The Week That Was: 2014-04-19 (April 19, 2014) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project

Quote of the Week: Pray don’t talk to me about the weather, Mr. Worthing. Whenever people talk to me about the weather, I always feel quite certain that they mean something else. And that makes me quite nervous. Oscar Wilde. “The Importance of Being Earnest “[H/t Paul Kenyon] Number of the Week: Down 32%; Down 40%

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SEPP’S APRIL FOOLS AWARD – THE JACKSON

SEPP is conducting its annual vote for the recipient of the coveted trophy, a piece of coal, The Jackson. Readers are asked to nominate and vote for who they thinks is most deserving following these criteria:

· The nominee has advanced, or proposes to advance, significant expansion of governmental power, regulation, or control over the public or significant sections of the general economy.

· The nominee does so by declaring such measures are necessary to protect public health, welfare, or the environment.

· The nominee declares that physical science supports such measures.

· The physical science supporting the measures is flimsy at best, and possibly non-existent.

The first two recipients, Lisa Jackson and Barrack Obama, are not candidates. Due to the late announcement, the voting will close on May 16. Please send your nominee and a brief reason why the person is qualified for the honor to Ken@Haapala.com. Thank you.

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THIS WEEK:

By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)

NIPCC: The latest report of the Nongovernmental Panel International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC), Climate Change Reconsidered II: Biological Impacts, continues to receive some press coverage. Although the coverage is not extensive compared with the press coverage of the latest report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it is becoming evident to some commentators that there is an alternative to the one-sided view that human emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), are causing unprecedented and dangerous global warming. The warming has stopped and it was not global. Late 20th century warming largely occurred in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere, which cannot be explained by the false assertion that carbon dioxide is the controlling influence on climate.

Some global warming skeptics may be disappointed by the weak press coverage of the NIPCC report. However, it takes time to overcome the decades of false assertions by the UN, governments, politicians, and some scientists who claim to know far more than what they can scientifically establish. Assertions of knowledge of the physical world are meaningless without physical evidence. Climate models, which have not be verified and validated, are little more than misleading assertions, no matter how sophisticated.

NIPCC co-lead author Craig Idso has an excellent op-ed in Breitbart, which is one of the few news organizations that dares question the authority of the UN and governments. Please see links under Challenging the Orthodoxy – NIPCC.

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IPCC: On April 13, the UN IPCC published its third part of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. This is the product of UN Working Group III led by three Co-Chairs: Ottmar Edenhofer from Germany, Ramón Pichs-Madruga from Cuba, and Youba Sokona from Mali. The citizens and businesses of Germany are suffering from rapidly increasing electricity costs due to ill-advised green energy policies. Once an economic bright spot of Latin America, Cuba has undergone about 50 years of economic stagnation from an authoritarian government. Mali is hardly a shining example of economic development in Africa. The report seems to reflect the background of its three Co-Chairs.

According to the IPCC: The Working Group III contribution assesses the options for mitigating climate change and their underlying technological, economic and institutional requirements. It transparently lays out risks, uncertainty and ethical foundations of climate change mitigation policies on the global, national and sub-national level, investigates mitigation measures for all major sectors and assesses investment and finance issues.

Working Group III fails in its mission. The report is alarmist, claiming that the world must act now to control CO2 emissions to prevent warming, even though surface warming stopped 15 years ago. It claims that renewable energy is deployable on a large scale, which would be a surprise to those in Germany who are suffering from increasing electricity costs and the industries that are demanding subsidies and exceptions from the costs of renewable wind and solar.

The report asserts that a price on carbon dioxide is fundamental to the mission, the dream of bureaucrats, some politicians and the green industry for another form of taxation to fight a non-existent problem. The report claims that a warming of 2ºC could produce drastic effects, such as the collapse of ice sheets, a rapid rise in sea levels, difficulty growing enough food, huge die-offs of forests, and mass extinctions of plant and animal species. These claims are contradicted in the NIPCC reports. The false goal of climate stabilization is absurd, the climate has never been stable.

According to the IPCC report, global warming can be stopped with negligible costs. Bjørn Lomborg largely accepts the global warming narrative. But, he directly challenges the claim that global warming can be addressed at low costs. He details how much the bureaucrats and politicians have overstated the costs of global warming and understated of the costs of reducing global warming. He concludes: The solution is to stop applauding politicians who warn of catastrophe and promote poor policies. Instead of subsidizing inefficient solar and wind power with little benefit, we need to invest in long-term green innovation. And we need to give more attention to all of the other problems. This is perhaps less entertaining, but it will do much more good.

See Article # 2 and links under Defending the Orthodoxy and Seeking a Common Ground.

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The Mandate: An article in the Wall Street Journal on the March 31 IPCC report, Impacts Adaptation and Vulnerability produced a letter from Jonathan Lynn, who is identified on IPCC web site as Head, Communications and Media Relations. Lynn writes: The IPCC has a mandate, not an agenda, and that is to tell policy makers what is known and not known about the science related to climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC assesses relevant scientific, technical and socio-economic literature to produce information that is policy-relevant, but not policy-prescriptive.

The IPCC fails to meet its mandate. The NIPCC reports cite a massive body of scientific work that the IPCC ignores. Further, IPCC’s the assertion of 95% confidence in its work is opinion, not derived from scientific knowledge. And, as discussed below, in its summaries, the IPCC fails to adequately disclose what is not known about the causes of climate change. See Article # 1 and

http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization_secretariat.shtml

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Climate Change: what we don’t know: Ironically, on the same day the letter by Jonathan Lynn appeared, on Climate Etc. Judith Curry had a post titled “Climate change: what we don’t know.” It includes links to several articles discussing the lack of kn

owledge about climate and climate science. The post also includes a link to a 30 minute debate among three scientists on the issue of lack of knowledge. The debate was hosted by The Institute of Art and Ideas (IAI) in Australia.

One of the three scientists is Bob Carter, who is a co-editor and lead author of the NIPCC reports (not mentioned). The other two are Richard Cornfield and Michael McIntyre. Among the many important points made, Carter emphasized that during the last ice age the earth was facing planetary starvation of CO2. If that had occurred, it is questionable to what extent life would have survived.

Such discussions are critical if we are to advance scientific knowledge about the impact of increasing CO2 and to establish proper government policies. As Curry notes from the debate: “The whole language of climate change is designed to confuse the public and policy makers.” The NIPCC reports endeavor to clarify the issues regarding climate change. See link under Seeking a Common Ground.

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Time Lag: One of the major issues in climate science is the role of feedbacks to a warming caused by increased atmospheric CO2. If the earth’s feedback is negative, the net effect is a dampening of warming, low sensitivity to CO2. If the feedback is positive, the net effect is an amplifying of warming, high sensitivity to CO2. On his web site, Roy Spencer expresses his frustration with the climate establishment, which seems to believe that any feedback would be instantaneous.

Spencer writes: As long-time loyal readers of my blog are aware, the regression relationships at zero time lag are what are traditionally used to estimate feedbacks in the climate system, a methodology which I (and Lindzen) believe is seriously in error. Since feedbacks determine climate sensitivity, and sensitivity determines how much anthropogenic global warming there will be, this is a critical issue. The climate system is constantly out of balance, and without knowing how much internal radiative forcing is occurring, you can’t know the size of the net feedback. Radiative forcing always opposes net radiative feedback, and if forcing is occurring, any estimate of feedback is biased in the direction of positive feedback (high climate sensitivity).

See link under Challenging the Orthodoxy.

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AAAS: On her web site, Judith Curry has a further discussion on the misleading report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) entitled “What We Know.” As Curry points out, there is a great deal in that document on what we assume, rather than know. In particular, Curry objects to the undue focus on unverified worst case scenarios as a strategy for building political will for a particular policy option constitutes undesirable alarmism.

The climate establishment asserts 95% certainty, but uses uncertainty as the basis for claiming a need for drastic action. See link under Questioning the Orthodoxy.

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Secret Science: After two years of delay and requiring a subpoena, in a letter to House Science, Space and Technology Committee chairman Lamar Smith EPA, Administrator Gina McCarthy admitted that the EPA cannot produce all of the original data from the 1993 Harvard Six Cities Study and the American Cancer Society’s 1995 Cancer Prevention Study II. For years, EPA has refused to make these studies public, yet has used this secret science to justify ever tightening regulations on particulate emissions from power plants, factories, and cars. Subsequent studies have questioned the announced findings in the secret science. How this admission will affect the continued regulation of the industries remains to be seen. However, this sad episode demonstrates that the Federal appeal courts do not serve the public when they prevent challenges to EPA science by independent-parties. See links under EPA and other Regulators on the March

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Keystone Pipeline: The Administration announced further delay in the decision whether or not to approve the northern portion of Keystone Pipeline, designed to carry crude from Canada and the Bakken formation in North Dakota and Montana to refineries along the Gulf Coast. The southern leg from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the Gulf Coast is already operating.

Tom Steyer is an ardent foe of the pipeline and promised the Democratic Party $100 million in campaign contributions for the 2014 elections. For this, he received a 14 hour talk-a-thon in the Senate. Some commentators speculate that the Administration will not make a decision as long as the threat of a decision can be used to solicit campaign contributions. See links Washington’s Control of Energy.

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Hydraulic Fracturing. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources released a 265-page report on the impacts of shale-gas development in state forests. The four findings are: 1) water quality is not affected, 2) about 1486 acres of forest was disturbed; 3) invasive species are a concern in the disturbed areas; and 4) mixed response from the public on recreation use. These are not exactly the findings that the anti-development organizations desired. See links under Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?

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Post-Hoc Probabilities The eminent physicist and lecturer, Richard Feynman, criticized post hoc probabilities – probability analysis after the fact. For example, what is the probability of a meteor hitting person X after it has hit person X. An example of why Feynman criticized this form of analysis appeared this week. The headlines read: “Odds that global warming is due to natural factors: Slim to none.” The paper by S. Lovejoy is in Climate Dynamics. The analysis starts in the year 1500 – thus, conveniently ignoring all past warm periods during this current interglacial. Were those warm periods due to human influence? Are the editors and reviewers of Climate Dynamics unaware of past climate change? The analysis has other major problems as well. See links under Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.

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Number of the Week: Down 32%; Down 40%. The Congressional Research Service reported that the percentage of US oil production from Federal Areas (both land and offshore) dropped from 34% in Fiscal Year 2009 to 23% in FY 2013, a decline of 32%. The percentage of US natural gas production from Federal Areas dropped from 25% in FY 2009 to 15% in FY 2013, a decline 40%. The Administration taking credit for the oil and gas boom is not substantiated by this report. See links under Washington’s Control of Energy.

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ARTICLES:

For the numbered articles below, please see this week’s TWTW at: www.sepp.org. The articles are at the end of the pdf.

1. Second Climate Thoughts

The latest U.N. report tones down the alarmism but ramps up the bad economics.

Editorial, WSJ, Apr 7, 2014

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303532704579477222157281450

Response by IPCC: We Are Accurate at the IPCC but Not Artificially Sexy

By Jonathan Lynn, IPCC, WSJ, Apr 17, 2014

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304311204579508110383627336?mg=reno64-wsj

2. U.N. Climate Change Report Says Worst Scenarios Can Still Be Avoided

Emissions Rose Quicker Between 2000 and 2010 Than Previous Three Decades, Says Report

By Gautam Naik, WSJ, Apr 13, 2014

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303663604579498721229249160?mod=trending_now_4

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NEWS YOU CAN USE:

Suppressing Scientific Inquiry

In defense of free speech

By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Apr 19, 2014

http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/19/in-defense-of-free-speech/#more-15302

Joel Kotkin: The spread of ‘debate is over’ syndrome

On climate and other issues, many in academia, media, government insist their viewpoint is unassailable and won’t tolerate dissent.

By Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register, Apr 4, 2014

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/media-608400-many-one.html

Challenging the Orthodoxy — NIPCC

Climate Change Reconsidered II: Biological Impacts

Summary for Policy Makers, Nongovernment International Panel on Climate Change, April 2014

http://heartland.org/media-library/pdfs/CCR-IIb/Summary-for-Policymakers.pdf

Full Report: http://heartland.org/media-library/pdfs/CCR-IIb/Full-Report.pdf

ICSC Press Release: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1226523/new-science-report-debunks-climate-scare

Dueling Climate Reports

By Craig Idso, Breitbart, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/04/14/Dueling-Climate-Reports

The Other Climate Report

By Doug Hoffman, The Resilient Earth, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://theresilientearth.com/?q=content/other-climate-report

FINALLY! Climate Alarmists on Defensive; Fox News States ‘Skeptics’ Have Science on Their Side

By Jim Lakely, Richochet, Apr 11, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://ricochet.com/finally-climate-alarmists-put-on-defensive-fox-news-report-states-skeptics-have-science-on-their-side/

Challenging the Orthodoxy

ENSO, SST, CERES, forcing, and feedback: The travesty continues

By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.drroyspencer.com/2014/04/enso-sst-ceres-forcing-and-feedback-the-travesty-continues/

Life on Earth: Principal control knob governing Earth’s temperature

By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.drroyspencer.com/2014/04/life-on-earth-principal-control-knob-governing-earths-temperature/

Link to prior paper: Atmospheric CO2: Principal Control Knob Governing Earth’s Temperature

By: Andrew A. Lacis, Gavin A. Schmidt, David Rind, & Reto A. Ruedy, Science, Oct 15, 2011

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6002/356

[SEPP Comment: Every bit as solid as the paper with lead authors from NASA-GISS that Spencer mocks.]

A Clear Example of IPCC Ideology Trumping Fact

By Paul C. Knappenberger and Patrick J. Michaels, CATO, Apr 16, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/16/a-clear-example-of-ipcc-ideology-trumping-fact/

Reduce Emissions by Reducing Baked Bean Intake but methane is irrelevant as a greenhouse gas

By Geoff Brown, NCTCSP, Apr 12, 2014

Scientific Comments by Tom Sheahen, Director, SEPP

http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/reduce-emissions-by-reducing-baked-bean.html

Do aliens cause global warming? The data say ‘yes!’

By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t Tom Sheahen]

http://www.drroyspencer.com/2014/04/do-aliens-cause-global-warming-the-data-say-yes/

[SEPP Comment: Amusingly, Spencer shows how data can be manipulated “to prove” the absurd.]

Wall Street Journal opinion video: “The Arrogance of the Sciences”

David Berlinski calls most climate researchers “intellectual mediocrities and pious charlatans.”

By Steven T. Corneliussen, Physics Today, April 2014 [H/t Wally Manheimer]

http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/magazine/physicstoday/news/10.1063/PT.5.8041?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0

UN IPCC AR5 report infected with fatal technical and procedural flaws

By Larry Hamlin, WUWT, Apr 16, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/16/un-ipcc-ar5-report-infected-with-fatal-technical-and-procedural-flaws/

Defending the Orthodoxy

Climate Efforts Falling Short, U.N. Panel Says

By Justin Gillis, NYT, Apr 13, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/science/earth/un-climate-panel-warns-speedier-action-is-needed-to-avert-disaster.html?hp&_r=1

We cannot afford to lose another decade. If we lose another decade, it becomes extremely costly to achieve climate stabilization. German economist Ottmar Edenhofer, co-chairman of Working Group III

Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change

http://www.mitigation2014.org/

Summary: http://report.mitigation2014.org/spm/ipcc_wg3_ar5_summary-for-policymakers_approved.pdf

IPCC: Greenhouse gas emissions accelerate despite reduction efforts

Press Release By Staff Writers, IPCC, Apr 13, 2014

http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/ar5/pr_wg3/20140413_pr_pc_wg3_en.pdf

Tackling global warming could slow global growth – by 0.06 per cent, IPCC predicts

By Mat Hope, Carbon Brief, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/04/tackling-global-warming-could-mean-slowing-economic-growth-by-006-per-cent/?utm_source=Weekly+Carbon+Briefing&utm_campaign=cd46cde778-Carbon_Brief_Weekly_18_7_137_18_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3ff5ea836a-cd46cde778-215218249

[SEPP Comment: Nonsense!]

Climate risks real, U.S. energy secretary says

By Daniel J. Graeber, Washington (UPI), Apr 14, 2013

http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Climate_risks_real_US_energy_secretary_says_999.html

Coal: The Fuel Of The Future?

A cheap,

ubiquitous and flexible fuel, with just one problem

Editorial, The Economist, Via GWPF, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.thegwpf.org/coal-the-fuel-of-the-future/

Editorial: Urgent need to address climate change

Editorial, Tampa Bay Times, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-urgent-need-to-address-climate-change/2175053

[SEPP Comment: The risk is that the movement may fail.]

How to Reset the Climate Change Debate

Editorial, Bloomberg, Apr 14, 2014

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-04-14/how-to-reset-the-climate-change-debate?alcmpid=view

[SEPP Comment: If the insurance costs many times more than the risk, then it is a wasteful expenditure. Further, risk is based on calculated probabilities of known events occurring, not imaginary one.]

Kerry: Climate report a wake-up call

By Kyle Balluck, The Hill, Apr 13, 2014

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/203415-kerry-climate-change-report-a-wake-up-call-on-global-economic

[SEPP Comment: The Secretary of State calls the destruction of a successful, reliable industry that needs no subsidies in favor of one that is unreliable and requires government subsidies an investment opportunity.]

On Climate, Business as Usual

By Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, Apr 17, 2014 [H/t Dennis Manuta]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-on-climate-business-as-usual/2014/04/17/5bc9a336-c669-11e3-8b9a-8e0977a24aeb_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend

Slogging forward on climate change

By Scot Lehigh, Opinion, Boston Globe, Apr 10, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise}

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/15/climate-change-skeptics-don-deserve-veto/NsUEz1Epj9SjQchg2GIqoN/story.html

Questioning the Orthodoxy

Lennart Bengtsson: The Science And Politics Of Climate Change

By Lennart Bengtsson, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Translated by Philipp Mueller, Apr 14, 2014

http://www.thegwpf.org/lennart-bengtsson-the-science-and-politics-of-climate-change/

Worst case scenario versus fat tail

By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Apr 18, 2014

http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/18/worst-case-scenario-versus-fat-tail/

[SEPP Comment: Curry exposing the fallacy that the more uncertain about the future of global warming, the more ready we must be to punish ourselves by ceasing to use fossil fuels. Who is considered anti-science here?]

Earth Daze

By John Stossel, Real Clear Politics, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2014/04/16/earth_daze_122297.html

3 reasons not to trust the new climate report

The latest report on climate change needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.

By Donna Laframboise, Mercatornet, Apr 15, 2014

http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/3_reasons_not_to_trust_the_new_ipcc_report

Ditto, Tom – ‘here are some things I believe’

By Anthony Watts & Tom Nelson, WUWT, Apr 15, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/15/ditto-tom-here-are-some-things-i-believe/

[SEPP Comment: Skeptics summarizing their beliefs about global warming.]

Global warming now literally part of religion

By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Apr 10, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://dailycaller.com/2014/04/10/the-church-of-climatology-global-warming-is-now-literally-part-of-religion/

UN Green Police Say Ditch Oil And Change Your Diet

By Robert Mendick, Sunday Telegraph, Via GWPF, Apr 14, 2014

http://www.thegwpf.org/un-green-police-say-ditch-oil-and-change-your-diet/

Polar bears move around as sea ice habitat changes – this is what resilience looks like

By Susan Crockford, Polar Bear Science, Apr 14, 2014

http://polarbearscience.com/2014/04/14/polar-bears-move-around-as-sea-ice-habitat-changes-this-is-what-resilience-looks-like/#more-4898

Last Dance for IPCC Group II Report? (NYT’s Gillis, alarmism go wobbly)

By James Rust, Master Resource, Apr 9, 2014

http://www.masterresource.org/2014/04/last-dance-ipcc-group-ii/

Another IPCC warning: More sci-fi

Editorial, The Tribune-Review, Pittsburg, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/5944867-74/global-ipcc-warming#axzz2yxRh7XVA

Chicken Little “Science”

By Cal Thomas, Real Clear Politics, Apr 18, 2014

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2014/04/18/chicken_little_science_122322.html

Climate change believers are using ‘medieval’ tactics to silence debate says George Brandis

By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Apr 19, 2014

http://joannenova.com.au/2014/04/climate-change-believers-are-using-mediaeval-tactics-to-silence-debate-says-george-brandis/#more-34923

Climate change cult has to shout louder to be heard amid public skepticism

By Cal Thomas, Washington Examiner, Apr 16, 2014

http://washingtonexaminer.com/climate-change-cult-has-to-shout-louder-to-be-heard-amid-public-skepticism/article/2547337

Common Sense and Climate Change

By Marc Hopin, American Thinker, Apr 18, 2014

http://americanthinker.com/2014/04/common_sense_and_climate_change.html

Social Benefits of Carbon

Nutrient-rich forests absorb more carbon

By Staff Writers, Laxenburg, Austria (SPX), Apr 17, 2014

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Nutrient_rich_forests_absorb_more_carbon_999.html

Link to paper: Nutrient availability as the key regulator of global forest carbon balance

By M. Fernández-Martínez, et al. Apr 6, 2014

http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate2177.html

Problems in the Orthodoxy

IPCC report summary censored by governments around the world

By Nick Miller, Sydney Morning Herald, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.smh.com.au/world/ipcc-report-summary-censored-by-governments-around-the-world-20140414-zqugm.html

“EU’s climate policy has lost its scientific basis”

Interview with Oliver Geden, Senior Research Fellow, German Institute for International and

Security Affairs

By Jakob Schlandt, Europolitics, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/medienbeitraege/IPCC_and_EU.pdf

Indian climate experts slam latest IPCC report

By T.V. Padma, SciDevNet, Apr 17, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.scidev.net/global/climate-change/news/indian-climate-experts-slam-latest-ipcc-report.html

[SEPP Comment: We need more money from developed countries. Look at what they have given us. A world in which crops grow better. They must pay for this!]

Seeking a Common Ground

Climate change: what we don’t know

By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Apr 17, 2014

http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/17/climate-change-what-we-dont-know/

It’s arrogant to assume that climate will remain static.

Global Warming’s Upside-Down Narrative

By Bjørn Lomborg, Project Syndicate, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/bj-rn-lomborg-says-that-the-un-climate-panel-s-latest-report-tells-a-story-that-politicians-would-prefer-to-ignore

More from Markram

By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Apr 15, 2014

http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2014/4/15/more-from-markram.html

Link to editorial: Rights of Human Subjects in Scientific Papers

By Henry Markram, Editor-in-Chief, Frontiers, Apr 11, 2014

http://www.frontiersin.org/blog/Rights_of_Human_Subjects_in_Scientific_Papers/830

Montford’s Comment: There is at least some common ground.

Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC

For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org

Autumn Precipitation Trends in Southern Hemisphere Midlatitudes (

Reference: Purich, A., Cowan, T., Min, S.-K. and Cai, W. 2013. Autumn precipitation trends over Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes as simulated by CMIP5 models. Journal of Climate 26: 8341-8356.

http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2014/apr/8apr2014a2.html

The Power of Marine Life to Cope with Environmental Change

Reference: Godbold, J.A. and Calosi, P. 2014. Ocean acidification and climate change: advances in ecology and evolution. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 368: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0448.

http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2014/apr/8apr2014a3.html

A New-and-Improved 1200-Year Temperature History of the Gulf of Alaska

Reference: Wiles, G.C., D’Arrigo, R.D., Barclay, D., Wilson, R.S., Jarvis, S.K., Vargo, L. and Frank, D. 2014. Surface air temperature variability reconstructed with tree rings for the Gulf of Alaska over the past 1200 years. The Holocene 24: 198-208.

http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2014/apr/8apr2014a4.html

Recent Antarctic Warming: Unusual or Run-of-the-Millennial-Mill?

Reference: van Ommen, T. 2013. Antarctic response. Nature Geoscience 6: 334-335.

http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2014/apr/15apr2014a3.html

Models Issues

Forest climate and condensation

By Douglas Sheil, Climate Etc. Apr 15, 2014

http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/15/forest-climate-and-condensation/

Major Errors Apparent in Climate Model Evaporation Estimates

By Richard J. Petschauer, WUWT, Apr 15, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/15/major-errors-apparent-in-climate-model-evaporation-estimates/

Measurement Issues

SSM/I Global Ocean Product Update: Increasing clouds with a chance of cooling

By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Apr 14, 2014

http://www.drroyspencer.com/2014/04/ssmi-global-ocean-product-update-increasing-clouds-with-a-chance-of-cooling/

Better climate predictions within grasp

By Staff Writers, London, UK (SPX), Apr 15, 2014

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Better_climate_predictions_within_grasp_999.html

Greater accuracy is necessary for climate model forecasts to be trusted.

[SEPP More accurate measurements will not solve theoretical and methodological errors.]

Changing Weather

El Nino watch

By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Apr 14, 2014

http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/14/el-nino-watch/

Holdren Is Wrong – Cold Winters Are Not Getting More Common

By Paul Homewood, WUWT, Apr 18, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/18/holdren-is-wrong-cold-winters-are-not-getting-more-common/

JPL Claim: Asian Pollution makes US Storms Worse

By Eric Worrall, WUWT, Apr 14, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/14/jpl-claim-asian-pollution-makes-us-storms-worse/

The Obama Administration Lies About Hurricanes

By John Hinderaker, Power Line, Apr 9, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/04/the-obama-administration-lies-about-hurricanes.php

Changing Climate

Warm US West, cold East: A 4,000-year pattern

By Staff Writer, Science Codex, Apr 16, 2014 [H/t WUWT]

http://www.sciencecodex.com/warm_us_west_cold_east_a_4000year_pattern-131863

Link to paper: Paired oxygen isotope records reveal modern North American atmospheric dynamics during the Holocene

By Zhongfang Liu, et al., Nature Communications, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140416/ncomms4701/full/ncomms4701.html

Changing Seas

Long Term Tide Gauge Data Show 21st Century Sea Level Rise Will Be Approximately As Much As The 20th Century: 330 Years of Sea Level

By Ed Caryl, No Tricks Zone, Apr 18, 2014

http://notrickszone.com/2014/04/18/long-term-tide-gauge-data-show-21st-century-sea-level-rise-will-be-approximately-as-much-as-the-20th-century/

Long-term predictions for Miami sea level rise could be available relatively soon

City could know as early as 2020 how high sea level will go in the next century

By Staff Writer, NSF, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t Donald Stedman]

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=130896&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

As Professor Stedman comments: I cannot think of the right word to express what this press release says. Perhaps hubris? NSF funded scientists predict that sometime in the future we will be able to better predict the future???

University of Colorado Sea Level Rise Adjustment Appears To Be Unreasonable, Not Justifiable

By Ed Caryl, No Tricks Zone, Apr 15, 2014

http://notrickszone.com/2014/04/15/university-of-colorado-sea-level-rise-adjustment-appears-to-be-unreasonable-not-justifiable/

Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice

Frozen in time: Three-million-year-old landscape still exists beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet

NSF-funded researchers say the massive ice sheet has fixed the landscape in place, rather than scouring it away

Press Release, NSF, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=131109&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

Link to paper: Preservation of a Preglacial Landscape Under the Center of the Greenland Ice Sheet

By Paul Bierman, et al. Science, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2014/04/16/science.1249047

[SEPP Comment: Center of Greenland non-changing? Unfortunately, in other reports the lead scientist made unsubstantiated predictions about future warming, taking away from the significance of the current research.]

New paper finds worldwide glacier retreat has decelerated since 1950

By Staff Writer, Hockey Schtick, Apr 16, 2014

http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/new-paper-finds-worldwide-glacier.html

Link to paper: A data set of worldwide glacier length fluctuations

By P.W. Lelercq, et al. Cryosphere, No Date

http://www.the-cryosphere.net/8/659/2014/tc-8-659-2014.html

New paper finds solar activity may influence Arctic sea ice, less ice during Medieval & Roman Warm Periods

By Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/new-paper-finds-solar-activity-may.html

Link to paper: A diatom-based sea-ice reconstruction for the Vaigat Strait (Disko Bugt, West Greenland) over the last 5000 yr

By Logbin Sha, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Jun 1, 2014

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018214001540

Changing Earth

Satellite captures five volcanoes erupting at once on the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula

By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 16, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/16/satellite-captures-five-volcanoes-erupting-at-once-on-the-russian-kamchatka/

Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine

Can Plants Evolve Fast Enough to Cope with Increased Drought?

By Staff, CO2 Science & SPPI, Apr 2, 2014

http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/originals/can_plants_evolve_fast_enough_to_cope_with_increased_drought.html

Food Free Fridays Coming?

By Viv Forbes, Carbon Sense, Apr 15, 2014

http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/food-free-fridays-coming.html

Un-Science or Non-Science?

A Few Winners, But Many More Losers In Climate Change

By Staff Writers, Reston VA (SPX), Apr 09, 2014

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/A_Few_Winners_But_Many_More_Losers_In_Climate_Change_999.html

Link to paper: Projecting Climate Effects on Birds and Reptiles of the Southwestern United States

By Charles van Riper, et al, USGS, Apr 7, 2014

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1050/

[SEPP Comment: Not only is questionable modeling being used, the headline is misleading. According to the paper the authors modeled 7 bird and 5 reptile species – insufficient for any generalizations.]

Lowering Standards

Why is the American Geophysical Union Prioritizing Climate Alarmism Over Scientific Inquiry?

By Amy Ridenour, Her Blog, Apr 12, 2014 [H/t Bishop Hill]

http://www.conservativeblog.org/amyridenour/2014/4/12/why-is-the-american-geophysical-union-prioritizing-climate-a.html

Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?

Constraining generators

By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Apr 14, 2014

http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2014/4/14/constraining-generators.html

[SEPP Comment: Tiny words are often important. There is a major difference between switch-on and switch-off.]

A Risk Analyst Explains Why Climate Change Risk Misperception Doesn’t Necessarily Matter

By Andrew Revkin, NYT, Apr 16, 2014 [H/t Clyde Spencer]

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/a-risk-analyst-explains-why-climate-change-risk-misperception-doesnt-necessarily-matter/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

[SEPP Comment: Apparently, the risk communication consultant does not know how to analyze risk.]

A quorum of drama queens at Polar Bears International?

By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 15, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/15/a-quorum-of-drama-queens-at-polar-bears-inter

national/

Global warming forcing Mongolian nomads to change lifestyles

By Daisuke Sudo, The Asahi Shimbun, Apr 2, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sci_tech/environment/AJ201404020002

[SEPP Comment: Global warming is killing livestock during harsh winters?]

Manipulating Information To Overstate Global Warming

Editorial, IBD, Apr 16, 2014

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/041614-697487-alarmists-embellish-facts-to-scare-public-about-climate-change.htm

Sunk: Climate change threatens to flood world’s largest Navy base, warns Gov. Terry McAuliffe

By Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, Apr 11, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/sunk-climate-change-threatens-to-flood-worlds-largest-navy-base-warns-gov.-terry-mcauliffe/article/2547107

Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.

Call climate change what it is: violence

Social unrest and famine, superstorms and droughts. Places, species and human beings – none will be spared. Welcome to Occupy Earth

By Rebecca Solnit, Guardian, UK, Apr 7, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/07/climate-change-violence-occupy-earth

Telling ‘Noble Lies’ About Climate Change Will Backfire

Doing the right things for the wrong reasons is a serious mistake

By Tom Harris, PJ Media, Apr 18, 2014

http://pjmedia.com/blog/telling-noble-lies-about-climate-change-will-backfire/?singlepage=true

Exploiting Human Misery and Distorting the Science: An environmentalist’s critique of “Years of Living Dangerously”

By Jim Steele, WUWT, Apr 14, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/14/exploiting-human-misery-and-distorting-the-science-an-environmentalists-critique-of-years-of-living-dangerously/

Years of Living Dangerously

By Luboš Motl, The Reference Frame, Apr 16, 2014

http://motls.blogspot.com/2014/04/years-of-living-dangerously.html

When I say that the “climate as another religion” Hayhoe as a star is no coincidence, he’s my additional evidence.

Odds that global warming is due to natural factors: Slim to none

By Staff Writers, Montreal, Canada (SPX), Apr 15, 2014

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Odds_that_global_warming_is_due_to_natural_factors_Slim_to_none_999.html

Link to paper: Scaling fluctuation analysis and statistical hypothesis testing of anthropogenic warming

By S. Lovejoy, Climate Dynamics, Apr 6, 2014

http://link.springer.com/search?query=10.1007%2Fs00382-014-2128-2

Lovejoy Global Warming Paper 100% Wrong to Omit Previous Natural Warm Periods Say Friends of Science, Proving Natural Factors Affect Climate More than Humans

By Staff Writer, Friends of Science, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11767118.htm

Abusing statistics in the name of global warming

By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Apr 16, 2014

http://joannenova.com.au/2014/04/abusing-statistics-in-the-name-of-global-warming/#more-34904

No Love Of Joy: Yet Another Author Claims Statistically Significant Temperature Change

By Matt Briggs, His blog, Apr 12, 2014

http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=8061

Communicating Better to the Public – Go Personal.

Prof Fiona Stanley jumps on climate-pulpit, says skepticism “is like child abuse”

By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Apr 17, 2014

http://joannenova.com.au/2014/04/prof-fiona-stanley-jumps-on-climate-pulpit-says-skeptics-abuse-children/#more-34917

George Brandis: sidelining climate change deniers is ‘deplorable’ [AU]

Attorney general accuses ‘true believers in climate change’ of being ‘ignorant’, ‘medieval’ and trying to shut down debate

By Bridie Jabour, Guardian, UK, Apr 17, 2014 [H/t Jim Lakely]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/18/george-brandis-sidelining-climate-change-deniers-deplorable?CMP=twt_gu&commentpage=1

Communicating Better to the Public – Use Propaganda on Children

No A-level for ‘climate change denier’

Brainwashing about global warming percolates throughout the education system

By Christopher Booker, Telegraph, UK, Apr 12, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/10761597/No-A-level-for-climate-change-denier.html

Scaring Kids For Gaia

By Richard Gray, Quadrant, Apr 17, 2014

http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2014/04/scaring-kids-gaia/

Sinnickal critique

By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Apr 18, 2014

http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2014/4/18/sinnickal-critique.html

[SEPP Comment: Montford was one of the authors of the controversial report on the use of propaganda in UK schools.]

Expanding the Orthodoxy

Renewables, Nuclear Must Triple to Save Climate, UN Says

By Alex Morales and Stefan Nicola, Bloomberg, Apr 13, 2014

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-13/renewables-nuclear-must-triple-to-save-climate-un-says.html

In defense of free speech

By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Apr 19, 2014

http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/19/in-defense-of-free-speech/#more-15302

Questioning European Green

Bureaucrats To Force Europeans To Drink Cold Coffee To Save The Climate…EU Directive Aims To Limit Coffee Machines!

By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Apr 17, 2014

http://notrickszone.com/2014/04/17/bureaucrats-to-force-europeans-to-drink-cold-coffee-to-save-the-climate-eu-directive-aims-to-limit-coffee-machines/

Non-Green Jobs

A Tale of Two Cities

Texas oil town

has lowest unemployment rate in the nation; site of world’s largest solar plant has highest

By Lachlan Markay, Washington Free Beacon, Mar 21, 2014 [H/t Bud Bromley]

http://freebeacon.com/issues/a-tale-of-two-cities/

Link to report: Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment – February 2014

By Staff Writers, BLS, Apr 9, 2014

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf

[SEPP Comment: According to the above report, a slightly lower unemployment rate than Midland, TX, was in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA., 2.8%, another oil and gas region.

Litigation Issues

Will Cherry Blossoms Get Sucked into the Polar Vortex?

By Sam Kazman, Global Warming.org, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t WUWT]

http://www.globalwarming.org/2014/04/14/will-cherry-blossoms-get-sucked-into-the-polar-vortex/

‘Litigious Weapon’ Unchecked: GAO Finds No One’s Keeping Tabs on Environmental Reviews

No consistent data kept to piece together the “paralysis by analysis.”

By Bridget Johnson, PJ Media, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://pjmedia.com/blog/litigious-weapon-unchecked-gao-finds-no-ones-keeping-tabs-on-environmental-reviews/

Subsidies and Mandates Forever

Future Uncertain for Wind Industry Tax Credits

Report: ‘declining political appetite for wind PTC’

By CJ Ciaramella, Washington Free Beacon, Apr 16, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://freebeacon.com/issues/future-uncertain-for-wind-industry-tax-credits/

[SEPP Comment: If the wind industry produced reliable electrical power, it would not need subsidies.]

IG: DOE Ignored Internal Expert’s Advice in Subsidizing Bankrupt Solar Company

Report may increase scrutiny of DOE decision to restart loan program

By Lachian Markay, Washington Free Beacon, Apr 17, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://freebeacon.com/issues/ig-doe-ignored-internal-experts-advice-in-subsidizing-bankrupt-solar-company/

EPA and other Regulators on the March

EPA Concedes: We Can’t Produce All the Data Justifying Clean Air Rules

By Barbara Hollingsworth, CNS News, Apr 11, 2014

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/barbara-hollingsworth/epa-concedes-we-can-t-produce-all-data-justifying-clean-air-rules

The EPA’s Science Problem

By Arnold Ahlert, Frontpage, Apr 15, 2014 [

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/arnold-ahlert/the-epas-science-problem/

Tower of Pisa Policies

By Paul Driessen, Townhall, Apr 19, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://townhall.com/columnists/pauldriessen/2014/04/19/tower-of-pisa-policies-n1826267

EPA says CO2, cow-pig manure and urine rank 1-2-3 as global warming threat

By Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/epa-says-co2-cow-pig-manure-and-urine-rank-1-2-3-as-global-warming-threat/article/2547266

Link to report: Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2012

By Staff Writers, EPA, Apr 15, 2014

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html

EPA didn’t track own air pollution program — report

By Phillip Swarts, Washington Times, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/16/epa-didnt-track-own-air-pollution-program-report/

GAO: Delays in issuing annual RFS hurt refiners

By Laura Barron-Lopez, The Hill, Apr 14, 2014

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/203527-gao-says-yearly-biofuel-mandate-delays-cost-refiners

[SEPP Comment: EPA does not care if its failure to issue renewable fuel standards hurts refiners, or the public.]

Energy Issues – Non-US

Is Europe Stuck in a Vicious Energy Cycle?

By Karel Cool, Insead Knowledge, Apr 17, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/is-europe-stuck-in-a-vicious-energy-cycle-3300

UK to lead EU frack fight?

By Sun Wei, Global Times, Apr 17, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/855082.shtml#.U0_M9vldV-4

Why Russia Has Its Eyes On Ukraine’s Coal Basin

By Joe Parson, The Moscow Times, Via GWPF, Apr 18, 2014

http://www.thegwpf.org/why-russia-has-its-eyes-on-ukraines-coal-basin/

Britain must increase spending on green energy by ten times in next 15 years to help reduce global warming, says UN

By Ben Spencer, Mail, UK, Apr 11, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2602120/Britain-increase-spending-green-energy-ten-times-15-years-help-reduce-global-warming-says-UN.html

[SEPP Comment: UN dictating UK’s spending on energy.]

Europe may replace Russian gas with US coal

By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Apr 17, 2014

http://dailycaller.com/2014/04/17/europe-may-replace-russian-gas-with-us-coal/

Quarterly Coal Report: October – December 2013

By Staff Writers, EIA, Mar 2014

http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/pdf/qcr.pdf

Energy Issues — US

Ripoff Tech

By Norman Rogers, American Thinker, Apr 18, 2014

http://www.americanthinker.com/2014/04/ripoff_tech.html

Link to Sierra Club’s Revised Fracking Policy

By Board of Directors, Sierra Club, Feb 22, 2013

http://www.sierraclub.org/policy/conservation/NaturalGasFracking.pdf

U.S. Energy Wealth Could Be Best Weapon Against Putin’s Bullying

By Kathleen Harnett White, IBD, Apr 15, 2014

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-perspective/041514-697259-americas-energy-abundance-should-be-a-shield-against-putins-saber.htm?p=full

EPA: Greenhouse gas emissio

ns fell in 2012

By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Apr 15, 2014

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/203600-epa-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fell-in-2012

Link to the report: National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data

By Staff Writers, EPA, Apr 2014

http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html

Examiner Editorial: American energy independence in sight despite Obama

Editorial, Washington Examiner, Apr 16, 2014

http://washingtonexaminer.com/examiner-editorial-american-energy-independence-in-sight-despite-obama/article/2547258

Washington’s Control of Energy

Oil, gas production drops on federal property

By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Apr 16, 2014

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/203696-oil-gas-production-drops-on-federal-land

Link to Report: U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas

By Marc Humphries, CRS, Apr 10, 2014

http://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/files/20140410CRS-US-crude-oil-natural-gas-production-federal-non-federal-areas.pdf

Don’t let politics ruin Alaska’s energy future

By Anthony Sadar, Washington Examiner, Apr 14, 2014

http://washingtonexaminer.com/dont-let-politics-ruin-alaskas-energy-future/article/2547198

Obama administration delays Keystone XL decision, potentially until after Nov. elections

By Zack Colman, Washington Examiner, Apr 18, 2014

http://washingtonexaminer.com/obama-administration-delays-keystone-xl-decision-potentially-until-after-november-elections/article/2547452

The Power of Steyer

U.S. extends Keystone XL comment period, delaying final decision

By Jonathan Leff, Reuters, April 18, 2014

http://freebeacon.com/issues/the-power-of-steyer/

Keystone report can’t have it both ways

By Sheldon Whitehouse and Henry A. Waxman, CNN, Apr 16, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/15/opinion/white-house-waxman-keystone-pipeline/index.html

[SEPP Comment: More reasons why Washington should not control energy transportation.]

Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?

Fracking study in Pennsylvania finds few water concerns

By Daniel J. Graeber, UPI, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2014/04/17/Fracking-study-in-Pennsylvania-finds-few-water-concerns/3061397740293/?spt=mps&or=4

Link to press release and report: DCNR Releases First Report on Monitoring the Impacts of Shale Gas Development on State Forest

By Staff Writers, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Apr 16, 2014

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/news/DCNR_20029167.pdf

3 myths on our natural gas boom:

The reality is that the new energy explosion helps us al

By Mark Mills, USA Today, Apr 3, 2014

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/04/03/oil-gas-united-states-jobs-energy-boom-column/7273289/

EIA: Railroads expected to take on more LNG

By Daniel J. Graeber, Washington (UPI), Apr 14, 2013

http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/EIA_Railroads_expected_to_take_on_more_LNG_999.html

[SEPP Comment: Liquified natural gas to partially replace diesel fuel for locomotives.]

Methane hydrate: Dirty fuel or energy saviour?

By Richard Anderson, BBC, Apr 16, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27021610

Return of King Coal?

China is beating us in the burning-coal race

By Timothy Carney, Washington Examiner, Apr 7, 2014

http://washingtonexaminer.com/china-is-beating-us-in-the-burning-coal-race/article/2546893

Sensible Coal Revival

By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Apr 17, 2014

http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/sensible-coal-revival/

Coal gasification: The clean energy of the future?

By Richard Anderson, BBC, Apr 13, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26921145

Coal Returns to German Utilities Replacing Lost Nuclear: Energy

By Tino Andresen, Bloomberg, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t GWPF]

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-04-14/coal-rises-vampire-like-as-german-utilities-brave-crisis-energy

Japan backs coal after Fukushima disaster

By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Apr 14, 2014

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/203465-japan-backs-coal-after-fukushima-disaster

Water shortages Threaten Global Coal Power

By Thomas Overton, Power News, Apr 17, 2014

http://www.powermag.com/water-shortages-threaten-global-coal-power/?hq_e=el&hq_m=2867565&hq_l=13&hq_v=5e660500d0

Nuclear Energy and Fears

Japan to keep using nuclear in new energy plan

By Staff Writers, Tokyo (AFP), April 11, 2014

http://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/Japan_to_keep_using_nuclear_in_new_energy_plan_999.html

U.S. Nuclear Demise Amid Increases Elsewhere

By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Apr 15, 2014

http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/u-s-nuclear-demise-amid-increases-elsewhere/

Asgard’s fire

Thorium, an element named after the Norse god of thunder, may soon contribute to the world’s electricity supply

By Staff Writers, The Economist, Apr 12, 2014

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-tech

nology/21600656-thorium-element-named-after-norse-god-thunder-may-soon-contribute?fsrc=nlw|hig|4-10-2014|8283453|152586780|NA

Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind

AWEA spins price distortions to save PTC

By Lisa Linowes, Wind Action, Apr 15, 2014

http://www.windaction.org/posts/40279-awea-spins-price-distortions-to-save-ptc#.U08EIPldV-4

Report: That new $1.6 billion loan-guaranteed solar farm is basically a “mega-trap” for flying wildlife

By Erika Johnsen, Hot Air, Apr 9, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/04/09/report-that-new-1-6-billion-loan-guaranteed-solar-farm-is-basically-a-mega-trap-for-flying-wildlife/

Deal for 2,300 turbines to supply UK energy by 2020 called off

Ireland walking away from renewable energy, says Green Party leader

By Peter Smyth, Irish Times, Apr 13, 2014

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/energy-and-resources/deal-for-2-300-turbines-to-supply-uk-energy-by-2020-called-off-1.1760645

Death by solar farms: 71 species of birds killed, ‘entire food chains’ disrupted

By Douglas Ernst Washington Times, Apr 11, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/11/death-calif-solar-farms-71-species-bird-found-enti/

Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Energy — Other

U.S. Navy to turn seawater into jet fuel

By Douglas Ernst, Washington Times, Apr 10, 2014

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/10/game-changer-us-navy-can-now-turn-seawater-jet-fue/

Bulletin: U.S. Navy Invents Perpetual Motion Machine

By William Tucker, American Spectator, Apr 15, 2014

http://spectator.org/articles/58747/bulletin-us-navy-invents-perpetual-motion-machine

Health, Energy, and Climate

Health Promoting Effects of Elevated C02 on Common Food Plants

By Staff, CO2 Science & SPPI, Mar 26, 2014

http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/originals/health_promoting_c02.pdf

Oh Mann!

Decision in the Mann/UVa case, a blow to open science

Posted by Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 17, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/17/decision-in-the-mannuva-case-a-blow-to-open-science/

Environmental Industry

Are global warming alarmists just a conglomerate of eco radicals and third world grifters?

By Bruce McQuain, Hot Air, Apr 7, 2014

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/04/07/are-global-warming-alarmists-just-a-conglomerate-of-eco-radicals-and-third-world-grifters/

The IPCC: Bar the Media, Welcome the Activists

By Donna Laframboise, NFC, Apr 12, 2014

http://nofrakkingconsensus.com/2014/04/12/the-ipcc-bar-the-media-welcome-the-activists/

If you think the sky is falling, check out the prophecies of the 1970s

By Michael Barone, Washington Examiner, Apr 9, 2014

http://washingtonexaminer.com/if-you-think-the-sky-is-falling-check-out-the-prophecies-of-the-1970s/article/2547011

Environmental groups LCV and NRDC Action Fund team up to steer more money into politics

By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, Apr 14, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/environmental-groups-lcv-and-nrdc-action-fund-team-to-steer-more-money-into-politics/2014/04/14/4fe39aec-c3fb-11e3-b574-f8748871856a_story.html

Triumph of the Drill

By Andy Kroll, Mother Jones, Apr 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/04/oil-subsidies-renewable-energy-tax-breaks

[SEPP Comment: This is big news? According to the report, over 90 years Oil and Gas received $479 billion, while over 30 years renewables received only $68 billion. The oil industry was big before there were any tax breaks. Also, remember the “Trust Busting” Standard Oil decision of 1911. The wind industry failed decades ago because it is unreliable, a problem it has not resolved. The argument is meaningless, in the US, less than one percent of electricity is produced from oil. The oil depletion allowance is gone for the major companies.]

Other News that May Be of Interest

Obamacare For Lunch?

By Patrick J. Michaels, CATO, Apr 11, 2014

http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/obamacare-lunch

The slow death of free speech

How the Left, here and abroad, is trying to shut down debate — from Islam and Israel to global warming and gay marriage

By Mark Steyn Spectator, Apr 19, 2014 [H/t Climate Etc.]

http://www.spectator.co.uk/australia/australia-features/9187741/the-slow-death-of-free-speech-2/

Climate change a likely culprit in coqui frog’s altered calls

By Staff Writers, Los Angeles CA, (SPX) Apr 17, 2014

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Climate_change_a_likely_culprit_in_coqui_frogs_altered_calls_999.html

[SEPP Comment: If so, it adapted to temperature change, which may be natural.]

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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:

Opening Night on the Taxpayer’s Dime

Review: The Traveling Government Global Warming Play

By Elizabeth Harrington, Washington Free Beacon, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t Timothy Wise]

http://freebeacon.com/issues/opening-night-on-the-taxpayers-dime/

Climate Craziness of the Week: Oh noes! Moths affected by ‘hidden’ factors of climate change

By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 15, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/15/climate-craziness-of-the-week-oh-noes-moths-affected-by-hidden-factors-of-climate-change/

[SEPP Comment: The expansion of the tree line could also be due to carbon dioxide fertilization.]

Friday Funny – climate ‘cliff notes’

Posted by Anthony Watts, WUWT, Apr 18, 2014

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/18/friday-funny-climate-cliff-notes/

Increased CO2 levels make fish unafraid of predators

By Pauline Askin, Reuters, Apr 15, 2014 [H/t Clyde Spencer]

http://news.msn.com/science-technology/increased-co2-levels-make-fish-unafraid-of-predators?

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9th International Conference on Climate Change

July 7 – 9 — Las Vegas, Nevada

Includes the Findings of the New Report by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) Climate Change Reconsidered II, Volumes 1, 2, and 3

http://climateconference.heartland.org/

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