Throw some more snags on the barbie, mate
So screams the headline in The Times, conveniently forgetting to mention that “on record” means since about 1880, but “hottest year since 1880” doesn’t sound anywhere near as scary. But anyway, it’s a great opportunity to wheel out über-alarmist James Hansen:
CLIMATE scientists have warned that 2010 could turn out to be the warmest year in recorded history [since 1880].
They have collated global surface temperature measurements showing that the world has experienced near-record highs between January and April.
Researchers working independently at the Met Office and Nasa are soon to publish data that reveal the trend is likely to continue for the rest of the year. [Hmm, that’s odd, given that El Niño is fading fast, we’re heading towards La Niña conditions, and sea surface temperatures are heading south rapidly, but if the models say that then it must be true, surely?]
James Hansen [round of applause please], director of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (Giss), a world centre for climate monitoring, said: “Global temperatures, averaged over the past 12 months, were the warmest for 130 years. [Big freaking deal]
“December to February was also the second-warmest of any such period [since 1880].”
Vicky Pope, head of climate change advice at the Met Office, said: “It was a cold winter in Europe but, globally, January to March was one of the seven warmest starts to the year on record [since 1880].
“This year has more than a 50% chance of being the warmest on record [since 1880].”
None of this proves anything about a link to man-made emissions. The planet is recovering from the Little Ice Age, so is it any wonder that this decade is warmer than last? And there’s been a strong El Niño, so is it any wonder that the start of this year is warmer than the end of last? Not really. At least there’s a bit of sanity at the end:
John Christy, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, was cautious about predicting record temperatures for 2010, pointing out that the global datasets for temperature had flaws that could lead to rises being overstated [that’s a polite way of saying “they’re fudged” – Ed]. He said: “Be wary of climate forecasts — Mother Nature always seems to have a trick up her sleeve.”
Yeah, remember her, James Hansen? Mother Nature?
Read it here.
Australian Climate Madness 
“You thought last winter was bad? Wait until this winter,”
“Expect global cooling for the next 2-3 decades that will be far more damaging than global warming would have been,” says Easterbrook. “Twice as many people are killed by extreme cold than by extreme heat.”
http://just-me-in-t.blogspot.com/2010/05/mighty-freeze-coming-our-way.html
Australia should have a mediterranean climate by about 2025 I reckon, so I’ll assume I haven’t been taxed out of existence by then and book my flight (volcanic ash concentrations over the UK should be down to safe “one-grain-of-sand-in-a-bathtub” levels by then) for 1st December 2025. I’m looking forward to seeing Ayers Rock surrounded by boreal forest, and the Alice Springs country park and nature reserve. Visit the tulip fields in Northern Queensland maybe?