Finnish Cinema's Relevance To Climate Change

LAST WEEK 50-or-so "academics" signed a group letter demanding that Christopher Monckton be shunned and silenced.

Here are most of the signatories, with some notes and links about their specialties and credentials.

If a person is to be judged by his enemies, Monckton looks very good indeed.

Winthrop Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, Australian Professorial Fellow, UWA

Alene Composta’s soulmate. Yep, this guy can spot a fraud when he sees one.

Prof John P. Abraham, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, University of St. Thomas

Neither in Australia nor Australian.. He is an American academic in Minnesota and suffers from a severe Monckton fixation. He writes to those whose research is challenged, asks what they think of Monckton and then posts their responses, which mostly amount to repeating their original claims. By Abraham’s standards this amounts to “refutation.” He and Monckton trade lawyers’ letters and threaten to sue each other. Abraham has a dog in this fight and it’s an ugly, self-interested one.

Natalie Latter, PhD Candidate, UWA

Student. Hoping the global warming schtick lasts long enough to get her career established. Her background is political science, not climate science.

Mike Blanchard, PhD Candidate, UWA

Another pol-sci type specialising in “governmentality”. Whatever that may be, figure it involves higher taxes and a lot of more of being told how to think and behave.

Prof Michael Archer AM, Evolution of Earth & Life Systems Research Group,
Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales

Fossil collector and parrot kisser.

David Hodgkinson, The Hodgkinson Group

“Climate change” consultant with own firm advising clients how to handle climate-change legislation – legislation he pushes, along with climate scares, as an associate professor of law at UWA, which should be ashamed of its Vice-Chancellor Alan “Gag the Man” Robson.

Dorothy Bishop, Adjunct Professor of Psychology, UWA
Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology, Dept of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford

Spends a lot of time close to Lewandowsky. Evidently it’s catching. Everything she knows about climate she learned studying the development of language skills in children. Why not cut out their little tongues at birth? It would stop them voicing disquieting opinions in later life. Knows all about academic empire building. Curiously, she has blogged with great passion about grant snaffling and its deleterious impact on research and academic integrity. Somehow overlooks “climate science” as a prime example of this folly.

Melinda Trugden, PhD Candidate, UWA

Botanical collector when not signing petitions demanding an end to coal use in WA.

Prof. Peter Newman, John Curtin Distinguished Professor of Sustainability,
Director, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Curtin University

Just bagged a $1 million grant to study “the future of roads and biophilic urbanism.” He is also a “celebrity speaker”. It is not know if sceptics have raised a petition to have his speechifying silenced, but it might not be a bad idea, given what is good for the goose etc etc

Sanna Peden, PhD Candidate, UWA

Specialist in the representation of the Salvation Army in Finnish cinema. And no, that is not joke.

Philip Keirle, PhD Candidate, UWA

Want to know how late-19^th century American youths were encouraged to wash their hands? Phil’s your man. See Building Sanitary Citizens. Phil has formerly written of Supressing Laughter To Build Character. He has now moved on to suppressing free speech.

Ullrich Ecker, Assistant Professor, School of Psychology, UWA

Someone else who sat too close to Lewandowsky.

Prof Steven Sherwood, Co-Director, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales

Finally, a proper climate scientist. We know this because, while acknowledging “exaggerations” in An Inconvenient Truth, Sherwood reckons the movie’s message is “important and on target.” One rule for Fat Albert, another for Monckton.

Dr Mark Edwards, Assistant Professor, Business School, UWA

Believes current methods of determining Gross Domestic Product do the environment a grave injustice and insists governments must embrace “meta-regulation” in order to “guide our economic behaviour towards more sustaining and enriching national goals.” If you are still inclined to take Edwards seriously, bear in mind that he writes for Andrew Jaspan’s little site, The Conversation. No need to take him seriously any longer.

Adam McHugh, Lecturer, School of Engineering and Energy, Murdoch University

Wants no new coal-fired power stations and seeks legislation to stop bailouts of plant operators. The government should “divest itself of coal fired assets sooner rather than later” – not to privatize them, but in order to close them down for good. With all the power stations shuttered, McHugh sees WA turning to “options such as flywheels, compressed air and batteries [which] need to be carefully considered.”

   

Dr David Robinson, Lecturer of History, Edith Cowan University

Robinson, who modestly notes that he is has bagged “a tenure-track lecturing position at Edith Cowan University” is superbly qualified to hold forth on matters climatological. His specialty is modern African history.

Dr Kerrie Unsworth, Associate Professor, Business School, UWA

Believes groupthink is a swell idea, except when too many meetings raise “the yuck factor”. Has yet to snaffle a climate-related grant, but can be expected to do so when she can find a way to link her specialty, organizational sociology, to polar bears or, in view of her desire to see Monckton silenced, the dangers of free speech.

Dr Sky Croeser, Lecturer, Department of Internet Studies, Curtin University

Let Sky describe herself: “My dissertation looked at the opposition to genetically modified crops in India to filesharing, the free and open source software movement, and copyright activism, and understands these battles in the context of the broader movement for globalisation from below.” Those file-sharing maize crops can be such a nuisance! Will work on her own literacy if a grant arrives.

Prof Kevin Judd, School of Mathematics and Statistics, UWA

Has sat on panels with Lewandowsky. No further explanation needed.

Dr Kayt Davies, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Edith Cowan University

Specialty: an ethnographic study of women’s magazine editors. Will hemlines rise with the mercury? Can Brad and Angelina turn down the thermostat? Smart summer salads all year round? Davies is your go-to gal for those topics.

Esmeralda Rocha, PhD Candidate, UWA.

Resident climate change expert at UWA’s School of Music.

Jenny Kent, PhD Candidate, University of Technology Sydney

After launching her career in solid waste, she has switched to climate change. Not much of a move when you think about it.

Stephen Owen, PhD Candidate, University of Newcastle

“The Thinking Woman’s Yobbo”, as he describes himself, is an aficionado of modern Japanese literature, hence his authoritative tone on climate issues.

Alana George, Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

Compiles and edits the weekly UTS staff sustainability network e-newsletter. She aspires to one day be placed in charge of wiping down the sink in Institute for Sustainable Futures tea room.

Cynthia Mitchell, Professor of Sustainability, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

All your urine are belong to us.

Edward Langham, Senior Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

As Fiji’s former climate guru, Langham has seen first-hand why governments sometimes need the freedom to gag troublesome sorts – you know, those who beg to differ about little things like democracy and free speech.

Caitlin McGee, Research Principle, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

Architect Caitlin appreciates the opportunities of a career in climate change: “The service that I am most familiar with is actually the cheap drinks."

Prof David Karoly, School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne

Said the recent dry spell was “the first drought in Australia where the impact of human-induced global warming can be clearly observed.” Hydrologist Stewart Franks took him to task about that and other claims. Meanwhile, since there was probably insufficient time to knock off a group letter demanding Franks be silenced, the ABC obligingly applied the gag by interviewing Franks and then discarding the tape.

Hey, if every other news organization refused to cover Monckton’s trip, there would be no need for protest notes.

Dr Tim Stephens, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Sydney

He is a lawyer. His lips are moving. He regrets that Monckton also enjoys that freedom.

Prof Jane McAdam, Director of Research, Faculty of Law, University of NSW

Cares deeply for refugees – and is even more appreciative of big grants to study where all those “climate refugees” are coming from. Except they haven’t been.

Dr David Mallard, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Charles Sturt University

Drum contributor. Also known to have been in contact with Lewandowsky. Believed to be infected.

 

Prof Alex Coram, Winthrop Professor of Political Economy, UWA

Writes a lot about Marxist theory, but has some interesting sidelines. He helps out behind the counter at David Hodgkinson’s (see above) climate consulting shop, and there is also time to get ready for those climate refugees. – the ones that aren’t coming – with the likes of Jane McAdam (see above). Golly, you might almost think there is a climate industry being assembled. Just don’t say as much out loud or the participants will demand that you be silenced for questioning their lofty motives.

Tim Highfield, PhD candidate, QUT

Draws graphs and charts about what Australian political bloggers get up to, Compares this with French political bloggers and …. draws more charts and graphs 

Kathryn Healey, PhD Candidate, University of Queensland.

Engineer who worked for alternative energy outfit Wind Prospect. Why would a person with a wind and solar background want to silence someone who sees that line of business as a scam?

Dr Clare Lloyd, Lecturer, Internet Studies, Curtin University

This environmental expert’s PhD: “I 'heart' mobile phone’: a discursive study of identity processes through mobile phone communication.” 

Prof Roger N Jones, Professorial Research Fellow, Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University

Climate pimp and proud vulgarian. 

Dr Markus Donat, Research Fellow, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales

Trying to link catastrophic weather events to climate change. So far, more hole than donat

Dr Alex English, Research Fellow, Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University

Sino the times! Unconstrained by nasty little things like democracy and niggling eruptions of free speech, China is transforming itself into a green paradise – a development our very own Dept of Climate Change wants Australians to know about. That is why English is getting by on a paltry $400,000 grant to chronicle the Great Green Leap Forward. His employer is chuffed about English’s talents as a rainmaker, as it notes in its 2009 annual report: “External research income was $1,576,000 in 2008, up 14% on 2008. A major component of this amount was $400,000 received from the Department of Climate”

Dr Katrin Meissner, ARC Future Fellow, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales

Believes she can save the world by appearing on Hungry Beast and shouting “motherf***er” at viewers whose taxes pay the show’s production costs and salaries. Behold! The current face of serious, settled science.

Dr Iain White, Senior Lecturer, Director of the Centre for Urban and Regional Ecology, University of Manchester, UK

Capitalism has a fatal flaw: It applies technology to problems, rather than forcing the masses to change their behaviour.

Jason Sharbanee, PhD Candidate, UWA

Looking into the reasons drunks don’t make sober, rational decisions. Hint: They’re pissed most of the time.

Isabel Rossen, PhD Candidate, UWA

Has a Facebook page. Likes cider. Nothing else. Full-blown climate expert.

Prof Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Director, Global Change Institute, University of Queensland

The Reef  is dying … and dying … and dying … and then dying some more. (if you skip that bit about there being “no evidence of consistent, system-wide decline in coral cover”.) Ove Hoegh-Guldberg’s career is thriving … and thriving …. and thriving all over again.

He will collect neither prize nor grant for services to free speech, as Anthony Watts explains: “WUWT readers may remember Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from when I had a tussle with him during my speaking tour in Australia in Brisbane. Then, the good professor thought his opinion so important, that he disrupted the meeting and hogged the microphone. However, we let him talk, and he had the audience for several minutes.”

The Coral Catastropharian gets to speak his piece. Monckton needs to be silenced and ignored.

Dr Terence J Edwards, Distinguished Teaching Fellow, Center for Petroleum and Energy Research, UWA

This grant list has the look of real science, but not about climate change.

Xavier Goldie, PhD Candidate, ANU

Former NZ Greens candidate for the seat of Te Atatu, assured voters he “does not engage in character assassination” – except if the target isn’t a catastropharian. Monckton should be doubly offended. Xavier, a large and hairy botanist who enjoys the company of other large and hairy men, swears that gay couples deserve equal rights. But Xavier, what about gay couples who are also climate skeptics? Hmmmm 

Dr Rose Andrew, Visiting Scientist, College of Medicing, Biology and Environment, ANU

Immersed in her studies of sunflowers that grow on sand dunes, Rose also favours uprooting the right to be heard.

Chiara Pacifici, Research Associate, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Curtin University

Quote: “Having been in the real estate industry for over 16 years, I strongly believe real estate professionals have an important role to play in optimising the flow of information on sustainability … This lead me to create the Green Gurus website and develop educative workshops for the Real Estate Industry so that I could share my experiences and help others take advantage of the many financial, environmental and social benefits sustainability has bought me.”

Chiara now runs seminars for land sharks. Heavy emphasis on that free money governments are handing out to save the world, one subsidised showerhead at a time.

AAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHH! There are another 10-or-so signatures on the letter but, quite frankly, the will to plough through the remainder has vanished with the morning’s rain.

That means the Professor can still do 18 holes and, if recent form holds, file today’s scorecard with the club handicapper. Back a bit later with a few thoughts on vested interests.