for submitting a claim under the Forestry Allocation Plan, including mapping and registration work. It is especially important to seek advice if you are considering buying or selling pre-1990 forest land, or have harvested these forests and do not intend to replant them.
Selling carbon credits
Carbon credits from New Zealand forests have been sold to a range of international and domestic buyers over the past year and we expect market activity to continue to pick up in early 2010 as emitters begin planning to meet their obligations under the Emissions Trading Scheme. We can find buyers for parcels of carbon credits of any size – let us know if you have carbon credits to sell or would like to hear more about how to sell your credits and what our price projections for the short and medium term are.
More information and updates
Look out for our January ‘Carbon Copy’ newsletter for more information on the outlook for 2010 and a review of domestic and international policy, including our view of Copenhagen and the amended Emissions Trading Scheme. Please email us your postal address if you would prefer a hardcopy of this newsletter. Feel free to call anytime for more information, or send me an email. Our website also includes lots of information on carbon in forestry and farming, and we update it regularly.
Kind regards
Murray
Dr. Murray McClintock
Director – Carbon projects
Carbon Farm Limited
P.O. Box 1985 Nelson 7040, New Zealand
Ph. 64 3 539 1191
Mob. 64 021 757273
murray at carbonfarm.co.nz
What an amazing newsletter! Put together by such a talented crew…..
Congratulations to us!!!!
Thank you Richard for spreading the word.
The Monckton Sunrise debate has, unfortunately, been pulled from the site so might be better deleted from this most excellent newsletter.
Polar Bear as a symbol for Climate Realists? How about a New Zealand heading dog- taking a stand in a particular place, and pointing people in the right direction……
Happy reading everyone.
Hi Esther!
It’s great to host your newsletter and it’s a special treat to hear your comments. Thanks for the tip about Monckton, we’ve deleted that item.
Ah yes, the polar bear. I was desperate. I like to put a picture with each post because they are more interesting like that. It was after one o’clock in the morning. You had given me no help whatsoever. I reached out blindly and felt … a polar bear! I ran with it, found a picture, cropped it, wrote the code to insert it and it was done and it was good and I went to bed and to hell with it!
Then I apologised and changed it. The heading dog is a worthy and far more appropriate replacement, and this townie might forever recognise a heading dog over a huntaway. (I might tell the story one day.)
Hope we see you here more often now.
Cheers,
Richard.