Unpublished letter to the Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Do they have any journos there?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Losing his religion
Unpublished letter to Editor of The Australian
The Prime Minister should be congratulated for his grand plan to create a "scientifically engaged" Australia by "catapulting science into classrooms, boardrooms and lounge rooms" (It's the science country, 9/2). But why stop there? How about catapulting the same critical thinking into the churches, mosques, synagogues and temples? What's he scared of...losing his religion?
Comment: A government supporting critical thinking...now that would be something!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
So the PM wants un-sceptical scientists?
Unpublished letter to The Australian, sent 9/2/2010
It's great to see that the Rudd Government has outlined a grand plan to create a "scientifically engaged" Australia that will be "catapulting science into classrooms, boardrooms and lounge rooms" (It's the science country, 9/2). But given the Prime Minister's denouncement of scepticism, so critical to good science, in his speech to the Lowy Institute last year, (Rudd dares Turnbull on ETS, 7/11/2009) one wonders exactly what type of science will be catapulted?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
"Buy Time"
Occasionally amidst the chaotic hyperbole of the climate change debate a lone voice of reason can be heard above the din. Yesterday it came from former ALP minister Gary Johns who condensed the politician's job in the face of scientific uncertainty on climate change to two simple words: "buy time" (Don't count your trees, forests aren't that green, The Australian 4/2).
In contrast our current Government and the Opposition leap blindly over the barricades, chasing phantoms yet to crystallise from the miasma. When these demons finally coalesce, sometime in the distant future, one only hopes that our leaders pre-emptively left home with the right tools for the job, and not with a bag full of uncircumscribed programmatic specificity.
In contrast our current Government and the Opposition leap blindly over the barricades, chasing phantoms yet to crystallise from the miasma. When these demons finally coalesce, sometime in the distant future, one only hopes that our leaders pre-emptively left home with the right tools for the job, and not with a bag full of uncircumscribed programmatic specificity.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
IPCC research model promotes mediocrity
Unpublished letter to the Sydney Morning Herald
Dear Editor,
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has failed dismally in providing conclusive scientific evidence that humans are having a dangerous impact on the climate. After more than 20 years of research and 10s of billions dollars spent, the best reason the IPCC can offer to justify radical reductions in CO2 emissions remains the nonscientific axiom: the Precautionary Principal. Revelations contained in climate-gate, glacier-gate (Storm brews over glacial blunder, SMH 25/1), and with more errors and misjudgments in the IPCC's latest assessment report likely to follow, indicate the IPCC research model is prone to mistakes, subject to confirmation bias and is too open to political influence.
It's time for world governments' to consider other scientific research models that yield more definitive answers required by policy makers. History has shown that a competitive, rather than consensual, approach to undertaking research is more likely to bring better results, faster. The Space Race in the 1960s and the recent success of the Human Genome project are both testament to the benefits of intensely competitive research environments that fast tracked major scientific and technological breakthroughs. If the world wants to understand the climate system then we need a "Climate Race" not the inefficient, mediocre, committee driven methods that characterise the IPCC.
All is not wasted however as the IPCC consensus model will provide a useful case study for future investigators looking at how science should not be done.
Similar sentiments published here:
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/letters/index.php/theaustralian/comments/ipcc_climate_research_model_shown_to_be_faulty
Dear Editor,
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has failed dismally in providing conclusive scientific evidence that humans are having a dangerous impact on the climate. After more than 20 years of research and 10s of billions dollars spent, the best reason the IPCC can offer to justify radical reductions in CO2 emissions remains the nonscientific axiom: the Precautionary Principal. Revelations contained in climate-gate, glacier-gate (Storm brews over glacial blunder, SMH 25/1), and with more errors and misjudgments in the IPCC's latest assessment report likely to follow, indicate the IPCC research model is prone to mistakes, subject to confirmation bias and is too open to political influence.
It's time for world governments' to consider other scientific research models that yield more definitive answers required by policy makers. History has shown that a competitive, rather than consensual, approach to undertaking research is more likely to bring better results, faster. The Space Race in the 1960s and the recent success of the Human Genome project are both testament to the benefits of intensely competitive research environments that fast tracked major scientific and technological breakthroughs. If the world wants to understand the climate system then we need a "Climate Race" not the inefficient, mediocre, committee driven methods that characterise the IPCC.
All is not wasted however as the IPCC consensus model will provide a useful case study for future investigators looking at how science should not be done.
Similar sentiments published here:
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/letters/index.php/theaustralian/comments/ipcc_climate_research_model_shown_to_be_faulty
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Lachlan River Valley - things have been worse.
The Sydney Morning Herald recently ran a series of articles on the perilous state of the Lachlan River Valley in central western NSW (Water crisis in west as Lachlan River runs dry, SMH 24/10; Rivers, dams fail Lachlan Valley towns, SMH 26/11 and Everything’s dried up and communities beginning to crack, SMH, 28/11).
While not stated, the implication seemed to be that the current state of the river was unprecedented. Having worked in the area, mapping the geology in 2001 I was slightly suspicious of these headlines and decided to put them to the test.
This has been made much easier thanks to the work of the National Library in Canberra. A search of the National Library’s Australian Newspapers online database, that contains digitised copies of Australian newspapers dating back into the early 1800s, found numerous mentions of past droughts including the intriguing letter to the editor of The Sydney Herald (the for-runner to the Sydney Morning Herald), re-printed below, that suggests things were much more perilous in past times. Indications that Lake Cargelligo actually dried out, prior to extensive land clearing and with CO2 levels much less than they are now, suggests that the role of natural weather cycles has been overlooked as an important factor in controlling water flows down the Lachlan.
While our political leaders are running around in circles searching for a political solution to the so called climate crisis in Copenhagen this voice from Australia’s colonial era serves as a timely reminder that when it comes to the weather, it goes around in circles as well, just a little more slowly.
The Sydney Herald Wednesday 17 April, 1839
Original Correspondence
To the Editor of the Sydney Herald.
SIR,─Having heard a great deal of the fertile banks of the Lachlan River, I left Sydney in the beginning of February, passing through the districts of Argyle and King, to the Narraway River.
The road from Sydney was exceedingly dusty; the water mid feed scarce on the road ; so much so, that parties, to prevent their horse-team from starving, ripped open their straw beds and gave the straw to the horses. In the neighbourhood of Bunowbunow, (the lands of Messrs. Macarthur and McAlister) and from there to Wheeo, the property of Mr. Shepherd, where tolerable good old grass is to be met with, water is very scarce, and many cattle died in water-holes.
Down the Narraway River the water is scarce; the holes dangerous for cattle, the grass scarce, and on passing the Borrower no water to give the horses, nor grass to be found. Came to the Lachlan, below a junction of the Burrower─ no water or grass, the head of the river being sandy and level.
The cattle on the estates of Messrs. Wentworth, Fulton, Redfern, Rankin, and many others, on the upper parts of the Lachlan, are actually starving for want of water and grass. For many miles together the country wears the same dreary appearance; little grass, and less water. For 80 miles down, after which the River becomes narrow and deep, with here and there a deep water- hole; the grass begins to improve, and the, cattle obtain better pasture. The country on the bank of the River for 100 miles down, improves in appearance; large Plains, with a few trees dispersed on different parts; the water still scarce but the feed good. Cattle stations are fixed on the bank of the River, from one to seven miles apart, as water-holes may suit. It is a rule that the River shall be the boundary, and it is common for stations to be placed opposite each other. The whole of the country for l8 miles down the River, was taken up by Bathurst gentry ; latterly Mr. Cartwright, from Bland Plains, went below all with cattle; since which Mr. Shepherd has gone below him; and more than likely there are others below him by this time, as numbers of herds were on their way down the River ─ parties finding it impossible to support their stock on their old runs. The country on the Lachlan is not capable of supporting many cattle, the Plains being thinly grassed, and there being but little forest land, as also very little water.
At present the country is perfectly dry and sound, but should there come heavy rains most of it will be under water. Major Mitchell's track is plain, he kept near the bank of the River as far as I saw; the Lake (as called Cagillowgo), is dry, and nothing but a morass, great quantities of salt rush and a scrub, that is to be found near the salt water, grows on the Plains. The Stockmen and others are in a miserable condition; no sugar, no tea, very little bread, and less meat, the time for supplies being up, and proprietors of stock not having sent their half-yearly supplies. Great talk was about the Blacks. I was pleasingly surprised to find them harmless, peaceable, industrious, and a working people; great numbers are to be seen on the River; at the stations it is common to have one or two men tailing or shepherding a herd of cattle, the women grind, bring water, and do odd work. A bad system is allowed on the Lachlan, as well as in many parts of the Colony, that is, proprietors paying their free men in stock, and allowing them to run with their herd; that system has been a great cause of so much cattle-stealing. A Stockman seeing a good unbranded calf in the bush takes it home and puts his own brand on, being in so distant a part: he can do it with impunity as the proprietor so seldom sees his cattle. A case somewhat relevant occurred the other day, Mr. McKensey has had a free man, a stock-keeper who had cattle. When his master went to inspect his own cattle, he saw a calf with the Stockman's brand on sucking one of his own cows. The man was taken into custody, but on his way to Bathurst made his escape. It is high time that masters do away with the system of paying men in cattle, or allowing them to have cattle. They would find they would gain by giving more wages, (if such be required) rather than pay in stock. The country generally, in the neighbourhood of the Lachlan, is suffering much from the drought, the trees of the forest are withered, and great numbers are dying along acres together for want of moisture. Cattle are to be seen in almost every water-hole, and what is worse the traveller suffers greatly from a similar cause. One of Doctor Ramsay's men, passing in company with a team from one station across the country to the Lachlan, left the dray in search of water, and has not been heard of since. Strict search was made for the unfortunate man, but no remains could be found of him; he was a stranger, and it is supposed that he missed the dray, and perished for want of water.
A TRAVELLER.
April 5, 1839.
References
Original Article available from:
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/12857693
SMH story: Rivers, Dams Fail Lachlan River towns 26/11/2009 http://www.smh.com.au/environment/rivers-dams-fail-lachlan-valley-towns-20091125-jrwn.html
SMH Story: Water crisis in west as Lachlan River runs dry, 24/10/2009
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/water-crisis-in-west-as-lachlan-river-runs-dry-20091023-hdce.html
SMH Story: Everything’s dried up and communities beginning to crack, SMH, 28/11
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/everythings-dried-up-and-communities-begin-to-crack-20091127-jwww.html
National Library Online Database
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home
While not stated, the implication seemed to be that the current state of the river was unprecedented. Having worked in the area, mapping the geology in 2001 I was slightly suspicious of these headlines and decided to put them to the test.
This has been made much easier thanks to the work of the National Library in Canberra. A search of the National Library’s Australian Newspapers online database, that contains digitised copies of Australian newspapers dating back into the early 1800s, found numerous mentions of past droughts including the intriguing letter to the editor of The Sydney Herald (the for-runner to the Sydney Morning Herald), re-printed below, that suggests things were much more perilous in past times. Indications that Lake Cargelligo actually dried out, prior to extensive land clearing and with CO2 levels much less than they are now, suggests that the role of natural weather cycles has been overlooked as an important factor in controlling water flows down the Lachlan.
While our political leaders are running around in circles searching for a political solution to the so called climate crisis in Copenhagen this voice from Australia’s colonial era serves as a timely reminder that when it comes to the weather, it goes around in circles as well, just a little more slowly.
The Sydney Herald Wednesday 17 April, 1839
Original Correspondence
To the Editor of the Sydney Herald.
SIR,─Having heard a great deal of the fertile banks of the Lachlan River, I left Sydney in the beginning of February, passing through the districts of Argyle and King, to the Narraway River.
The road from Sydney was exceedingly dusty; the water mid feed scarce on the road ; so much so, that parties, to prevent their horse-team from starving, ripped open their straw beds and gave the straw to the horses. In the neighbourhood of Bunowbunow, (the lands of Messrs. Macarthur and McAlister) and from there to Wheeo, the property of Mr. Shepherd, where tolerable good old grass is to be met with, water is very scarce, and many cattle died in water-holes.
Down the Narraway River the water is scarce; the holes dangerous for cattle, the grass scarce, and on passing the Borrower no water to give the horses, nor grass to be found. Came to the Lachlan, below a junction of the Burrower─ no water or grass, the head of the river being sandy and level.
The cattle on the estates of Messrs. Wentworth, Fulton, Redfern, Rankin, and many others, on the upper parts of the Lachlan, are actually starving for want of water and grass. For many miles together the country wears the same dreary appearance; little grass, and less water. For 80 miles down, after which the River becomes narrow and deep, with here and there a deep water- hole; the grass begins to improve, and the, cattle obtain better pasture. The country on the bank of the River for 100 miles down, improves in appearance; large Plains, with a few trees dispersed on different parts; the water still scarce but the feed good. Cattle stations are fixed on the bank of the River, from one to seven miles apart, as water-holes may suit. It is a rule that the River shall be the boundary, and it is common for stations to be placed opposite each other. The whole of the country for l8 miles down the River, was taken up by Bathurst gentry ; latterly Mr. Cartwright, from Bland Plains, went below all with cattle; since which Mr. Shepherd has gone below him; and more than likely there are others below him by this time, as numbers of herds were on their way down the River ─ parties finding it impossible to support their stock on their old runs. The country on the Lachlan is not capable of supporting many cattle, the Plains being thinly grassed, and there being but little forest land, as also very little water.
At present the country is perfectly dry and sound, but should there come heavy rains most of it will be under water. Major Mitchell's track is plain, he kept near the bank of the River as far as I saw; the Lake (as called Cagillowgo), is dry, and nothing but a morass, great quantities of salt rush and a scrub, that is to be found near the salt water, grows on the Plains. The Stockmen and others are in a miserable condition; no sugar, no tea, very little bread, and less meat, the time for supplies being up, and proprietors of stock not having sent their half-yearly supplies. Great talk was about the Blacks. I was pleasingly surprised to find them harmless, peaceable, industrious, and a working people; great numbers are to be seen on the River; at the stations it is common to have one or two men tailing or shepherding a herd of cattle, the women grind, bring water, and do odd work. A bad system is allowed on the Lachlan, as well as in many parts of the Colony, that is, proprietors paying their free men in stock, and allowing them to run with their herd; that system has been a great cause of so much cattle-stealing. A Stockman seeing a good unbranded calf in the bush takes it home and puts his own brand on, being in so distant a part: he can do it with impunity as the proprietor so seldom sees his cattle. A case somewhat relevant occurred the other day, Mr. McKensey has had a free man, a stock-keeper who had cattle. When his master went to inspect his own cattle, he saw a calf with the Stockman's brand on sucking one of his own cows. The man was taken into custody, but on his way to Bathurst made his escape. It is high time that masters do away with the system of paying men in cattle, or allowing them to have cattle. They would find they would gain by giving more wages, (if such be required) rather than pay in stock. The country generally, in the neighbourhood of the Lachlan, is suffering much from the drought, the trees of the forest are withered, and great numbers are dying along acres together for want of moisture. Cattle are to be seen in almost every water-hole, and what is worse the traveller suffers greatly from a similar cause. One of Doctor Ramsay's men, passing in company with a team from one station across the country to the Lachlan, left the dray in search of water, and has not been heard of since. Strict search was made for the unfortunate man, but no remains could be found of him; he was a stranger, and it is supposed that he missed the dray, and perished for want of water.
A TRAVELLER.
April 5, 1839.
References
Original Article available from:
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/12857693
SMH story: Rivers, Dams Fail Lachlan River towns 26/11/2009 http://www.smh.com.au/environment/rivers-dams-fail-lachlan-valley-towns-20091125-jrwn.html
SMH Story: Water crisis in west as Lachlan River runs dry, 24/10/2009
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/water-crisis-in-west-as-lachlan-river-runs-dry-20091023-hdce.html
SMH Story: Everything’s dried up and communities beginning to crack, SMH, 28/11
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/everythings-dried-up-and-communities-begin-to-crack-20091127-jwww.html
National Library Online Database
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Only certainty about the climate is that it will change.
Unpublished letter sent to the sydney Morning Herald 17/06
Matthew England (How noisy naysayers led Fielding on a false path, 17/6 http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/how-noisy-naysayers-led-fielding-on-to-false-path-20090616-cghf.html) takes great pains to explain one of the great contradictions of the theory of anthropogenic global warming: that global temperature has flat lined over the last decade despite constantly rising green house gas emissions. England rightly puts this down to natural variability in the climate system. He points to the warming trend revealed by surface temperature data over the last 150 years as evidence that the warming will continue and even accelerate. What he fails to to mention is that this temperature record is but a snap shot of global temperature that has varied more markedly over much longer time scales both up and down. For instance over the last 1000 years the earth has moved from relative warmth during the Medieval Warm Period to the relative cold of the Little Ice Age, intriguingly under virtually constant greenhouse gas concentrations. Modern temperature records begin during the later natural low point and it is little wonder that temperatures have risen since then as the earth has naturally warmed again. Likewise that we have seen a cluster of warmer years over the last decade is no mystery and merely reflects the fact that we started recording temperature accurately when the climate was much cooler.
One wonders if medieval weathermen were as concerned about climate change as we are or did they recognise the warming as a portent of better times to come that would eventually see the Vikings settle in Greenland, bring bumper crops to Europe and wine making to northern England?
Matthew England is right about one thing; change in the climate system will affect us all. However as there is little we can do about it we are better to spend our limited resources adapting to both positive and negative changes as they arise, rather than sit on our thrones by the sea shore and command the climate to stop. The only certainty about the climate is that it will change.
Matthew England (How noisy naysayers led Fielding on a false path, 17/6 http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/how-noisy-naysayers-led-fielding-on-to-false-path-20090616-cghf.html) takes great pains to explain one of the great contradictions of the theory of anthropogenic global warming: that global temperature has flat lined over the last decade despite constantly rising green house gas emissions. England rightly puts this down to natural variability in the climate system. He points to the warming trend revealed by surface temperature data over the last 150 years as evidence that the warming will continue and even accelerate. What he fails to to mention is that this temperature record is but a snap shot of global temperature that has varied more markedly over much longer time scales both up and down. For instance over the last 1000 years the earth has moved from relative warmth during the Medieval Warm Period to the relative cold of the Little Ice Age, intriguingly under virtually constant greenhouse gas concentrations. Modern temperature records begin during the later natural low point and it is little wonder that temperatures have risen since then as the earth has naturally warmed again. Likewise that we have seen a cluster of warmer years over the last decade is no mystery and merely reflects the fact that we started recording temperature accurately when the climate was much cooler.
One wonders if medieval weathermen were as concerned about climate change as we are or did they recognise the warming as a portent of better times to come that would eventually see the Vikings settle in Greenland, bring bumper crops to Europe and wine making to northern England?
Matthew England is right about one thing; change in the climate system will affect us all. However as there is little we can do about it we are better to spend our limited resources adapting to both positive and negative changes as they arise, rather than sit on our thrones by the sea shore and command the climate to stop. The only certainty about the climate is that it will change.
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