Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for March 5, 2008

Meeting Marc Morano

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A highlight of The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change for me was meeting Marc Morano.

He is a former journalist with CNS, reporter and producer for the Rush Limbaugh Television Show and also American Investigator. Now communications director for the Republicans on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in Washinton amongst his many activities and responsibilities he also finds time to run an award winning blog.

Mr Morano gave two papers at the conference. I sat in on Wednesday morning’s session on politics and science which also included presentations from Marlo Lewis and Michael Fox.

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Marc Morano chatting with a delegate before the session.

Mr Morano began with an overview of the history of the politics of climate change including a quote from Newsweek magazine of April 28, 1975, ““The longer the planners delay the more difficult they will find it to deal with climate change once the results become grim reality.”

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Marc Morano speaking at the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change

He went on to talk about carbon based economies as the greatest liberators of mankind in the history of the planet facilitating the “20th Century Miracle” including the lowering of infant mortality and increasingly life expectancy.

Following the presentations Mr Morano answered a question about the value of focus groups in understanding public opinion on global warming and helping to formulate appropriate public responses. He said that what was most needed from politicians was simply “political courage” including the courage to tell it as it is.

After the session I was privileged to meet not only Marc but also his mother and nephew who were also at the conference.

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Marc Morano with his mother at The Marriott Marquis, New York.

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You can read my perspective on day 1 of the conference here https://jennifermarohasy.com.dev.internet-thinking.com.au/blog/archives/002809.html , day 2 here https://jennifermarohasy.com.dev.internet-thinking.com.au/blog/archives/002813.html and breakfast with Hon Vaclav Klaus on day 3 here https://jennifermarohasy.com.dev.internet-thinking.com.au/blog/archives/002816.html.

Thanks again to conference sponsor’s The Heartland Institute

Breakfast with Czech President Vaclav Klaus

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The 500-strong contingent of skeptics currently in New York for The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change were up early for a second day. Breakfast was again at 7am and the first speaker was given a standing ovation – a man who had travelled all the way from Prague, the President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus.

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Vaclav Klaus is a well know global warming skeptic and was re-elected President just two weeks ago.

In his speech President Klaus talked about the “robust relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth” and went on to suggest there are three types of countries in Europe based on their emissions profile and level of economic growth. He described the less developed countries of the European Union (EU), including Greece, has trying to “catch-up” since the signing of Kyoto and in the process increasing their level of carbon emissions by 53 percent. The post communist countries were described as seeing their heavy industry disappear and experiencing a decline in GDP and a drop in emissions of 33 percent Then there are countries like France and Germany which have seen their emissions increase on average by 4 percent.

The President said that “the dream” to reduce emissions in the EU by 70 percent in the next 30 years could only be achieved if there was a dramatic de-industrialization of Europe (likely associated with a dramatic drop in GDP), a dramatic drop in population or a technological revolution.

President Klaus outlined previous attempts in Europe, for example the Soviet Union under Brezhnev, to impose radical economic change and the “innocence of climate alarmists” to currently mastermind society including their belief in their own omnipotence.

The President concluded with comment that “uncompromising lessons about the collapse of communism” need to be re-learnt:

“We have to restart the discussion about the very nature of government and about the relationship between the individual and society. Now it concerns the whole of mankind, not just the citizens of one particular country. To discuss this means to look at the canonically structured theoretical discussions about socialism (or communism) and to learn the uncompromising lessons from the inevitable collapse of communism 18 years ago. It is not about climatology. It is about freedom. This should be the main message from our conference.”

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Standing ovation, including from London-based Kendra Okonski and former advisor to Russian President Putin Andrei Illarionov . New York based Statistician William M Briggs is the tall guy in the background to the immediate left of Dr Illarionov.

Thanks again to conference sponsor’s The Heartland Institute .

More on day 3 soon.

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You can read a perspective on day 3 of the conference from William M Briggs here: http://wmbriggs.com/blog/2008/03/04/heartland-conference-day-3-and-wrap-up/.

You can read my perspective on day 1 of the conference here https://jennifermarohasy.com.dev.internet-thinking.com.au/blog/archives/002809.html and day 2 here https://jennifermarohasy.com.dev.internet-thinking.com.au/blog/archives/002813.html .

‘Plantstones’ Could Allow Farmers to Claim Carbon Credits

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Grasses such as wheat and sorghum can store large amounts of carbon in microscopic balls of silica, called phytoliths. Phytoliths, also known as plantstones or plant opals, are formed in and around the cell wall of many plant species replicating the cell wall shape and encapsulating the inner organic content. These silica bodies are deposited into the soil when a plant dies and are highly resistant to decomposition.

Southern Cross University researchers recently completed field trials that reveal cane can retain three-quarters of a tonne of carbon dioxide equivalents per hectare in the soil each year, and will continue to do so for thousands of years. Cane farmers may therefore be able to cash in on carbon credits because of their crop’s new-found ability to lock away large amounts of carbon.

“This could be worth millions to the sugar industry and all grass-growing industries,” said researcher Jeff Parr of Southern Cross University.

Draft rules for a national emissions trading scheme are being discussed with a view to being implemented by 2010, but the rules regarding global emissions trading don’t yet fully factor in agriculture, or any role it may have in carbon sequestration.

Read more:

Landline: Calculating Carbon

Cairns.com.au:Carbon credit option for cane farmers

Sydney Morning Herald: Grass could help save the world

Thanks to Gavin for his note about plantstones.