It is very late in the day for this species. If we are to pull through, it will be because people who know what is going on – and what is coming up – decide to stand up and speak the truth. Professor Kevin Anderson, long-time favourite of Manchester Climate Monthly, is one of those (sadly rare) people.
As reported by the Independent, Prof Anderson’s retort to the Conservative Environment Secretary (Owen Patterson’s) “views” on climate change and the IPCC 5th assessment report, is as follows-
“It’s a deliberately partial reading of the report. Either that or he has not read the report properly or does not understand the significance of the emissions scenarios. These tell us that business as usual will give us a 50:50 chance of a 4C temperature rise.
“His view that we can muddle through climate change is a colonial, arrogant, rich person’s view. Many people will die in the developing world where the changes will be felt the most and it is irresponsible and immoral to suggest that we as a species can adapt to climate change,” added Professor Anderson.
If you want more of Prof Kevin Anderson, see the two recent podcasts done by local impresario Phil Korbel.
UPDATE 2/10/2013: IPK points us to this in today’s Independent where Prof Anderson, in a charm offensive the equal of any perpetrated by MCFly’s editor, slaps down the head of the IPCC on the subject of the efficacy of carbon markets to get us out of this grotesque mess. In tomorrow’s Indie, Prof Anderson announces that only the tears and cerebro-spinal fluid of kittens and cute orphans can provide the energy we need to keep our iPhones and plasma-screens working…
manchester climate monthly 
Owen Patterson obviously, just read the Daily Mail.:-(
The other night I heard Paterson speak at a fringe event of the Tory Party Conference (this was a question and answer session, organised by the RSPB, in the wake of their ‘State of Nature Report’ – Paterson was on the panel). I thought that he came across as a smug, complacent Tory landowner – whose main priority is protecting the interests of other Tory landowners. At one point he was asked about the IPCC report and replied (I don’t have his exact words): “The climate has always been changing – I don’t know what you’re all so worried about!”. At one point I’m sure he used the word “alarmist”. God help us! Listening to this … person … brought it home to me what deep, deep shit we’re in politically, socially, culturally and ecologically.
It is hard to fathom the depths of ignorance, really, isn’t it? Our children and grand-children will look at us goggle-eyed as we try to explain that powerful people, in 2013 were this stupid. But then, part of the process and privilege of power is blinkeredness…
Yep! I’ve long known that those in power only hear what they want to hear.
And only hear what they want to hear.