wattsupwiththat--2020-12-15--Former environment senator Fritz Vahrenholt: “We are threatened by a dramatic loss of prosperity”

Fritz Vahrenholt was a mastermind of Germany ’ s ecological movement , Senator for the environment and wind manager .
Today he questions Germany ’ s costly climate policy .
Hamburg .
Fritz Vahrenholt has shaped the environmental debate in Germany like hardly anyone else : His book “ Seveso ist überall ” ( 1976 ) denounced the conditions in the chemical industry , his atlas “ Die Lage der Nation ” ( 1983 ) assessed the environmental policy in the country .
In 1984 , he joined the Hamburg environmental authority as a state councillor , and was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The social democrat and SPD politician then moved into the business world and , from 2001 , built up the wind energy manufacturer Repower .
From 2008 to 2012 , Vahrenholt worked as managing director of the newly founded RWE Innogy GmbH .
In recent years , the doctor of chemistry has become one of the sharpest critics of German climate protection policy .
Since being fired from the Wildlife Foundation because of his views , he has made the topic his “ main activity ” , as he says .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Truths ) and on his blog , the 71-year-old deals with climate development and the consequences of climate policy .
Hamburger Abendblatt : Do you actually like arguing , Mr. Vahrenholt ?
Fritz Vahrenholt No , not really .
What makes you think so ?
HA : In your new book “ Unwanted Truths ” you are taking on the entire climate science… FV : Do I ?
I am not denying the need for action or climate change itself – I am just coming to different conclusions about the scale or pace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not only humans who are responsible for climate change , but that natural factors are also at work .
So we have more time than is often said .
HA : How did you come up with that ?
FV : There is one aspect in the climate debate that I find far too brief .
Our reference value is always the year 1850 , the beginning of the industrial age .
But what hardly anyone knows is that the Little Ice Age , the coldest period in the last 2000 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the last 2000 years alone is about 0.4 degrees higher than in 1850 – completely without the greenhouse effect .
FV : Maybe , but that doesn ’ t mean it has to be wrong .
Compare that with the subject of dying forests .
At the beginning of the 1980s there was a consensus that the German forest would disappear because of acid rain .
I suspected as much .
Almost forty years later we know that the science was wrong .
Science must be open to question .
But that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intertwining of science and politics .
HA : Now it can be argued that because of the horrifying forecasts , political action was taken and the forest was saved .
FV : It is quite possible to believe , as many climate scientists do , that a little exaggeration would help .
This it is acceptable , within limits , to shake up a society .
It was similar with my book “ Seveso ist überall ” – we have ¬achieved a lot in the chemical ¬industry .
But we must not send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exaggerated measures .
Today we live in a climate of fear .
HA : Where do you think the debate has been distorted ?
FV : Take the Greenland ice sheet , for example : many people believe that it will thaw out in the near future .
Even with the continuing temperatures , it will continue to exist for thousands of years .
By the way , 8000 years ago there was a period of about 3000 years warmer than today .
Even then the ice sheet survived .
And the Sahara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news even now : the earth is becoming greener .
HA : This does not apply to all regions – in many places people fear drought .
FV : In the last 100 years , neither the frequency of droughts nor heavy precipitation has increased globally .
However , due to warming and increasing CO2 , the area of foliage worldwide is growing by the size of the Federal Republic of Germany every year .
Over the past 50 years , plant biomass has increased by 30 percent .
And because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheat , rice and other fruits have grown by 15 percent , and the world ’ s food situation has been significantly improved .
I do not want to trivialise CO2 , it is a greenhouse gas .
But it is also not desirable to return to pre-1850 levels .
HA : We are far from returning there .
The Paris Climate Change Agreement has set itself the goal of limiting global warming to a maximum of two degrees .
Is that wrong ?
FV : No .
But the Paris Agreement has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , as a developing country , may still emit 50 % more CO2 in coming years .
If we halve our emissions in Germany from 0.8 billion to 0.4 billion tonnes , than that is equivalent to China ’ s annual increase .
There , 245 coal-fired power plants will still be connected to the grid , and there are 1600 coal-fired power plants worldwide , most of them with Chinese assistance .
India is happy because 56 coal mines have been opened there and now every village is supplied with electricity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an argument for doing nothing here !
FV : Of course not , but it shows the relation .
We are not making a difference with our phase-out , and nobody will follow us if we phase out coal and nuclear power within ten years , which will mean a dramatic loss of prosperity in Germany .
We can not sustain a highly developed industrial society with wind and sun .
We are threatened with deindustrialisation and loss of prosperity .
We discuss hysterically : it is claimed that if we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , the climate will tip over .
What that means for hundreds of thousands of jobs is of no further interest .
We must stop the sorcerer ’ s apprentices : Fear is a bad advisor .
HA : These are also horror scenarios … FV : No .
Our energy system transformation has a structural flaw : we are concentrating what three energy sources have done so far – natural gas for heating , oil for transport and electricity for industry and households – into a single energy source : electricity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electricity demand to double .
I think it will triple .
The generation capacities of wind and sun will never be sufficient for this .
Moreover , the problem of the dark lull remains – there are many days and weeks without sun and wind .
So where will our electricity come from ?
From pumped storage ?
There are calculations according to which we would have to fill all valleys from Norway to Austria with pumped storage lakes in order to store it .
That is absurd .
HA : You underestimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green hydrogen , for example , could be used to store energy .
HA : Two thirds of the energy is lost in the wind-hydrogen-electricity generation chain .
That is physics .
The energy is lost during electrolysis , storage and conversion into electricity .
So we would have to build more plants to compensate for this loss .
The cost of electricity would multiply .
HA : We have just seen what efficiency gains are possible with solar cells .
FV : That ’ s true of solar energy , when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Shell .
We can produce electricity for just a few cents at sunny locations , but the cost decline is not as significant when it comes to wind .
But that doesn ’ t solve the problem of intermediate storage , which becomes unaffordable given the amount of electricity to be stored .

From The GWPF
Date: 14/12/20
Hamburger Abendblatt
Fritz Vahrenholt was a mastermind of Germany’s ecological movement, Senator for the environment and wind manager. Today he questions Germany’s costly climate policy.
Fritz Vahrenholt
Hamburg. Fritz Vahrenholt has shaped the environmental debate in Germany like hardly anyone else: His book “Seveso ist überall” (1976) denounced the conditions in the chemical industry, his atlas “Die Lage der Nation” (1983) assessed the environmental policy in the country.
In 1984, he joined the Hamburg environmental authority as a state councillor, and was the Senator for Environment from 1991 to 1997. The social democrat and SPD politician then moved into the business world and, from 2001, built up the wind energy manufacturer Repower. From 2008 to 2012, Vahrenholt worked as managing director of the newly founded RWE Innogy GmbH.
In recent years, the doctor of chemistry has become one of the sharpest critics of German climate protection policy. Since being fired from the Wildlife Foundation because of his views, he has made the topic his “main activity”, as he says. In his new book Unerwünschte Wahrheiten (Unwanted Truths) and on his blog, the 71-year-old deals with climate development and the consequences of climate policy.
Hamburger Abendblatt: Do you actually like arguing, Mr. Vahrenholt?
Fritz Vahrenholt No, not really. What makes you think so?
HA: In your new book “Unwanted Truths” you are taking on the entire climate science…
FV: Do I? I am not denying the need for action or climate change itself – I am just coming to different conclusions about the scale or pace of it. I believe that it is not only humans who are responsible for climate change, but that natural factors are also at work. So we have more time than is often said.
HA: How did you come up with that?
FV: There is one aspect in the climate debate that I find far too brief. Our reference value is always the year 1850, the beginning of the industrial age. But what hardly anyone knows is that the Little Ice Age, the coldest period in the last 2000 years, ended then. The average value of the last 2000 years alone is about 0.4 degrees higher than in 1850 – completely without the greenhouse effect.
HA: You represent a minority position …
FV: Maybe, but that doesn’t mean it has to be wrong. Compare that with the subject of dying forests. At the beginning of the 1980s there was a consensus that the German forest would disappear because of acid rain. I suspected as much. Almost forty years later we know that the science was wrong. Science must be open to question. But that is no longer possible because of the intertwining of science and politics.
HA: Now it can be argued that because of the horrifying forecasts, political action was taken and the forest was saved.
FV: It is quite possible to believe, as many climate scientists do, that a little exaggeration would help. This it is acceptable, within limits, to shake up a society. It was similar with my book “Seveso ist überall” – we have ¬achieved a lot in the chemical ¬industry. But we must not send society into disaster by taking incorrect or exaggerated measures. Today we live in a climate of fear.
HA: Where do you think the debate has been distorted?
FV: Take the Greenland ice sheet, for example: many people believe that it will thaw out in the near future. Even with the continuing temperatures, it will continue to exist for thousands of years. By the way, 8000 years ago there was a period of about 3000 years warmer than today. Even then the ice sheet survived. And the Sahara was green. That is the positive news even now: the earth is becoming greener.
HA: This does not apply to all regions – in many places people fear drought.
FV: In the last 100 years, neither the frequency of droughts nor heavy precipitation has increased globally. However, due to warming and increasing CO2, the area of foliage worldwide is growing by the size of the Federal Republic of Germany every year. Over the past 50 years, plant biomass has increased by 30 percent. And because of the increase in CO2, the yields of wheat, rice and other fruits have grown by 15 percent, and the world’s food situation has been significantly improved. I do not want to trivialise CO2, it is a greenhouse gas. But it is also not desirable to return to pre-1850 levels.
HA: We are far from returning there. The Paris Climate Change Agreement has set itself the goal of limiting global warming to a maximum of two degrees. Is that wrong?
FV: No. But the Paris Agreement has structural shortcomings. It has stipulated that China, as a developing country, may still emit 50% more CO2 in coming years. If we halve our emissions in Germany from 0.8 billion to 0.4 billion tonnes, than that is equivalent to China’s annual increase. There, 245 coal-fired power plants will still be connected to the grid, and there are 1600 coal-fired power plants worldwide, most of them with Chinese assistance. India is happy because 56 coal mines have been opened there and now every village is supplied with electricity.
HA: That can’t be an argument for doing nothing here!
FV: Of course not, but it shows the relation. We are not making a difference with our phase-out, and nobody will follow us if we phase out coal and nuclear power within ten years, which will mean a dramatic loss of prosperity in Germany. We cannot sustain a highly developed industrial society with wind and sun. We are threatened with deindustrialisation and loss of prosperity. We discuss hysterically: it is claimed that if we do not phase out diesel and petrol engines now, the climate will tip over. What that means for hundreds of thousands of jobs is of no further interest. We must stop the sorcerer’s apprentices: Fear is a bad advisor.
HA: These are also horror scenarios …
FV: No. Our energy system transformation has a structural flaw: we are concentrating what three energy sources have done so far – natural gas for heating, oil for transport and electricity for industry and households – into a single energy source: electricity. The Academy of Engineering Sciences expects electricity demand to double. I think it will triple. The generation capacities of wind and sun will never be sufficient for this. Moreover, the problem of the dark lull remains – there are many days and weeks without sun and wind. So where will our electricity come from? From pumped storage? There are calculations according to which we would have to fill all valleys from Norway to Austria with pumped storage lakes in order to store it. That is absurd.
HA: You underestimate the possibilities offered by technological progress. Green hydrogen, for example, could be used to store energy.
HA: Two thirds of the energy is lost in the wind-hydrogen-electricity generation chain. That is physics. The energy is lost during electrolysis, storage and conversion into electricity. So we would have to build more plants to compensate for this loss. The cost of electricity would multiply.
HA: We have just seen what efficiency gains are possible with solar cells.
FV: That’s true of solar energy, when I think back to my first solar cells at Shell. We can produce electricity for just a few cents at sunny locations, but the cost decline is not as significant when it comes to wind. But that doesn’t solve the problem of intermediate storage, which becomes unaffordable given the amount of electricity to be stored.
Read the full article here.
5 1 vote Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-16--Politicizing Business: From CSR to ESG

Politicizing Business: From CSR to ESG

Reposted from the Institute of Energy Research Corporate social responsibility ( CSR ) … stakeholder theory … sustainability … environmental , social , and governance investing ( ESG ) .
Whatever the term , the premise is that business is a cultural failure as well as a “ market failure ” and therefore must be socially regulated in addition to being governmentally regulated .
In the climate-alarmism era , CSR and ESG have focused intensively on energy companies .
The very term ESG is recent , adding climate change and social justice to more traditional concerns about resource depletion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corporate darlings of this movement—Enron in the 1990s and BP thereafter—turned out to be anything but good corporate citizens .
Enron ’ s systemic failure cost many tens of thousands of jobs and brought capitalism into disrepute .
BP ’ s Deepwater Horizon blow-out resulted in nearly $ 70 billion in clean-up costs , fines , and other charges , in addition to manslaughter verdicts .
Now , the past forgotten , a new generation of ESG-pressured business is emerging , some for a second act ( BP ) .
Caveat emptor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s colossus was the first major US corporation to bang the climate drum ( in 1988 ) and invest heavily into solar panels and wind turbines .
Enron , in fact , resuscitated the dormant solar industry in 1995 and struggling wind industry in 1997 .
( The story can be found in my 2018 paper , “ The Economic Fall and Political Rise of Renewable Energy.
” ) In the fall of 2001 , Ken Lay set the tone for what would be Enron ’ s last Environmental , Health , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Enron ’ s Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR ) task force listed its Accomplishments to Date .
• Established formal partnerships with WBCSD [ World Business Council on Sustainable Development ] , IBLF [ International Business Leaders Forum ] , and CI [ Conservation International ] • Responding to stakeholder concerns on an ongoing basis • Specify social/environmental expectations in formal relationships with vendors and contractors • Review results of stakeholder survey and develop strategy to address outcome • Create awareness of social/environmental trends among [ Enron ’ s ] origination and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about trying to be everyone ’ s favorite company—and helping to monetize its “ green ” energy investments ( seven profit centers in all ) .
It ended in December 2001 when , out of money and time , Enron went down with its green lights on .
Remember “ beyond petroleum ” BP ?
Then-head John Browne bought into the climate alarm in a 1997 speech and , despite a fortuitous purchase of Amoco the next year , drove his company down with the help of his successor , Tony Hayward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was more interested in climate imaging than boots-on-the-ground safety ) culminated in the preventable May 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout .
The Left ’ s favorite energy company ( like Enron before ) , BP became Exhibit A against offshore drilling and fossil fuels in general .
The “ sustainability ” crowd was again embarrassed .
“ Oops : ‘ Socially Responsible ’ Funds Hold Big Stakes of BP , ” a Wall Street Journal article was titled at the time .
And in his piece Beyond Pathetic , Andrew Wilson noted : With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the shore , it is almost comical—no , it is comical—to see some of BP ’ s erstwhile friends in academia and other centers of high-minded thought running for cover .
To cite one example , thanks to BP sponsorship , 300 researchers in white lab coats at Berkeley are busily searching for ways to make green fuels that will reduce our dependence on oil .
In 2007 , BP set up the Energy Biosciences Institute , saying it would spend $ 500 million over the next ten years to support research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other universities .
This is the largest corporate donation ever for university research .
Biofuel for transportation in place of gasoline and diesel ?
Once mighty Exxon Mobil has since shinnied down this path .
The hoped-for “ fuel of the future , ” politically correct , economically incorrect , has attracted criticism from all sides .
At BP , “ big promises ” has replaced “ beyond petroleum.
” New CEO Bernard Looney talks big about “ net zero ” carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) emissions by 2050 .
( “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and running out fast , ” he states . )
For an oil and gas company , this seems somewhere between fanciful and bizarre .
To environmentalists , it ’ s greenwashing .
To consumers , it ’ s an unnecessary corporate cost item .
To stockholders , it is a warning sign of a distracted corporation .
“ I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the publick good , ” Adam Smith wrote in the 18th century .
“ It is an affectation , indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and every few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.
” “ The two greatest enemies of free enterprise in the United States , ” Milton Friedman once stated , “ have been , on the one hand , my fellow intellectuals and , on the other hand , the business corporations of this country.
” Centuries apart , Smith and Friedman fingered the contra-capitalist business models of Enron , BP , and other companies that banked on fads , misdirection , and political favor .
What is now called ESG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) is old vinegar in new bottles .
Businesses are not and can not be governments or nonprofits .
For-profit enterprises are wealth creators in the realm of mutually advantageous exchange , not arbiters of debatable ideologies .
Carbon-based energy providers should not pretend to be otherwise at the expense of consumers and/or owners .
America is reaping the rewards of what largely is free-market energy policy .
Energy dominance should not be compromised by ESG , much less government intervention in the years ahead .

Reposted from the Institute of Energy Research
BY ROBERT L. BRADLEY, JR.
DECEMBER 15, 2020
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)… stakeholder theory … sustainability … environmental, social, and governance investing (ESG). Whatever the term, the premise is that business is a cultural failure as well as a “market failure” and therefore must be socially regulated in addition to being governmentally regulated.
In the climate-alarmism era, CSR and ESG have focused intensively on energy companies. The very term ESG is recent, adding climate change and social justice to more traditional concerns about resource depletion and employment diversity.
Yet, instructively, the corporate darlings of this movement—Enron in the 1990s and BP thereafter—turned out to be anything but good corporate citizens. Enron’s systemic failure cost many tens of thousands of jobs and brought capitalism into disrepute. BP’s Deepwater Horizon blow-out resulted in nearly $70 billion in clean-up costs, fines, and other charges, in addition to manslaughter verdicts.
Now, the past forgotten, a new generation of ESG-pressured business is emerging, some for a second act (BP). Caveat emptor.
“Green” Enron
Remember Enron? Ken Lay’s colossus was the first major US corporation to bang the climate drum (in 1988) and invest heavily into solar panels and wind turbines. Enron, in fact, resuscitated the dormant solar industry in 1995 and struggling wind industry in 1997. (The story can be found in my 2018 paper, “The Economic Fall and Political Rise of Renewable Energy.”)
In the fall of 2001, Ken Lay set the tone for what would be Enron’s last Environmental, Health, and Safety Management Conference:
We believe that incorporating environmental and social considerations into the way we manage risk, govern our projects, and develop products and services will help us maintain our competitive advantage. As we move forward, we will leverage our intellectual capital and innovative capabilities to promote sustainable business practices around the world.
At this meeting, Enron’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) task force listed its Accomplishments to Date.
Secured board oversight of social/environmental performance
Expressed support for Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Completed corporate responsibility task force
Developed and pilot-tested human rights audit
Developed security and human rights guidelines
Established formal partnerships with WBCSD [World Business Council on Sustainable Development], IBLF [International Business Leaders Forum], and CI [Conservation International]
Identified language to strengthen code of ethics
Providing project support—Calypso, Transredes, Dabhol and Cuiabá
Responding to stakeholder concerns on an ongoing basis
The goals for 2002 included:
Formally adopt CERES Principles
Complete indigenous peoples’ policy
Specify social/environmental expectations in formal relationships with vendors and contractors
Review results of stakeholder survey and develop strategy to address outcome
Create awareness of social/environmental trends among [Enron’s] origination and investment groups
Add corporate responsibility performance attribute to PRC [Performance Review Committee] process
Present task force recommendations to Dr. Lay and senior management
Enron’s CSR was about trying to be everyone’s favorite company—and helping to monetize its “green” energy investments (seven profit centers in all). It ended in December 2001 when, out of money and time, Enron went down with its green lights on.
BP “Environmentalism”
Remember “beyond petroleum” BP? Then-head John Browne bought into the climate alarm in a 1997 speech and, despite a fortuitous purchase of Amoco the next year, drove his company down with the help of his successor, Tony Hayward. A group of environmental problems (BP was more interested in climate imaging than boots-on-the-ground safety) culminated in the preventable May 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout.
The Left’s favorite energy company (like Enron before), BP became Exhibit A against offshore drilling and fossil fuels in general. The “sustainability” crowd was again embarrassed. “Oops: ‘Socially Responsible’ Funds Hold Big Stakes of BP,” a Wall Street Journal article was titled at the time. And in his piece Beyond Pathetic, Andrew Wilson noted:
With great big blobs of oil washing up on the shore, it is almost comical—no, it is comical—to see some of BP’s erstwhile friends in academia and other centers of high-minded thought running for cover. To cite one example, thanks to BP sponsorship, 300 researchers in white lab coats at Berkeley are busily searching for ways to make green fuels that will reduce our dependence on oil. In 2007, BP set up the Energy Biosciences Institute, saying it would spend $500 million over the next ten years to support research into plant-based fuels at Berkeley and two other universities. This is the largest corporate donation ever for university research.
Biofuel for transportation in place of gasoline and diesel? Once mighty Exxon Mobil has since shinnied down this path. The hoped-for “fuel of the future,” politically correct, economically incorrect, has attracted criticism from all sides.
View Post
At BP, “big promises” has replaced “beyond petroleum.” New CEO Bernard Looney talks big about “net zero” carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050. (“The world’s carbon budget is finite and running out fast,” he states.)
For an oil and gas company, this seems somewhere between fanciful and bizarre. To environmentalists, it’s greenwashing. To consumers, it’s an unnecessary corporate cost item. To stockholders, it is a warning sign of a distracted corporation.
Real Corporate “Responsibility”
“I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the publick good,” Adam Smith wrote in the 18th century. “It is an affectation, indeed, not very common among merchants, and every few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.”
“The two greatest enemies of free enterprise in the United States,” Milton Friedman once stated, “have been, on the one hand, my fellow intellectuals and, on the other hand, the business corporations of this country.”
Centuries apart, Smith and Friedman fingered the contra-capitalist business models of Enron, BP, and other companies that banked on fads, misdirection, and political favor. What is now called ESG (environmental, social and governance investing) is old vinegar in new bottles.
Conclusion
Businesses are not and cannot be governments or nonprofits. For-profit enterprises are wealth creators in the realm of mutually advantageous exchange, not arbiters of debatable ideologies. Carbon-based energy providers should not pretend to be otherwise at the expense of consumers and/or owners.
America is reaping the rewards of what largely is free-market energy policy. Energy dominance should not be compromised by ESG, much less government intervention in the years ahead.
4.5 2 votes Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-15--Climate Activist Aussie Politicians Leap to Rescue Vital Coal Power Plants

h/t Waza ; That hilarious moment when coal haters realise their necks are on the block if the power grid fails repeatedly during Summer heatwaves .
MELBOURNE/BENGALURU ( Reuters ) – In a push to keep Alcoa Corp ’ s Portland aluminium smelter open , Australia ’ s government has offered to ensure the smelter earns at least A $ 76.8 million ( $ 57.9 million ) through June 2025 for reducing its power usage and helping to prevent blackouts .
Alcoa has long said the smelter needs cheaper , more reliable power to stay open beyond 2021 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest single power consumer in Victoria , accounting for about 10 % of state consumption .
It plays a major role in balancing power supply and demand during heatwaves and other disruptive events .
The smelter has suffered from power disruption in recent years as the grid struggled with transmission problems and the unreliability of ageing coal-fired plants as well as weather-dependent wind and solar power generation , especially during heatwaves .
Still , such is its demand that its closure could have knock-on effects across the power generation industry .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would risk the reliability and security of the grid , and may lead to the early closure of one of the coal-fired generators the state relies on for much of its power , ” Education Minister Dan Tehan , who represents the region where the smelter is located , said in a statement .
Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan , one of the sponsors of the rescue package , wasn ’ t nearly so supportive of aluminium smelters and coal when he spoke of the need to transition in February ; Liberal frontbencher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a divide over climate change on his side of politics .
“ I think we have got a clear path going forward , ” he told Sky News .
“ Everyone knows that the economy has to transition.
“ That transition must protect the economy and jobs .
“ We all know that if we tank the economy … that reduces emissions but it would destroy jobs , ” he said .
What a mess .
Successive governments have subsidised renewables and created a hostile business environment for coal and energy intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy intensive businesses take a rational decision to depart , because they no longer feel welcome , suddenly politicians realise then need them , and fall over themselves to hand out even more subsidies to convince them to keep operating , at least until renewables providers solve their reliability issues .

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Waza; That hilarious moment when coal haters realise their necks are on the block if the power grid fails repeatedly during Summer heatwaves.
Australia proposes revenue top-up scheme to keep Alcoa Portland smelter open MELBOURNE/BENGALURU (Reuters) – In a push to keep Alcoa Corp’s Portland aluminium smelter open, Australia’s government has offered to ensure the smelter earns at least A$76.8 million ($57.9 million) through June 2025 for reducing its power usage and helping to prevent blackouts. … Alcoa has long said the smelter needs cheaper, more reliable power to stay open beyond 2021. The smelter in the city of Portland is the biggest single power consumer in Victoria, accounting for about 10% of state consumption. It plays a major role in balancing power supply and demand during heatwaves and other disruptive events. … The smelter has suffered from power disruption in recent years as the grid struggled with transmission problems and the unreliability of ageing coal-fired plants as well as weather-dependent wind and solar power generation, especially during heatwaves. Still, such is its demand that its closure could have knock-on effects across the power generation industry. “If Portland were to close, it would risk the reliability and security of the grid, and may lead to the early closure of one of the coal-fired generators the state relies on for much of its power,” Education Minister Dan Tehan, who represents the region where the smelter is located, said in a statement. … Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/news/australia-to-step-in-to-support-alcoas-struggling-aluminium-smelter/ar-BB1bTxu4
Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan, one of the sponsors of the rescue package, wasn’t nearly so supportive of aluminium smelters and coal when he spoke of the need to transition in February;
… Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan dismissed the idea of there being a divide over climate change on his side of politics. “I think we have got a clear path going forward,” he told Sky News. “Everyone knows that the economy has to transition.“ That transition must protect the economy and jobs. “We all know that if we tank the economy … that reduces emissions but it would destroy jobs,” he said. … Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6621100/coalition-still-infighting-on-climate-alp/?cs=14231
What a mess. Successive governments have subsidised renewables and created a hostile business environment for coal and energy intensive businesses.
Yet when coal plants and energy intensive businesses take a rational decision to depart, because they no longer feel welcome, suddenly politicians realise then need them, and fall over themselves to hand out even more subsidies to convince them to keep operating, at least until renewables providers solve their reliability issues.
4 1 vote Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-16--Women, parents and early-career faculty in ecology most impacted by COVID-19

In April 2020 , Lise Aubry learned that the daycare her children attended in Fort Collins would be closed for several weeks .
Aubry , an assistant professor in the Fish , Wildlife and Conservation Biology Department at Colorado State University , and her husband , Professor Dave Koons , began to juggle childcare at home for their two kids – ages 4 months and 4 years old – and work responsibilities .
Aubry said she was happy after a successful day early on of balancing these duties , having completed at least six hours of work .
“ Reflecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good , ” said Aubry , also an instructor for the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology at CSU .
“ But I realized there might be other people – single parents , young faculty starting out – in the university setting who were really struggling.
” Aubry decided to conduct a survey of similar faculty across the United States to gauge how they ’ ve been impacted by COVID-19 .
She teamed up with Professor Zhao Ma from Purdue University and Theresa Laverty , postdoctoral fellow at CSU , as both have experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Impacts of COVID ?
19 on ecology and evolutionary biology faculty in the United States , ” were recently published in Ecological Applications , a journal from the Ecological Society of America .
Among the findings , the team said that the majority of more than 600 faculty who responded to the survey were negatively impacted on personal and professional levels , and struggling to find a healthy work-life balance .
Aubry said female faculty , early-career researchers and those in caretaking roles were most impacted by the pandemic .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a private room to use as a home office were significantly more dissatisfied with their work-life balance .
Researchers hope that administrators will use these data when discussing faculty promotions or tenure applications , and that the study will also increase recognition for the problems being faced by faculty during the pandemic .
Aubry said she also views the survey as a “ manifesto , a record of what we ’ re experiencing ” that will be important as we recover from the “ massive blow that COVID-19 has been to many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Research provides more evidence on pandemic ’ s impact To conduct the survey , the research team used a list from the National Research Council to target 94 ecology and evolutionary biology doctoral programs in the United States .
More than 600 faculty responded , providing a response rate of more than 23 % .
Ma , a University Faculty Scholar in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University , said what the team discovered adds to existing evidence and increases the recognition of the impacts of COVID-19 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ junior faculty members , people who have more responsibilities for either children or elderly relatives , are impacted more and are more stressed , ” she said .
“ We talk about the ‘ leaky pipeline , ’ and why women gradually disappear in STEM fields , ” said Ma .
“ By the time you get to being a full professor , you wonder , ‘ Where did the women go ’ ?
The pandemic will most likely exacerbate what we ’ ve seen.
” “ This will affect faculty for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is concerning , ” she said .
“ This needs to be addressed by university leadership , so that faculty can continue to be successful.
” Researchers said they are also seeing serious impacts on graduate students and postdoctoral fellows .
Ma said that she is spending more time mentoring students and postdocs than she did prior to the pandemic , which takes away from research activities .
“ They are so worried and stressed , ” she said .
“ In that particular time of their career , it ’ s already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what may happen after the pandemic , if their funding will continue , if they will have a job or what the job market will look like .
Our survey really documents the need to look at the long-term impact.
” Laverty , as a member of the research team , is one of those early-career researchers .
Her postdoc position in the Fish , Wildlife and Conservation Biology department ends in May 2021 , and that ’ s already creating anxiety for her .
“ It ’ s definitely stressful being on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I don ’ t have the same home life that Lise and Zhao both have , with children at home .
But the effects from the pandemic will impact early-career researchers over the next several years.
” Laverty said the team found that while options like putting a pause on the tenure clock might be helpful for some faculty , promotions should be handled on a case-by-case basis .
“ Rather than issue blanket statements or policies , we suggest that universities acknowledge the difficulties faced by faculty , especially women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to recognize that what is happening will affect tenure and promotion applications.
” As part of the survey , Aubry and the team included an open comment box , which was completed by one-third of the people who responded .
Some faculty responded with a line , while others typed out pages .
Aubry said the comments were insightful – ranging from thoughts on home schooling older children , balancing work and life as a single parent , and the need for increased mentoring of students – and are grouped by themes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big proportion of the respondents were full professors , and what I appreciated from them was a recognition that they were doing okay , working from home , but they showed concern for their students and younger colleagues , ” she said .
“ It showed that our larger community of ecologists and evolutionary biologists is not just resilient , but also empathetic , and we need empathy now more than ever.
” On the flip side , the scientists also received a few negative remarks , including one faculty member whose advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re all in this together , so what ’ s the big deal ?
Aubry said this person “ couldn ’ t be more wrong .
Not everybody is impacted the same way by the pandemic .
”

[I…Just…Can’t…I Really…Can’t…-cr]
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Research News
In April 2020, Lise Aubry learned that the daycare her children attended in Fort Collins would be closed for several weeks. Aubry, an assistant professor in the Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology Department at Colorado State University, and her husband, Professor Dave Koons, began to juggle childcare at home for their two kids – ages 4 months and 4 years old – and work responsibilities.
Aubry said she was happy after a successful day early on of balancing these duties, having completed at least six hours of work.
“Reflecting on the day, I felt pretty good,” said Aubry, also an instructor for the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology at CSU. “But I realized there might be other people – single parents, young faculty starting out – in the university setting who were really struggling.”
Aubry decided to conduct a survey of similar faculty across the United States to gauge how they’ve been impacted by COVID-19. She teamed up with Professor Zhao Ma from Purdue University and Theresa Laverty, postdoctoral fellow at CSU, as both have experience with designing surveys.
The results, “Impacts of COVID?19 on ecology and evolutionary biology faculty in the United States,” were recently published in Ecological Applications, a journal from the Ecological Society of America.
Among the findings, the team said that the majority of more than 600 faculty who responded to the survey were negatively impacted on personal and professional levels, and struggling to find a healthy work-life balance.
Aubry said female faculty, early-career researchers and those in caretaking roles were most impacted by the pandemic. In addition, people who did not have access to a private room to use as a home office were significantly more dissatisfied with their work-life balance.
Researchers hope that administrators will use these data when discussing faculty promotions or tenure applications, and that the study will also increase recognition for the problems being faced by faculty during the pandemic.
Aubry said she also views the survey as a “manifesto, a record of what we’re experiencing” that will be important as we recover from the “massive blow that COVID-19 has been to many people’s careers and personal lives.”
Research provides more evidence on pandemic’s impact
To conduct the survey, the research team used a list from the National Research Council to target 94 ecology and evolutionary biology doctoral programs in the United States.
More than 600 faculty responded, providing a response rate of more than 23%.
Ma, a University Faculty Scholar in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, said what the team discovered adds to existing evidence and increases the recognition of the impacts of COVID-19 in an academic setting.
“Female and junior faculty members, people who have more responsibilities for either children or elderly relatives, are impacted more and are more stressed,” she said.
“We talk about the ‘leaky pipeline,’ and why women gradually disappear in STEM fields,” said Ma. “By the time you get to being a full professor, you wonder, ‘Where did the women go’? The pandemic will most likely exacerbate what we’ve seen.”
“This will affect faculty for years to come, and the long-term effect is concerning,” she said. “This needs to be addressed by university leadership, so that faculty can continue to be successful.”
Researchers said they are also seeing serious impacts on graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Ma said that she is spending more time mentoring students and postdocs than she did prior to the pandemic, which takes away from research activities.
“They are so worried and stressed,” she said. “In that particular time of their career, it’s already stressful. They don’t know what may happen after the pandemic, if their funding will continue, if they will have a job or what the job market will look like. Our survey really documents the need to look at the long-term impact.”
Anxiety for younger researchers
Laverty, as a member of the research team, is one of those early-career researchers. Her postdoc position in the Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology department ends in May 2021, and that’s already creating anxiety for her.
“It’s definitely stressful being on the job market,” she said. “I don’t have the same home life that Lise and Zhao both have, with children at home. But the effects from the pandemic will impact early-career researchers over the next several years.”
Laverty said the team found that while options like putting a pause on the tenure clock might be helpful for some faculty, promotions should be handled on a case-by-case basis.
“Rather than issue blanket statements or policies, we suggest that universities acknowledge the difficulties faced by faculty, especially women,” she said. “Administrators need to recognize that what is happening will affect tenure and promotion applications.”
‘Suck it up, cupcake’
As part of the survey, Aubry and the team included an open comment box, which was completed by one-third of the people who responded. Some faculty responded with a line, while others typed out pages.
Aubry said the comments were insightful – ranging from thoughts on home schooling older children, balancing work and life as a single parent, and the need for increased mentoring of students – and are grouped by themes in the research paper.
“A big proportion of the respondents were full professors, and what I appreciated from them was a recognition that they were doing okay, working from home, but they showed concern for their students and younger colleagues,” she said. “It showed that our larger community of ecologists and evolutionary biologists is not just resilient, but also empathetic, and we need empathy now more than ever.”
On the flip side, the scientists also received a few negative remarks, including one faculty member whose advice was: Suck it up, cupcake, we’re all in this together, so what’s the big deal?
Aubry said this person “couldn’t be more wrong. Not everybody is impacted the same way by the pandemic.”
###
From EurekAlert!
4 1 vote Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-16--WA “Solves” the Solar Energy Duck Curve by Raising Evening Electricity Prices

h/t Alan ; In a desperate attempt to contain the damage government subsidised rooftop solar energy has done to the grid , West Australia is trialling a pricing scheme which offers cheap electricity around midday , when nobody wants it , then slams on high prices when solar energy begins to fade in the early evening .
WA electricity prices would be slashed during the day , doubled during peak under new Government trial Electricity prices would be slashed by more than two thirds during the middle of the day under a trial aimed at encouraging households to soak up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s biggest grid .
But customers would face paying almost twice as much for their power at peak times in the evening , as the State Government tries to shore up supplies and reduce costs in the system .
Amid forecasts the number of installations could almost double by 2030 , the Government will run a trial that provides incentives for customers to shift more of their use to the middle of the day .
Under the trial 400 customers of State-owned electricity provider Synergy will pay just eight cents for every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grid between 9:00am to 3:00pm , compared with a flat rate of 28.8 cents per kilowatt hour ( c/kWh ) .
Opposition energy spokesman David Honey labelled the changes bad policy , arguing time-of-use tariffs tended to disadvantage poorer households while benefiting wealthier ones .
“ What WA Labor doesn ’ t understand is that there are many West Australian families that simply can not change the times that they use energy , ” Mr Honey said .
“ The working poor who don ’ t have swimming pools and lots of freezers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can be shifted to other times of the day .
“ Likewise , West Australians that can not afford batteries and solar panels miss out .
”

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Alan; In a desperate attempt to contain the damage government subsidised rooftop solar energy has done to the grid, West Australia is trialling a pricing scheme which offers cheap electricity around midday, when nobody wants it, then slams on high prices when solar energy begins to fade in the early evening.
WA electricity prices would be slashed during the day, doubled during peak under new Government trial
By Daniel Mercer
Electricity prices would be slashed by more than two thirds during the middle of the day under a trial aimed at encouraging households to soak up excess solar power flooding into Western Australia’s biggest grid.
But customers would face paying almost twice as much for their power at peak times in the evening, as the State Government tries to shore up supplies and reduce costs in the system.
…
Amid forecasts the number of installations could almost double by 2030, the Government will run a trial that provides incentives for customers to shift more of their use to the middle of the day.
Under the trial 400 customers of State-owned electricity provider Synergy will pay just eight cents for every unit of power they draw from the grid between 9:00am to 3:00pm, compared with a flat rate of 28.8 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh).
…
Opposition energy spokesman David Honey labelled the changes bad policy, arguing time-of-use tariffs tended to disadvantage poorer households while benefiting wealthier ones.
“What WA Labor doesn’t understand is that there are many West Australian families that simply cannot change the times that they use energy,” Mr Honey said.
“The working poor who don’t have swimming pools and lots of freezers simply do not have large energy consumption that can be shifted to other times of the day.
“Likewise, West Australians that cannot afford batteries and solar panels miss out.”
…


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-17--The End of Big Cities? The Hill Blames Coronavirus for the Exodus

h/t Cautious Optimism ; According to The Hill contributor Kristin Tate , Coronavirus has ended the decades long growth trend of large cities , and created a population boom in medium size cities .
But some of the mid-size winners of the big exodus also have significant Coronavirus infection rates .
Is this the end of cities in America ?
BY KRISTIN TATE , OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 12/13/20 06:00 PM EST THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS ARE THEIR OWN AND NOT THE VIEW OF THE HILL What developed this year is a cascade of residents leaving large cities in blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , in terms of total population loss , were New York , San Francisco , Los Angeles , Chicago and the District of Columbia .
New York lost at least 300,000 residents this year .
San Francisco saw 90,000 postal changes of address out of the city , while its median apartment rent took a nosedive of 20 percent in 2020 .
Los Angeles recorded more than 25,000 moves out of the city , while Chicago logged over 20,000 .
Even the District of Columbia lost 15,000 residents .
Other cities that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also face severe drops in interest .
Residents who fled large cities in blue states overwhelmingly relocated to red-state cities , mostly in the Sun Belt or the West outside of California .
Phoenix , already booming before the coronavirus , retained its spot as the fastest growing city in the country ; its metro population now displaces Boston .
The other overall winners in the demographic game this year are Nashville , where home prices continue to surge while real estate inventory is down 40 percent ; Las Vegas , which tempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Sin City ; Charlotte , which now has a larger population than San Francisco ; and the greater Charleston area , which is likely the home of Boeing ’ s next expansion and has benefitted from manufacturing jobs moving south .
The pandemic brought nightlife and culture to a near halt , and for many there is little desire to stay in a city that lost 1,000 restaurants and counting .
Combine these factors with a plethora of new taxes and regulatory schemes that soak middle- and high-income earners , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of population growth seem to have feet of clay .
The decline of liberal cities in blue states during a crisis is perhaps the clearest judgment on a raft of poor tax and regulatory policies .
It will also accelerate the demographic shift changing the political calculus in traditionally red states , as seen in Georgia and Arizona in the presidential race .

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Cautious Optimism; According to The Hill contributor Kristin Tate, Coronavirus has ended the decades long growth trend of large cities, and created a population boom in medium size cities. But some of the mid-size winners of the big exodus also have significant Coronavirus infection rates.
Is this the end of cities in America?
BY KRISTIN TATE, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 12/13/20 06:00 PM EST
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS ARE THEIR OWN AND NOT THE VIEW OF THE HILL
…
What developed this year is a cascade of residents leaving large cities in blue states. Among the biggest losers this year, in terms of total population loss, were New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and the District of Columbia. New York lost at least 300,000 residents this year. San Francisco saw 90,000 postal changes of address out of the city, while its median apartment rent took a nosedive of 20 percent in 2020. Los Angeles recorded more than 25,000 moves out of the city, while Chicago logged over 20,000. Even the District of Columbia lost 15,000 residents. Other cities that had sustained growth in the last decade also face severe drops in interest.
Residents who fled large cities in blue states overwhelmingly relocated to red-state cities, mostly in the Sun Belt or the West outside of California. Phoenix, already booming before the coronavirus, retained its spot as the fastest growing city in the country; its metro population now displaces Boston. The other overall winners in the demographic game this year are Nashville, where home prices continue to surge while real estate inventory is down 40 percent; Las Vegas, which tempted Bay Area techies to follow the Raiders to Sin City; Charlotte, which now has a larger population than San Francisco; and the greater Charleston area, which is likely the home of Boeing’s next expansion and has benefitted from manufacturing jobs moving south.
…
The pandemic brought nightlife and culture to a near halt, and for many there is little desire to stay in a city that lost 1,000 restaurants and counting. Combine these factors with a plethora of new taxes and regulatory schemes that soak middle- and high-income earners, and it’s obvious why the former titans of population growth seem to have feet of clay. The decline of liberal cities in blue states during a crisis is perhaps the clearest judgment on a raft of poor tax and regulatory policies. It will also accelerate the demographic shift changing the political calculus in traditionally red states, as seen in Georgia and Arizona in the presidential race.
…


The Replication Crisis

CAMBRIDGE , MA–December 16 , 2020–In 2019 , the National Academies of Science , Engineering , and Medicine ( NASEM ) published a consensus report for the US Congress–Reproducibility and Replicability in Science–which addressed a major methodological crisis in the sciences : The fact that many experiments and results are difficult or impossible to reproduce .
The conversation about this report and this vital topic continues in a special , twelve-article feature in issue 2:4 of the Harvard Data Science Review ( HDSR ) , publishing today .
Growing awareness of the replication crisis has rocked the fields of medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famous experiments and influential findings have been cast into doubt .
But these issues affect researchers in a wide range of disciplines–from economics to particle physics to climate science–and addressing them requires an interdisciplinary approach .
“ The overall aim of reproducibility and replicability is to ensure that our research findings are reliable , ” states HDSR Editor-in-Chief Xiao-li Meng in his editorial .
“ Reliability does not imply absolute truth–which is an epistemologically debatable notion to start with–but it does require that our findings are reasonably robust to the relevant data or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replication studies requires a host of data science skills , from statistical designs to causal inference to signal-noise separation , that are simultaneously tailored by and aimed at substantive understanding , ” Meng continues .
Guest edited by Victoria Stodden ( University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign ) , the special theme collection presents research and commentary from an interdisciplinary group of scholars and professionals .
Articles include : • Interview with Reproducibility and Replicability in Science Committee Chair Harvey V. Fineberg , President of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and HDSR guest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by HDSR Editor-in-Chief Xiao-Li Meng • “ Self-Correction by Design “ by Marcia McNutt , President of NAS • “ Leveraging the National Academies ‘ Reproducibility and Replication in Science ’ Report to Advance Reproducibility in Publishing “ byManish Parasha , Assistant Director for Strategic Computing at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy , and Director of the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure at the National Science Foundation • “ Toward Reproducible and Extensible Research : from Values to Action “ by Aleksandrina Goeva ( Broad Institute ) , Sara Stoudt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Harvard University ) • “ Reproducibility and Replicability in Economics ” by Lars Vilhuber ( Cornell University ) • “ Reproducibility and Replicability in Science , A Metrology Perspective “ by Anne L. Plant ( National Institute of Standards and Technology ) and Robert J. Hanisch ( National Institute of Standards and Technology ) • “ Perspectives on Data Reproducibility and Replicability in Paleoclimate and Climate Science “ by Rosemary T. Bush ( Northwestern University ) , Andrea Dutton ( University of Wisconsin , Madison ) , Michael N. Evans ( University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rich Loft ( National Center for Atmospheric Research ) , and Gavin A. Schmidt ( National Aeronautics and Space Administration ) • “ Science Communication in the Context of Reproducibility and Replicability : How Non-Scientists Navigate Scientific Uncertainty “ by Emily Howell ( University of Wisconsin-Madison ) • “ Learning Lessons on Reproducibility and Replicability in Large Scale Genome-Wide Association Studies “ by Xihong Lin ( Harvard University ) • “ Selective Inference : The Silent Killer of Replicability “ by Yoav Benjamini ( Tel Aviv University ) • “ Trust but Verify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Infrastructure to Ensure Computational Reproducibility in Publication “ by Craig Willis ( University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ) and Victoria Stodden • “ Reproducibility and Replication of Experimental Particle Physics Results “ by Thomas R. Junk ( Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory ) and Louis Lyons ( University of Oxford , Emeritus ) The editors hope to take advantage of the collaborative features available on the open-source publishing platform , PubPub , whereHDSR is hosted .
Readers around the world can freely read , annotate , and comment on the essays–continuing this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Initiative , launched in 2017 , is a cross-University initiative working at the nexus of statistics , computer science , and related disciplines to gain insights from complex data in nearly every research domain .
Those insights can be deployed to address issues ranging from global economics and inequality to targeted medical treatments , privacy and security , health and the environment , scientific discovery , education , and many more .
While the collection and analysis of data has long held an important role in academic research , the Harvard Data Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this work by advancing methodologies , enabling breakthroughs , promoting new research collaborations , and enhancing Harvard ’ s educational mission .
All of these efforts are rooted in an urgent desire to improve our world : how can we best use data for the common good ?
The Harvard Data Science Review is published for the Harvard Data Science Initiative by the MIT Press .
Established in 1962 , the MIT Press ( Cambridge , MA and London ) is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journals at the intersection of science , technology , art , social science , and design .
MIT Press books and journals are known for their intellectual daring , scholarly standards , interdisciplinary focus , and distinctive design .
For almost 50 years the MIT Press journals division has been publishing journals that are at the leading edge of their field and launching new journals that have nurtured burgeoning areas of scholarship .
PubPub is an open-source publishing platform from the Knowledge Futures Group for collaboratively editing and publishing journals , monographs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Knowledge Futures Group , a nonprofit originally founded as a partnership between the MIT Press and MIT Media Lab , builds and sustains technology for the production , curation , and preservation of knowledge in service of the public good .

Harvard Data Science Review explores reproducibility and replicability in science
THE MIT PRESS
Research News
CAMBRIDGE, MA–December 16, 2020–In 2019, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) published a consensus report for the US Congress–Reproducibility and Replicability in Science–which addressed a major methodological crisis in the sciences: The fact that many experiments and results are difficult or impossible to reproduce. The conversation about this report and this vital topic continues in a special, twelve-article feature in issue 2:4 of the Harvard Data Science Review (HDSR), publishing today.
Growing awareness of the replication crisis has rocked the fields of medicine and psychology, in particular, where famous experiments and influential findings have been cast into doubt. But these issues affect researchers in a wide range of disciplines–from economics to particle physics to climate science–and addressing them requires an interdisciplinary approach.
“The overall aim of reproducibility and replicability is to ensure that our research findings are reliable,” states HDSR Editor-in-Chief Xiao-li Meng in his editorial. “Reliability does not imply absolute truth–which is an epistemologically debatable notion to start with–but it does require that our findings are reasonably robust to the relevant data or methods we employ.”
“Designing sound replication studies requires a host of data science skills, from statistical designs to causal inference to signal-noise separation, that are simultaneously tailored by and aimed at substantive understanding,” Meng continues.
Guest edited by Victoria Stodden (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), the special theme collection presents research and commentary from an interdisciplinary group of scholars and professionals. Articles include:
The editors hope to take advantage of the collaborative features available on the open-source publishing platform, PubPub, whereHDSR is hosted. Readers around the world can freely read, annotate, and comment on the essays–continuing this important conversation.
###
The Harvard Data Science Initiative, launched in 2017, is a cross-University initiative working at the nexus of statistics, computer science, and related disciplines to gain insights from complex data in nearly every research domain. Those insights can be deployed to address issues ranging from global economics and inequality to targeted medical treatments, privacy and security, health and the environment, scientific discovery, education, and many more. While the collection and analysis of data has long held an important role in academic research, the Harvard Data Science Initiative strengthens, deepens, and expands this work by advancing methodologies, enabling breakthroughs, promoting new research collaborations, and enhancing Harvard’s educational mission. All of these efforts are rooted in an urgent desire to improve our world: how can we best use data for the common good?
The Harvard Data Science Review is published for the Harvard Data Science Initiative by the MIT Press. Established in 1962, the MIT Press (Cambridge, MA and London) is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world and a leading publisher of books and journals at the intersection of science, technology, art, social science, and design. MIT Press books and journals are known for their intellectual daring, scholarly standards, interdisciplinary focus, and distinctive design. For almost 50 years the MIT Press journals division has been publishing journals that are at the leading edge of their field and launching new journals that have nurtured burgeoning areas of scholarship.
PubPub is an open-source publishing platform from the Knowledge Futures Group for collaboratively editing and publishing journals, monographs, and other open access scholarly content. The Knowledge Futures Group, a nonprofit originally founded as a partnership between the MIT Press and MIT Media Lab, builds and sustains technology for the production, curation, and preservation of knowledge in service of the public good.
From EurekAlert!
3.7 3 votes Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-16--Greta Thunberg Slams New Zealand’s Unambitious Climate Emergency

Greta Thunberg has slammed New Zealand ’ s “ so-called ” climate emergency .
But rather than thank Greta for her criticism , New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has compounded her error , and publicly contradicted the harsh words of the Swedish global climate leader .
Greta Thunberg calls out New Zealand Government for ‘ so-called ’ climate emergency declaration Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has called out the New Zealand Government for its “ so-called ” climate emergency declaration earlier this month .
In a tweet on Sunday ( local time ) , the 17-year-old linked to a Newsroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s declaration is merely virtue signalling unless it ’ s backed by immediate action to reduce the country ’ s carbon emissions .
“ ‘ In other words , the Government has just committed to reducing less than 1 percent of the country ’ s emissions by 2025 ’ , ” Thunberg tweeted , quoting an excerpt from the article .
She continued : “ Text explaining New Zealand ’ s so-called climate emergency declaration .
This is of course nothing unique to any nation .
# FightFor1Point5.
” `` In other words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing less than 1 percent of the country 's emissions by 2025 '' .
Text explaining New Zealand 's so-called climate emergency declaration .
This is of course nothing unique to any nation .
# FightFor1Point5https : //t.co/Yp8nuek9Pn — Greta Thunberg ( @ GretaThunberg ) December 13 , 2020 The following is New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern compounding her shameful lack of climate ambition by trying to talk back to Greta Thunberg .
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended her country ’ s climate change policies after activist Greta Thunberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ardern said the comments referred only to part of New Zealand ’ s goals on climate change .
Ms Thunberg took to Twitter on Sunday to say that New Zealand ’ s “ so-called climate emergency declaration ” was “ of course nothing unique to any nation ” .
New Zealand announced earlier this month that it would become carbon neutral by 2025 .
Ms Ardern told reporters she welcomed Ms Thunberg ’ s contribution to the debate on climate , but said the emergency declaration covered only a portion of New Zealand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If it was the sum total of what we were doing , it would be worthy of criticism , it ’ s clearly not , ” Ardern said , adding it ’ s “ only a good thing that there are people out there continuing to urge ambition and action ” .
How dare she ?
How dare a mere Prime Minister like Jacinda Ardern question and contradict the words of a great climate leader like Greta Thunberg ?
Jacinda in my opinion is a total climate traitor , her refusal to accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected office , had any meaningful responsibility , and has AFAIK never even set foot in New Zealand is proof of her guilt .
Karl Marx once explained “ The mode of production of material life determines altogether the social , political , and intellectual life process .
It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being , but on the contrary their social being , that determines their consciousness.
” .
If New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern genuinely wants to foster a green consciousness amongst her people , Ardern should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action .
She should follow the advice of Greta instead of arguing with her , she should follow the path laid by Greta Thunberg and Karl Marx and go all in to create a mode of production and social being which leads people to a glorious green epiphany .
Hilarious when the green left eat their own .

Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Greta Thunberg has slammed New Zealand’s “so-called” climate emergency. But rather than thank Greta for her criticism, New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has compounded her error, and publicly contradicted the harsh words of the Swedish global climate leader.
Greta Thunberg calls out New Zealand Government for ‘so-called’ climate emergency declaration 14/12/2020
Lana Andelane Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has called out the New Zealand Government for its “so-called” climate emergency declaration earlier this month. In a tweet on Sunday (local time), the 17-year-old linked to a Newsroom opinion piece, arguing the Government’s declaration is merely virtue signalling unless it’s backed by immediate action to reduce the country’s carbon emissions. “‘In other words, the Government has just committed to reducing less than 1 percent of the country’s emissions by 2025’,” Thunberg tweeted, quoting an excerpt from the article. She continued: “Text explaining New Zealand’s so-called climate emergency declaration. This is of course nothing unique to any nation. #FightFor1Point5.” "In other words, the Government has just committed to reducing less than 1 percent of the country's emissions by 2025".
Text explaining New Zealand's so-called climate emergency declaration. This is of course nothing unique to any nation. #FightFor1Point5https://t.co/Yp8nuek9Pn — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 13, 2020 … Read more: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/12/greta-thunberg-calls-out-new-zealand-government-for-so-called-climate-emergency-declaration.html
The following is New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern compounding her shameful lack of climate ambition by trying to talk back to Greta Thunberg.
Jacinda Ardern defends climate change goals after Greta Thunberg scoffs at emergency declaration New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended her country’s climate change policies after activist Greta Thunberg suggested the country lacked ambition. Ms Ardern said the comments referred only to part of New Zealand’s goals on climate change. Ms Thunberg took to Twitter on Sunday to say that New Zealand’s “so-called climate emergency declaration” was “of course nothing unique to any nation”. New Zealand announced earlier this month that it would become carbon neutral by 2025. Ms Ardern told reporters she welcomed Ms Thunberg’s contribution to the debate on climate, but said the emergency declaration covered only a portion of New Zealand’s climate change goals. “If it was the sum total of what we were doing, it would be worthy of criticism, it’s clearly not,” Ardern said, adding it’s “only a good thing that there are people out there continuing to urge ambition and action”. … Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-15/ardern-defends-nz-climate-change-goals-after-thunberg-tweet/12987266
How dare she? How dare a mere Prime Minister like Jacinda Ardern question and contradict the words of a great climate leader like Greta Thunberg? Jacinda in my opinion is a total climate traitor, her refusal to accept correction from someone who has never held elected office, had any meaningful responsibility, and has AFAIK never even set foot in New Zealand is proof of her guilt.
Karl Marx once explained “The mode of production of material life determines altogether the social, political, and intellectual life process. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but on the contrary their social being, that determines their consciousness.”.
If New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern genuinely wants to foster a green consciousness amongst her people, Ardern should stop being so half hearted about climate action. She should follow the advice of Greta instead of arguing with her, she should follow the path laid by Greta Thunberg and Karl Marx and go all in to create a mode of production and social being which leads people to a glorious green epiphany.
Hilarious when the green left eat their own.
4.7 6 votes Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-16--WUWT – big changes, returning to a ‘war footing’ on climate

With the likely installation of a Biden administration comes a renewed and likely vicious climate war .
I have inside information that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse ( D-R.I. ) will be pushing the Biden administration , calling for prominent climate skeptics , and climate skeptical organizations to be put on investigations and “ show trials ” for daring to question the consensus .
There may be worse than that coming , as he seems to genuinely believe we ’ ve committed some sort of crime and should be punished for it .
Make no mistake , it ’ s coming .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted as well .
While it ’ s been an easy ride during the Trump administration with him pulling out of the Paris agreement , bringing the gestapo-like EPA back to sensibility , eliminating WOTUS rules , appointing prominent climate skeptics to NOAA , and many other things , we now face a renewed “ in your face ” series of actions by the Biden administration to make batting the invisible boogeyman of climate change not just a priority , but a declared war .
Hence , eliminating and/or neutralizing the climate skeptics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – eliminate/neutralize competing voices and media outlets .
To that end , I ’ m not going down without a fight .
I hope you won ’ t either .
First , starting tomorrow , WUWT will be changing to a new look , something that I ’ ve been working on behind the scenes on for months .
Here is a preview of the new look .
Second , we are likely going to have to move our hosting again .
If you haven ’ t heard about it , the plight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their hosting provider provides a glimpse of the likely future ahead for many climate skeptic websites if a Biden administration becomes a reality .
Third , facts are power , and to that end WUWT is launching a new , second website that will be a reference website for many climate topics , linked to the main WUWT site in the menu .
It won ’ t be a discussion or a blog , but more like a user friendly climate wiki .
Look for an announcement in the first week of January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to need your help .
We ’ ll need you to share stories , to help get the word out , we ’ ll need guest authors , we ’ ll need programming help , and we ’ ll need donations .
“ The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
” –Edmund Burke , Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents 82-83 ( 1770 ) in : Select Works of Edmund Burke , vol .
1 , p. 146 ( Liberty Fund ed @ @ @ @

With the likely installation of a Biden administration comes a renewed and likely vicious climate war.
I have inside information that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) will be pushing the Biden administration, calling for prominent climate skeptics, and climate skeptical organizations to be put on investigations and “show trials” for daring to question the consensus. There may be worse than that coming, as he seems to genuinely believe we’ve committed some sort of crime and should be punished for it. Make no mistake, it’s coming.
I suspect I’ll be personally targeted as well.
While it’s been an easy ride during the Trump administration with him pulling out of the Paris agreement, bringing the gestapo-like EPA back to sensibility, eliminating WOTUS rules, appointing prominent climate skeptics to NOAA, and many other things, we now face a renewed “in your face” series of actions by the Biden administration to make batting the invisible boogeyman of climate change not just a priority, but a declared war.
Hence, eliminating and/or neutralizing the climate skeptics. It’s war psyops 101 – eliminate/neutralize competing voices and media outlets.
To that end, I’m not going down without a fight. I hope you won’t either.
First, starting tomorrow, WUWT will be changing to a new look, something that I’ve been working on behind the scenes on for months. Here is a preview of the new look.
NEW WUWT HOME PAGE
Second, we are likely going to have to move our hosting again. If you haven’t heard about it, the plight of the Conservative Treehouse being de-platformed by their hosting provider provides a glimpse of the likely future ahead for many climate skeptic websites if a Biden administration becomes a reality.
Third, facts are power, and to that end WUWT is launching a new, second website that will be a reference website for many climate topics, linked to the main WUWT site in the menu. It won’t be a discussion or a blog, but more like a user friendly climate wiki. Look for an announcement in the first week of January.
Finally, I’m going to need your help. We’ll need you to share stories, to help get the word out, we’ll need guest authors, we’ll need programming help, and we’ll need donations.
Tomorrow, we start.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
–Edmund Burke, Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents 82-83 (1770) in: Select Works of Edmund Burke, vol. 1, p. 146 (Liberty Fund ed. 1999).
4.9 36 votes Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...


wattsupwiththat--2020-12-17--GAO Asks Court to Compel New Mexico AG to Stop Stonewalling in Discovery, Provide Answers to Questio

GAO Asks Court to Compel New Mexico AG to Stop Stonewalling in Discovery, Provide Answers to Questions About Work with Activists and Activist AGs

EPA reveals AGO ’ s claim that records are shielded by “ pending litigation , ” secrecy pact directly contradicted by New York Attorney General claim to WSJ Albuquerque , NM , December 8 , 2020 – The public interest law firm Government Accountability & Oversight , P.C .
( GAO ) and local counsel Pat Rogers have filed a Motion to Compel answers in litigation discovery against a stonewalling New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas , in a lawsuit filed under the Inspection of Public Records Act ( IPRA ) on behalf of the government-transparency group Energy Policy Advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end six months of AG Office obstructionism , hiding records relating to its work with outside parties to , as one document sent to a Michael Bloomberg-funded activist group that placed attorneys in Balderas ’ s Office puts it , “ identify ‘ pressure points ’ on which litigation can be used to most effectively influence policy.
” AG Balderas has extended his refusal to release public documents and information , keeping secret his work and even contracts with outside activists , the tort bar and other state AGs to advance private ideological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA ’ s Motion notes , the AG ’ s Office has refused to provide good faith answers and an adequate privilege log , explaining why to EPA ’ s lawyers in one call : “ This is a confidential matter.
” This claim is irrelevant , if telling , and EPA now seeks compelled responses and sanctions against Balderas ’ s Office .
The [ IPRA ] requests relate to a multi-state campaign by certain offices of state attorneys general to coordinate the advancement of a sweeping private policy agenda .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside activists and other parties , these AG offices are obscuring their involvement under so-called common interest agreements .
These common interest agreements themselves are being withheld , now in discovery , so that the Plaintiff , the public and the Court are expected to simply trust OAG that the details of these common interest agreements—which in turn are used to justify the withholding of volumes of public documents—do represent valid common interest agreements , and are legally privileged .
Although Balderas ’ s Office claims that the records detailing this coordination are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to file , the Motion notes “ The author , ringleader and lead signatory of the effort to shield discussions about suing to obtain federal “ climate ” regulations [ New York Attorney General Letitia James ] has just publicly denied that the parties have moved beyond such theoretical discussions , and flatly admitted that there is no reasonably anticipated litigation Defendant can point to supporting the claim that a preposterously broad purported common interest agreement shields the records Plaintiff seeks ” .
This admission by New York ’ s James was reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter Tim Puko that ran just last week , seeking to dismiss the reporter ’ s interest in these same machinations .
The Defendant has invoked these secret common interest agreements to withhold correspondence to and from outside parties , and at least one Power Point presentation prepared by an outside activist , while also withholding the very agreements themselves .
Both the purported common interest agreements at issue in this case and certainly the correspondence with outside parties that the Defendant continues to withhold are of enormous public interest and importance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a critical public office and public funds to pursue and keep secret a private agenda , the actual work of the “ quasi-public employees ” involved and the details of the collaboration between plaintiffs ’ attorneys , private partisan political donors , ideological activists and states ’ attorneys general .
In New Mexico the AGO is specifically commanded by law to enforce the Inspection of Public Records Act but is now holding itself above the law it is obligated to enforce .
In so doing , AGO attempts to avoid New Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public disclosure by entering self-serving agreements to keep the secret operations hidden from disclosure to the public .
As EPA informed the Court , “ Defendant also changed its practice of releasing the identities of outside parties to responsive correspondence , and began reflexively , automatically and improperly withholding the names and identities of all individuals from outside of the New Mexico Attorney General ’ s Office who were copied on correspondence the Plaintiff requested.
” This unlawful behavior is being undertaken in fealty to several secrecy pacts one of which , EPA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve a supporting role for private tort firms pursuing municipalities in “ climate nuisance ” litigation .
This suggests the prospect that the records ’ details have also been shared with the tort bar , and others .
Other records obtained by EPA and hidden by AGO reveal a campaign with outside activists to impose the equivalent of the “ Green New Deal ” on the country through the courts , “ purport [ ing ] to memorialize an agreement to take judicial or administrative action to require the Federal Government or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to take action to reduce or limit greenhouse gases .
More concisely , it is an agreement to share information that may be used to do something against some public or private entity or entities , under some authority and maybe the Clean Air Act or not , at some point in time , but most definitely regarding greenhouse gases .
As such it is not only a parody of a common interest agreement but also a clumsy effort at a secrecy pact , implemented in this case as an instrument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plausible means to delay or refuse releasing public records… This is not a common interest agreement ; this is an attempt to shield the workings of the New Mexico Attorney General from public scrutiny in violation of public policy .
“ The public has a right to know how public dollars and the Attorney General ’ s Office are being used to advance private political agendas , and what contracts it enters in the public ’ s name , ” said GAO ’ s Chris Horner .
“ New Mexico ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clumsy behavior to hide precisely what they are up to , which stonewalling today ’ s Motion seeks to finally end.
” Government Accountability & Oversight is a 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to transparency in public officials ’ dealings on matters of energy , environment and law enforcement

Reposted from Government Accountability and Oversight.
CHRIS HORNER GAO, In The News
EPA reveals AGO’s claim that records are shielded by “pending litigation,” secrecy pact directly contradicted by New York Attorney General claim to WSJ
Albuquerque, NM, December 8, 2020 – The public interest law firm Government Accountability & Oversight, P.C. (GAO) and local counsel Pat Rogers have filed a Motion to Compel answers in litigation discovery against a stonewalling New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, in a lawsuit filed under the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) on behalf of the government-transparency group Energy Policy Advocates (EPA). GAO seeks to end six months of AG Office obstructionism, hiding records relating to its work with outside parties to, as one document sent to a Michael Bloomberg-funded activist group that placed attorneys in Balderas’s Office puts it, “identify ‘pressure points’ on which litigation can be used to most effectively influence policy.”
View Post
AG Balderas has extended his refusal to release public documents and information, keeping secret his work and even contracts with outside activists, the tort bar and other state AGs to advance private ideological, political and financial agendas. As EPA’s Motion notes, the AG’s Office has refused to provide good faith answers and an adequate privilege log, explaining why to EPA’s lawyers in one call: “This is a very confidential matter.” This claim is irrelevant, if telling, and EPA now seeks compelled responses and sanctions against Balderas’s Office.
As the Motion notes:
The [IPRA] requests relate to a multi-state campaign by certain offices of state attorneys general to coordinate the advancement of a sweeping private policy agenda. Although this campaign was undertaken in consultation with outside activists and other parties, these AG offices are obscuring their involvement under so-called common interest agreements. These common interest agreements themselves are being withheld, now in discovery, so that the Plaintiff, the public and the Court are expected to simply trust OAG that the details of these common interest agreements—which in turn are used to justify the withholding of volumes of public documents—do represent valid common interest agreements, and are legally privileged.
Although Balderas’s Office claims that the records detailing this coordination are privileged because of imminent litigation it plans to file, the Motion notes “The author, ringleader and lead signatory of the effort to shield discussions about suing to obtain federal “climate” regulations [New York Attorney General Letitia James] has just publicly denied that the parties have moved beyond such theoretical discussions, and flatly admitted that there is no reasonably anticipated litigation Defendant can point to supporting the claim that a preposterously broad purported common interest agreement shields the records Plaintiff seeks”. This admission by New York’s James was reported in a Wall Street Journal story by reporter Tim Puko that ran just last week, seeking to dismiss the reporter’s interest in these same machinations.
The Motion also notes:
The Defendant has invoked these secret common interest agreements to withhold correspondence to and from outside parties, and at least one Power Point presentation prepared by an outside activist, while also withholding the very agreements themselves. Both the purported common interest agreements at issue in this case and certainly the correspondence with outside parties that the Defendant continues to withhold are of enormous public interest and importance for the light they shed on the use of a critical public office and public funds to pursue and keep secret a private agenda, the actual work of the “quasi-public employees” involved and the details of the collaboration between plaintiffs’ attorneys, private partisan political donors, ideological activists and states’ attorneys general.
In New Mexico the AGO is specifically commanded by law to enforce the Inspection of Public Records Act but is now holding itself above the law it is obligated to enforce. In so doing, AGO attempts to avoid New Mexico citizens’ right to the sunlight of public disclosure by entering self-serving agreements to keep the secret operations hidden from disclosure to the public.
As EPA informed the Court, “Defendant also changed its practice of releasing the identities of outside parties to responsive correspondence, and began reflexively, automatically and improperly withholding the names and identities of all individuals from outside of the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office who were copied on correspondence the Plaintiff requested.”
This unlawful behavior is being undertaken in fealty to several secrecy pacts one of which, EPA has learned, arranges for state AGOs to serve a supporting role for private tort firms pursuing municipalities in “climate nuisance” litigation. This suggests the prospect that the records’ details have also been shared with the tort bar, and others.
Other records obtained by EPA and hidden by AGO reveal a campaign with outside activists to impose the equivalent of the “Green New Deal” on the country through the courts, “purport[ing] to memorialize an agreement to take judicial or administrative action to require the Federal Government or private parties to take action or defend the right to take action to reduce or limit greenhouse gases. More concisely, it is an agreement to share information that may be used to do something against some public or private entity or entities, under some authority and maybe the Clean Air Act or not, at some point in time, but most definitely regarding greenhouse gases. As such it is not only a parody of a common interest agreement but also a clumsy effort at a secrecy pact, implemented in this case as an instrument to provide allies notice of requests and a plausible means to delay or refuse releasing public records… This is not a common interest agreement; this is an attempt to shield the workings of the New Mexico Attorney General from public scrutiny in violation of public policy.
“The public has a right to know how public dollars and the Attorney General’s Office are being used to advance private political agendas, and what contracts it enters in the public’s name,” said GAO’s Chris Horner. “New Mexico’s AGO has engaged in unlawful and often clumsy behavior to hide precisely what they are up to, which stonewalling today’s Motion seeks to finally end.”
Government Accountability & Oversight is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to transparency in public officials’ dealings on matters of energy, environment and law enforcement
5 10 votes Article Rating
Share this: Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
GETTR
Telegram
Like this: Like Loading...