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COP28 President’s “No Science” Remark Blows Holes in Carefully Curated Net Zero Narrative

by Chris Morrison
7 December 2023 7:00 AM

COP28 President and Chief Executive of the UAE state oil company Adnoc, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber let the cat out of the bag this week when he said there was “no science” that says phasing out fossil fuels will achieve a cap on global warming of 1.5°C. In an interview with the impressively self-important Irish politician Mary Robinson, he demanded to be shown a roadmap for sustainable socioeconomic development “unless you want to take the world back to caves”. You would have had a heart of stone not to enjoy the antics of the BBC green activist-in-chief Justin Rowlatt as he tried to finesse Al-Jaber’s remarks. What a creative chap to write a BBC story about it headed, ‘Is the world about to promise to ditch fossil fuels?‘

Rowlatt claims that the UAE has recognised the world has to kick its addiction to unabated fossil fuels and has decided to put itself decisively on the right side of history by trying to own the decision. “But yes, at the same time it is planning to increase capacity and sell even more oil,” he helpfully added.

Other more realistic interpretations are available. The world will need as much, if not more, fossil fuel in 2050 as it consumes today, and its biggest customers will be those who are too virtuous to drill and frack the hydrocarbons for themselves. As is usually the case, the meek are unlikely to inherit the Earth. Al-Jaber might have slightly underestimated the type of housing stock available in future ‘Net Zero’ countries – mud and grass huts are suggested in a recent United Nations report, although sustainable caves could occupy a premium niche. With money comes power and all the trophy assets vast wealth can buy. For instance, by 2050 the Gulf Arabs, along with Saudi Arabia, will be able to buy all the football clubs they want. In the end it might just be easier to relocate the entire English Premier League into state-of-the art, air conditioned local stadiums.

Al-Jaber’s remarks blew holes in a ‘settled’ science narrative that has been carefully curated over decades by collectivists aiming to transform global societies with a Net Zero project. A bewildered John Kerry, the U.S. presidential climate envoy, suggested the comments may need “clarification” and “maybe just came out wrong”. Kerry’s irritation showed clearly that Al-Jaber had undermined the fixed idea that reducing human-caused carbon dioxide will somehow stop temperature moving around in a chaotic atmosphere. Despite 50 years of trying, scientists have yet to produce conclusive proof that humans control the climate thermostat. A rival hypothesis that trace gases such as CO2 ‘saturate’ past certain levels and lose much of their warming abilities has the advantage of offering an explanation for the absence of an obvious temperature-CO2 link over the last 600 million years.

For alarmists, Al-Jaber’s linking of his remarks with the 1.5°C limit was very unfortunate. The idea that humans need to cap a rise in global temperature to 1.5°C is an invented number designed to invoke panic and concentrate the political mind. The setting of an arbitrary target is credited to IPCC lead author and former climate adviser to Angela Merkel, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. At first he set the limit at 2°C, and in 2010 he was asked by Der Speigel why he had imposed the “magical limit” to which all countries must adhere. In reply, Schellnhuber said: “Politicians like to have clear targets and a simple number is easier to handle.” The ploy was so successful that it was ratcheted down to a scarier 1.5°C  to persuade politicians to sign the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

Again, none of this is based on science. The rise of 1.1°C since the lifting of the Little Ice Age is tiny in climatic terms and to be expected after hundreds of years of slowly declining temperatures. In the cyclical historical record of the last few thousand years, temperatures were similar in Medieval and Roman times, while observational evidence from the mid Holocene suggests large rises of around 3-4°C

Rowlatt’s copy is of interest since it hints at the dawning realisation that a world without the power provided by hydrocarbons is impossible to achieve. He quotes the new head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Professor Jim Skea who explains that stopping the temperature rise will mean getting rid of unabated coal completely. But, in Skea’s view, the world of Net Zero will still need 40% and 55% of its current oil and gas supplies respectively. Rowlatt picks up on the word ‘abated’, noting that the technology to do that “does not exist at anywhere near the scale needed”. This is the guiding “science” that Al-Jaber is talking about, concludes Rowlatt, at a time when the Gulf States sell huge quantities of oil and gas to power-starved Western countries leading the way to Net Zero.

For some inexplicable reason, Rowlatt fails to channel similar understanding when campaigning to ban fossil fuel exploration in the U.K. And to think of all the jobs and wealth that might have been created if frackers had got on with fracking, while an understanding press praised their scientific credentials and were happy to waffle on about unworkable abatement technologies.

Chris Morrison is the Daily Sceptic’s Environment Editor.

Tags: Ahmed Al-JaberBBCCOP28GaffeJustin RowlattNet ZeroThe ScienceUAEUnited Nations

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26 Comments
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Monro
Monro
1 year ago

COP28: comedy gold…..the gift that keeps giving…..after flying there on private executive jets, they’ll probably have a side meeting on how to get there on their private yachts next time….oh…hang on…..

https://www.cop28.com/en/schedule/responsible-yachting-today-tomorrow

89
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Alan M
Alan M
1 year ago
Reply to  Monro

Yes, I saw that one about responsible yachting. To me, a yacht has masts and sails which can be made of wood and cloth so what’s the problem? Hmmmmm

46
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transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  Alan M

I used to follow a YT channel of a couple who were crossing oceans in a sailing boat – high tech materials, and a battery to work their high tech comms equipment that enabled them to get where they needed to go safely –
satellite, radar, GPS etc. All very “green”.

35
0
A Y M
A Y M
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

I saw them. I think they had a baby with them too. It was very inspiring. Travel around the world on your own with no laws, government regulations or limits of where to go (well almost).

A prepper’s ideal final escape from the techno totalitarian nightmare.

18
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transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  A Y M

It was during lockdown in part so they largely avoided all that crap

9
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AethelredTheReadier
AethelredTheReadier
1 year ago
Reply to  Monro

The discussion will focus on a variety of technical solutions developed to make the yachting experience more responsible and sustainable. Sunreef Yachts Eco representatives will share an insight into the R&D activity of the company and practical solutions that can be implemented to ensure cleaner boating. This will include a conversation about electric, hybrid and hydrogen propulsion, battery technology, plant-based composites, bottom paints, modern photovoltaics, sustainable interior finishing, water management, energy management, air conditioning. The focus will also be on the evolution of technology and future trends.

My emphasis in bold. I can see that they are not talking about the yachts I had in mind i.e. your little sailing boat with its entirely sustainable profile involving things like sails, ropes, rudders, tillers, hulls and masts often made of wood but yachts for the super wealthy with their ‘air conditioning’ and ‘energy management’ requirements! I had a look at Sunreef’s range – some of them even have helipads. So, not the yachts for thee and thou but the yachts for they and them!

Last edited 1 year ago by AethelredTheReadier
39
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varmint
varmint
1 year ago

There is “science” and then there are “myths”. ———-There is no evidence that CO2 is causing or will cause dangerous changes to climate. It certainly has not done so up till now and we keep getting told that the CO2 that we have “pumped” into the atmosphere since the 1700’s is causing climate change. But that is falsified by the fact that there is no increase in the frequency or intensity of any type of weather event. Yet computer models full of assumptions, guesses and speculations where basic parameters are either poorly understood or totally unknown are presented as “the science”——MODELS ARE NOT SCIENCE, and guess what ? They have all been totally wrong till now anyway. —-So if it is clearly not about science, what is it about? —————CO2 is the one gas that can be directly tied to Industrial Capitalism, and I am afraid that is what it is really about. The wealthiest people and countries emit the most and the poorest people and countries emit the least. The wealthiest people who live in the prosperous west are to stop emitting CO2 , which really means they are to stop using fossil fuels because we can afford to dabble in expensive niche technologies ike wind and sun and we are to send money to poorer people by way of bribes to tell them to leave their fossil fuels in the ground——-“Reparations” or “climate justice” or some other eco socialist terminology is used that really is about total control of the worlds wealth and resources, and the excuse for all of this anti capitalist central planning is “climate change”, the greatest pseudo scientific fraud ever.

147
-1
CGW
CGW
1 year ago
Reply to  varmint

“The wealthiest people who live in the prosperous west are to stop emitting CO2 …”

Well, not quite, since all human beings are CO2 generators: with every breath we breathe, we exhale 100 times the amount of CO2 we inhale. I learned that in biology at school – a long time ago, when schools used to educate. We are, after all, animals that survive by converting O2 to CO2. So those of us who really believe CO2 is destroying the planet need to … hold their breath!

15
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Marcus Aurelius knew
Marcus Aurelius knew
1 year ago

Another cracker from Mr Morrison, thank you.

It was a pleasure to meet you briefly on Monday evening at Lola’s.

63
0
Epi
Epi
1 year ago
Reply to  Marcus Aurelius knew

Always like reading Mr Morrison he has a terrific sense of humour and the way his takes the p*** out of these climate change net zero freaks is second to none.

17
0
NeilofWatford
NeilofWatford
1 year ago

I noticed the Met Office were panicked yesterday into releasing a YouTube video on the 1.5%.
Funnily enough, they didn’t mention any of the points raised above!

40
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psychedelia smith
psychedelia smith
1 year ago

Another fact recently established in a study shows that a total transformation to so-called ‘renewables’ would require a further 80 million kilometres of high voltage transmission cabling – or in layman’s terms 80 million kilometres of steel wire and pylons.

https://joannenova.com.au/2023/12/your-clean-green-future-needs-another-80-million-km-of-high-voltage-lines/

Last edited 1 year ago by psychedelia smith
43
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huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago
Reply to  psychedelia smith

There is no intention to make “a total transformation to so-called ‘renewables’ “. That is simply a myth. The intention is to reduce the population such that the elites have everything to themselves with a slave population to service them.

54
-1
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago

https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/the-cop-squad-are-coming-for-our-cows/

As many of us here know attacks on food supplies are an integral part of the depopulation plan. So they are going to reduce methane – in other words cattle.

Here we go again.

44
-2
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

The people intent on selling vegan replacement products for meat and dairy have hitched their waggons to chlimate cange a long time ago. They’d obviously very much like to get some of the money, too, and if government could be persuaded to outlaw competing products people preferably buy, this would also help the bottom line a lot.

Just as with COVID, whoever can tries to exploit the scam to further his own agenda, whatever it might be.

Last edited 1 year ago by RW
24
0
stewart
stewart
1 year ago

“Climate change” is a desperate operation by the western world order to cling on to global power, against the tide of the growing wealth and influence of non western powers.

When you put yourself in the mindset that most of the people in positions of power are sociopaths, everything makes perfect sense.

If you think that people in positions of power are trying to serve the common good, you’re not only completely lost, you’re a useful idiot. Fodder for their cannon.

Anything that seems like serving the common good is nothing more than the temporary and absolute minimum alignment of interests required for the sociopaths to get their way.

43
0
John Page
John Page
1 year ago
Reply to  stewart

Ridiculous. Asia won’t follow the West as it commits economic suicide.

3
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago

What is “doing an Ali Jaber?”

Blowing a firkin hole in someone’s argument so big that they have no possibility of reply.

😀😀😀

43
0
AethelredTheReadier
AethelredTheReadier
1 year ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

Excellent, HP! I’ll have to remember that one!

13
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago
Reply to  AethelredTheReadier

Thanks Aethelred

4
0
Bellacovidonia
Bellacovidonia
1 year ago

Monro. You literally couldn’t make this up! The have yachts on sustainable sailing while telling the rest of us to stay in harbour!

13
0
Bellacovidonia
Bellacovidonia
1 year ago

At least Al Jaber has a scientific training (Chemical Engineering), in contrast to most of these climate grifters. Mary Robinson (who I met as a guest speaker at a conference) is an incredibly self important member of The EUOirish elite. Like the old drunk Higgins and others she lives in a bubble sealed off from the chaotic country she has created. Looking forward to seeing her try hard not to patronise Connor McGregor when he enters the fray!

27
0
Covid-1984
Covid-1984
1 year ago

A Conservative sub 60 seats election result will put a lid on this climate nonsense.

6
0
Kornea112
Kornea112
1 year ago

Imagine the naivete of people who believe anybody can measure a single temperature for the earth and to 1.5 degrees! Temperatures are infinite and chaotic all over the earth and can vary 10 degrees or more within a 100 mile radius. From daytime to nighttime they can vary 30 degrees. And then to set political goals set on this! Pseudoscience at It’s best.

6
0
John Page
John Page
1 year ago

Two reasons Chris Morrison is my favourite writer here:

  1. His pieces don’t go on and on, they’re of readable length
  2. He repeatedly skewers the climate emergency nonsense.

Where can I see more of him?

4
0
Smudger
Smudger
1 year ago
Reply to  John Page

Charring Cross Station, outside WH Smith 4-45 pm Sunday. Will be carrying a brolly, wearing a Ganex raincoat and sporting a red rose.

4
0

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