Sammy Wilson: I still think man-made climate change is a con
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
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Spending billions on trying to reduce carbon emissions is one giant con that is depriving third world countries of vital funds to tackle famine, HIV and other diseases, Sammy Wilson said.
The DUP minister has been heavily criticised by environmentalists for claiming that ongoing climatic shifts are down to nature and not mankind.
But while acknowledging his views on global warming may not be popular, the East Antrim MP said he was not prepared to be bullied by eco fundamentalists.
“I’ll not be stopped saying what I believe needs to be said about climate change,” he said.
"Most of the people who shout about climate change have not read one article about it
“I think in 20 years’ time we will look back at this whole climate change debate and ask ourselves how on earth were we ever conned into spending the billions of pounds which are going into this without any kind of rigorous examination of the background, the science, the implications of it all. Because there is now a degree of hysteria about it, fairly unformed hysteria I’ve got to say as well.
“I mean I get it in the Assembly all the time and most of the people who shout about climate change have not read one article about climate change, not read one book about climate change, if you asked them to explain how they believe there’s a connection between CO2 emission and the effects which they claim there’s going to be, if you ask them to explain the thought process or the modelling that is required and the assumptions behind that and how tenuous all the connections are, they wouldn’t have a clue.
“They simply get letters about it from all these lobby groups, it’s popular and therefore they go along with the flow — and that would be ok if there were no implications for it, but the implications are immense.”
He said while people in the western world were facing spiralling fuel bills as a result of efforts to cut CO2, the implications in poorer countries were graver.
“What are the problems that face us either locally and internationally. Are those not the things we should be concentrating on?” he asked.
“HIV, lack of clean water, which kills millions of people in third world countries, lack of education.
“A fraction of the money we are currently spending on climate change could actually eradicate those three problems alone, a fraction of it.
“I think as a society we sometimes need to get some of these things in perspective and when I listen to some of the rubbish that is spoken by some of my colleagues in the Assembly it amuses me at times and other times it angers me.”
Despite his views on CO2, Mr Wilson said he does not intend to backtrack on commitments made by his predecessor at the Department of the Environment, Arlene Foster, to make the Stormont estate carbon neutral.
He said while he wasn’t worried about reducing CO2 output, he said the policy would help to cut fuels bills.
“I don’t couch those actions in terms of reducing Co2 emissions,” he said. “I don’t care about Co2 emissions to be quite truthful because I don’t think it’s all that important but what I do believe is, and perhaps this is where there can be some convergence, as far as using fuel more efficiently that is good for our economy; that makes us more competitive. If we can save in schools hundreds of thousands on fuel that’s more money being put for books or classroom assistants.
“So yes there are things we can do. If you want to express it terms of carbon neutral, I just express it terms of making the place more efficient, less wasteful and hopefully that will release money to do the proper things that we should be doing.”
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861 Comments
I wish we had more Mr. Wilsons in our U.S. Senate! I am very depressed as I consider the money that is being and will be spent on this hair-brained attempt to control the climate --- and industrial output --- of the entire planet.
Posted by Keith L. Buchanan | 09.06.09, 20:02 GMT
This man should be stripped of any authority he has!
It is true that climate has changed in the past, indeed dramatically so. around 55Million years ago a shift in climate caused the world to warm by 5-9C, however there is reasoning behind this. Changes in ocean salinity, The impact of a meterorite on the earth and fluctuations in the suns radiation. But i beg of all of you who have never read a scientific book/journal to read Ice, Mud & Blood (Turney 2005) You will see how foolish you all are.
Posted by JD, Msc in Climate change | 20.05.09, 12:33 GMT
Dr Aldridge, 'after a good deal of study', apparently knows more than the overwhelming majority of scientific opinion, including that of 'Big Bang' specialist S. Hawking. All arguments of denial are based on the premise that nothing has been proven beyond reasonable doubt. This is a Russian Roulette attitude towards the future of our existence on this planet and also ignores issues such as air pollution/health, efficient use of dwindling resources and the geo-political issue of self-sufficiency.
Posted by bhamilton | 18.05.09, 19:24 GMT
Dr Aldridge, 'after a good deal of study', apparently knows more than the overwhelming majority of scientific opinion, including that of 'Big Bang' specialist S. Hawking. All arguments of denial are based on the premise that nothing has been proven beyond reasonable doubt. This is a Russian Roulette attitude towards the future of our existence on this planet and also ignores issues such as air pollution/health, efficient use of dwindling resources and the geo-political issue of self-sufficiency.
Posted by bhamilton | 18.05.09, 19:22 GMT
but to help humanity make informed decisions that will ensure our children and our childrens children can live on long after us on a planet that we have not completely destroyed beyond repair!
Posted by Sean McC | 18.05.09, 15:08 GMT
Are you all for real???? I cannot for the life of me begin to understand why anyone with an ounce of sense would pay any heed whatsoever to our Environment ministers non-sensical ramblings!!
On what empirical evidence does he base his diatribe upon? Surely he can't claim to have studied in depth both sides of the argument? I have, so have the thousands of other scientists around the world that agree that we are in trouble and have published findings to this end, not for their own financial gain
Posted by Sean McC | 18.05.09, 15:06 GMT
I would like to challenge the "well informed foreigner" below called "Marmenu" to present this evidence of his here.
The fact is that there is no observable or measureable evidence whatsoever that increases in CO2 over the last century have had any effect on our climate. There is a growing number of sceptics in the scientific community as evidence to the contrary surfaces on a daily basis.
Posted by Mike Worst | 18.05.09, 10:25 GMT
Well said Sammy and congratulations for having the courage to say what I suspect many of your peers believe but will not voice because it is politically dangerous to do so.
The facts as they stand right now are - there has been no warming for 10 years now, the present ice area and extent in antartica is at or near the measured average and melt is progressing normally, antarctica remains above average, Alaskan glaciers are now expanding and the temperature trend for the last years is downward.
Posted by Mike Worst | 18.05.09, 10:11 GMT
you are right anyone who wants to set up a quango under the pretence of saving the planet gets buckets of government money when the facts are evolution is really the root of the problem.
so are these quango's in it for the money or are they serious about saving us all i doubt it.
Posted by Rick | 02.05.09, 11:50 GMT
when will people wake up, the real problem with this planet is the greedy moneymakers dictating scenarios for their own benefit not the welfare of the earth.when will the real threats of deforestation, overpopulation and consumerism of not really needed commodities be fully addressed.I for one believe its natural for there to be highs and lows in co2 its impossible to predict any climate change.the climate has changed untold times in the past, antarctica has also melted and froze many times, its nature. stop trying to think you can change or alter the planet by pathetic c02 manipulation and combat the real issues.Please research the net and stop being sheep.
Posted by mark williams | 23.04.09, 13:14 GMT
ulster says no to world renown scientist's advice !!! lets get on with building bonfires and burning fossil fuels - no surrender !!
Posted by John Roberts | 07.04.09, 21:21 GMT
Dear, Oh dear. Even when he has both feet in his mouth, he still manages to sprout another leg so that he can cram another one in. The fact that DUP Flat Earther Sammy Wilson does not believe in Global Warming only serves to further confirm it for me.
Anyone who believes that dinosaurs played hide and seek games with children on Noah's ark, less than 4,000 years ago, needs a gentle pat on the head.
If it wasn't so serious it would make for a good episode of the surrealist comedy series The League of Gentlemen... "Are you local?" - "Yes I'm Sammy Wilson and I'm totally local." (sighs sadly as the polar caps disintegrate)
Posted by Plannisaurus Rex | 07.04.09, 18:04 GMT
Good man Sammy. Now can we stop subsidising these ghastly windmills springing up on every hilltop. Please?
Posted by J Stanley | 07.04.09, 13:45 GMT
With the recent freak snow storms and colder than normal temps, it's not hard to figure out that global warming is an Al Gore made up con job on the American people! Has anyone ever thought maybe we need some global warming? I think I will publish a paper called; We need more global warming, I'm tired of the cold weather! I say we need to increase our carbon emissions 2 fold and give the trees something more to eat! Just a thought!!
Posted by Mark | 05.04.09, 05:54 GMT
Thank you Sammy Wilson. I'm so glad someone in the world of politics is talking sense. I've been waiting for a long time for someone to speak out against these senseless alarmist theories about climate change. There is so much money and effort being ploughed into these theories - What a waste.
Posted by Jonathan Lyons | 25.03.09, 19:19 GMT
An environment minister we certainly cannot be proud of. What I dont get is despite sustainable development and climate change to be at the forefront of NI's sustainable development strategy (refer to NI assembly website) what we have here is a mockery of the entire political system. Although, we know that isnt something new here in NI. I just dread the day that our age of stupid realise they will be starving their children's children of a sustainable way of life!
Posted by Sarah | 25.03.09, 09:56 GMT
A truthful comment at last from someone in power. How many times a year do we hear from publicity hungry environmental wannabees that ' that climate change is happening much faster than was previously thought? The increasingly hysterical tone of their announcements destroys any possibility of rational, unbiased debate. If all funding for research into climate change was abolished would 'man made global mysteriously disappear'?
Posted by john young | 23.02.09, 11:40 GMT
with reference to Greg's post-----
you may be interested to know that the gentleman who is the head honcho of our ('I saved the World') Gordon Browns' Global Warming Quango in Britain, is none other than Adair Turner.
He is now Lord Turner and his daytime job is head of the Financial Service Authority. Last week when the centre of the Universe- AKA London - ground to a halt under a few inches of snow, he was in the Mother of all Parliaments telling us that we would have to get an airline license in a few years in order that we could fly anywhere. Naturally this was to save the planet.
He bases this hypothesis on the same computer models which the FSA used to predict the present Global Economic situation.
I rest my case!
Posted by patrick healy | 17.02.09, 20:32 GMT
if i could reach across the Irish Sea i would shake your hand. Well said Mr Wilson. Sadly I fear for your political future as 'vested interests' will try to gag you.
In Scotland it is virtually impossible to get your views expressed as there is almost a blanket cencorship in the media of any sensible debate on MGW.
Keep up the good work and good luck to you and your family.
Posted by patrick healy | 16.02.09, 20:58 GMT
well done sammy wilson,at last someone with the sense he was born with,he knows whats going on,good luck fellow and god bless.
Posted by bilbo | 16.02.09, 08:59 GMT
861 Comments