“I have not gone where I intended to go,?but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”?Douglas Adams

The current hysteria about man-made global warming, which is focused almost exclusively on carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, exceeds by a large margin any political movement any of us have experienced in our lifetime. Originating with a few long-term Green extremists and serial doom merchants in the USA and Europe, it now engrosses the world’s politicians and media. Huge funds are being diverted to the cause, and the smell of easy money from carbon taxes, energy subsidies, carbon credits, mindless construction jobs and research funds has corrupted science, politics, industries, aid agencies, the media and whole nations.

A Bit of “Carbon Sense” History

Viv Forbes

Five specific incidents motivated me to get involved in this battle.

• My initial wake-up was when Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) proposed to list carbon dioxide as a toxic pollutant, liable to be reported to the National Pollutant Inventory by every significant company or operation every year. I was amazed at this stupidity, but confident that there would be such an outcry about it that it would be squashed.

I have been closely associated all my life with people, firms and industry associations in primary production fields – first cattle, then exploration, oil and gas, coal, sheep, ground water, pastures and soils. Imagine my surprise when NOT ONE corporate executive or industry body spoke out against this stupidity. All that happened was they set up committees to work out the mechanics of surrender. Despite no proof of crime and totally speculative science, they accepted the sentence of wearing a ball and chain for ever more, as long as the shackles were padded for comfort.

Many would agree privately that it was all nonsense, but none would speak out.?That is when I decided something must be done. Sitting on a hill one day in May 2007 supervising a dozer building a farm dam, I started writing. Then I started reading. Then I discovered there were many other people out there with concerns.

We can thus say truthfully that the EPA initiated the formation of the Carbon Sense Coalition.

• The next stimulus for increased action came when the Chairman of Origin Energy, Mr Kevin McCann, was reported as saying:

“Corporate Australia cannot afford to harbour climate change sceptics as the government moves towards introducing its emissions trading scheme. I don’t think business people can afford to be sceptics.” (The Australian, 7 August 2007).

By then I was known locally as one of the more outspoken sceptics in resource business circles, and I took this comment as a personal warning. NOT ONE resource executive condemned this intolerant, self-assured and self-serving comment. I decided then to increase my activities and preferably put myself into a position where I could not be pressured financially or in any other way by “corporate Australia”.

• This was followed by another warning sign when Ian Dunlop, a retired oil and coal industry executive, a major player in the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Coal Association, and the designer of an Emissions Trading Scheme for John Howard, started making wild statements about “dangerous climate change” and the need for “fundamental change to the economy, not just incremental tweaking”. (Financial Review 19 Dec 2008).

• The last straw was when NOT ONE major farm lobby, rural department or agricultural scientist spoke out against the totally baseless attack on farm animal emissions. The case against industrial production of CO2 is weak and unproven, the case against animal emissions is totally without foundation, and obviously so.

I felt an outcast in both mining and farming circles, the two industries where I had spent all of my life.

• A personal event also influenced my thinking. I had a serious car accident, which could easily have killed me, but by some stroke of luck, I walked away with minor injuries. I decided then that I would be more discriminating on how I spent my remaining life energy.

• All of these factors have led me to focus on two priorities – more time for Judy and our farm, and increased effort on the Carbon Sense crusade.

Work done

The Carbon Sense Coalition was just an idea in early June 2007, and by 30 June 2007, we had an organisation, a website and a core group of supporters. Since then we have:

• Acted as co-sponsor for two world conferences on global warming organised by Heartland in New York. I attended the first function and nominated a sponsored delegation, eight of whom attended. We publicised both functions.

• Attended functions organised by the Lavoisier Society, and publicised books published by their members.

• Prepared 15 separate submissions to various state and federal government inquiries in Australia and one in New Zealand. Also appeared before the NZ Enquiry to give testimony and answer questions (by phone).

• Prepared short papers and articles on request for specialist industry newsletters and magazines.

• Prepared and released over 60 media statements and letters to the editor on all aspects of the global warming hysteria.

• Assisted members and supporters with information, data and editing advice as they prepared their own papers, letters and submissions.

• Participated in several interviews for radio, newspapers and TV media.

• Sat through interminable alarmist presentations by various government bodies who earn a nice living on the global warming payroll. Also attended sceptic meetings as a supporter.

• Attracted several hundred supporters to our mailing list, tried to answer the increasing stream of email enquiries (mostly supportive, some abusive) and continued to add to, upgrade and improve our web site. Our mailings also go to several hundred media and uncommitted contacts. Our web site gets over 5,000 visits per month.

• Assisted the development of a world network of climate realists, who support one another with information and publicity.

Funding and supporters

All of the above has been done by a very small group of volunteers comprising writers, editors, researchers and a website manager. The great majority of the work was initiated or done by just two people, but their efforts have been multiplied by several hundred supporters who distribute material, submit data and information, do research, give feedback and edit documents.

To date we have never sought subscriptions or donations from supporters. This was never planned as a money making venture. But to our surprise and pleasure, we have received spontaneous donations from six separate individuals, plus another donor who supplied a second-hand colour copier/printer and continues to supply paper and toners. Thank you to those people. We greatly appreciated these gestures – the sheep were getting tired of carrying “Carbon Sense” through the long drought.

“The Carbon Sense Coalition” is just a name – there is no formal registered body, and it would probably take more time and energy than we have to get it registered in some of the protected corporate species categories such as a “Tax Exempt Foundation”.

But to protect the name we have registered and own “Carbon Sense Pty Ltd” – it is a normal tax paying company whose business is to provide advice on the economic effects of climate alarm policies, provide witnesses for hearings and inquiries, consult on and research specific issues, attend conferences and prepare and distribute statements, submissions and reports. We have also registered our “Carbon Sense” web address.

We have considered setting and levying annual “memberships”. We have gone that way before with think tanks and lobby groups, and found we were spending far too much time keeping accounts, and sending reminders and receipts for too many small contributions. The administration costs are too high, and it would take time which we prefer to spend on the main business, which is promulgating some common sense on climate, carbon and energy matters.

But if the cause is worthwhile I believe it must pay its way, and have the capacity to do things. To date, “Carbon Sense” is not paying its way. It is truly a non-profit organisation.

So for the first time we are seeking your support. Unfortunately, unlike Al Gore, we have no plans for making millions of dollars in carbon trading. And no big corporation or millionaire has offered to bankroll our activities (but we are open to offers). We do not pull heartstrings with pictures of polar bears, or scare stories about droughts to come. The media largely ignores us and we have not received a government grant, a green subsidy or a research contract. This unglamorous cause of exposing lies and promoting carbon sense has to be a self-supporting venture or it will die.

What can you do?

Support can be in various ways depending on your circumstance and wishes, including:

• Assistance in spreading the word. We already have a circle of supporters who distribute all reports, statements and releases. It does not matter where they go – the aim is to give people ideas and ammunition and to combat the stream of propaganda coming from government sources, media mates and vested interests. We must arm the converted and create new converts.

• Editing assistance. We already have a small group of overworked editors who help tidy up submissions and reports. For this job, we need people able to respond quickly by email at odd times as most submissions have a time deadline.

• Research assistance – net-smart people who can quickly track down reports and information.

• Cartoonists and illustrators – no cause can survive people laughing at it. There are plenty of things to laugh at in the alarmist theories and forecasts. Imagine if we could, every day, week or month distribute an original cartoon, photograph, poem or limerick lampooning some stupid policy or statement?

• We intend putting a statement of beliefs and purpose on our website to which we encourage as many people as possible to append their name and personal history. If you have suggestions here, or if you are prepared to add your name, please send us ideas and a short biography – say 100 - 200 words. It will be along the lines of the Oregon Petition which now has over 30,000 signatures.

• Do not feel obliged to contribute if you do not have the means or the inclination, but would like to stay on our mail lists. No one will be removed from our lists unless they ask to be removed. We welcome passive supporters and the uncommitted.

Our aim is to ensure our arguments are factual, comprehensible, accurate, consistent, credible and memorable. We aim to win in the political arena, and thus we need resources and lots of people absorbing and spreading ideas.

Greenpeace now a multinational corporation

“Parts of the green movement have become hijacked by a political agenda and now operate like multinational corporations, according to two senior scientists and members of the House of Lords. Lord Krebs, the former chairman of the Food Standards Agency and current principal of Jesus College Oxford, criticised Greenpeace, saying that it had been set up to peddle fear on environmental issues. “Greenpeace is a multinational corporation just like Monsanto or Tesco. They have very effective marketing departments … Their product is worry because worry is what recruits members,” he said.”?James Randerson, The Guardian, 13 May 2009?CCNet 74/2009 - 13 May 2009

Heaven and Earth

“The Sun is the primary driving force of climate. The Sun provides Earth with a staggering amount of energy. It drives weather, ocean currents and evaporation and provides the energy for life on Earth.

“Very slight changes in solar energy output have a profound effect on the Earth’s climate. An energetic Sun blasts away cosmic radiation, there is less low-level cloud, and the planet reflects less energy back into space. The surface of the Earth warms. A weak Sun allows cosmic radiation to form low-level clouds which reflect energy back into space and the surface of Earth cools. This phenomenon has been calculated and validated by experiment and observation.”?Professor Ian Plimer “Heaven and Earth”

Curious anomalies in climate science

“What doubled my sense of horror was to realise the extent to which scientists are following bad science without the ability or realisation of the need to check the basics for themselves.”

For a comprehensive presentation of the entire global warming story by “Lucy Skywalker” describing how and why she advanced from global warming alarmist to science realist, click here.

Why cap and trade or carbon taxes will savage living standards

“President Obama’s dangerous policy of wasting astronomical amounts of capital on so-called alternative energy projects will — if fully implemented — savage American living standards and crush industry by dissipating capital on a colossal scale while sending energy prices through the roof.

“Before frothing Obamatrons leap mindlessly to his defence allow me to point out that the Anointed One stated: “Under my plan of cap and trade, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket”. Obviously raising energy prices to lower living standards is part of his agenda.”?Gerard Jackson

Weather is not climate - - - - but:

A new Australian record was set on 29th April 2009 with a temperature of minus 13 degrees, at Charlotte Pass in the Snowy Mountains.

This is the lowest temperature recorded anywhere in Australia in April and is 13 degrees below the average. Nearby at Perisher it dipped to minus 11 degrees and at the top of Thredbo it dipped to minus 10.

After 10 years of global cooling, we can now expect explanations as to how man-made global warming can at times cause global cooling.

Study seeks to link HIV to global warming – May 14, 2009

Research at the Kenya Meteorological Department seeks to correlate climate change and HIV. Pamela Kaithuru, Head of Counseling Unit Kenya Meteorological Department said almost 90% of the worlds disasters today are climate related and it is the intention of this work to find out any correlation between climate change and HIV.

The Ration and Tax Scheme

We have to date referred to the Senator Wong’s “Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme” as the Cap-n-Tax Scheme as that more accurately describes its purpose.

But an even more accurate description is The Ration-n-Tax Scheme, or the RAT Scheme for short.

As the world steadfastly refuses to exhibit “global warming”; as the lack of correlation between CO2 and global temperature becomes more obvious; and as the scare forecasts become more shrill, the alarmists will seek to slip away from their mantra of “global warming” in favour of “climate change”, “extreme weather”, or even just “pollution and environmental degradation” or their timeless favourite “resource depletion”.

But underlying it all is their increasingly discredited theory that CO2 is causing damaging global warming. We must not let them escape from their own theoretical justification for the whole Ration-n-Tax charade. We must make them eat their own words: “Man-made CO2 causes global warming and must be capped urgently or the world will suffer dangerous runaway heating”.

Finally, “Slippery Green Words”

The problem with global warming, some environmentalists believe is “global warming”?For some slippery green words, see Alan Caruba.

More information at the Carbon Sense Coalition wesbite.