GWPF Newsletter: Germany Struggles To End Coal Power - Populist AfD Challenges Green Consensus

France To Cut Renewable Energy Growth

In this newsletter:

1) Germany Struggles To End Coal Power As Populist AfD Challenges Green Consensus
Bloomberg, 27 September 2018 
 
2) Green No More: Germany’s SPD Rejects Premature Date For Coal Exit
Deutsche Presse Agentur, 25 September 2018 

Melanie Phillips: America’s Revolutionary Moment

Finally – finally! – a Republican has expressed appropriate fury, disgust and contempt for the way in which the Democratic Party turned Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court into a political lynching.

Christine Blasey Ford had accused Kavanaugh of having sexually assaulted her when they were both teenagers in high school. She had taken her allegation, made for the first time after 36 years, to Senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Feinstein sat on it for six weeks until virtually the last moment in the Senate’s consideration of Kavanaugh’s nomination.

Brian Giesbrecht: Canada's Apartheid Regime

Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was interviewed on CBC Radio on May 31, 2018. Although he is now 84 years old, he sounds today just like the feisty, former street fighter he was. From a very young backbencher, through many cabinet posts, and finally to a Prime Minister who only seemed to know how to win majority governments, he is a true legend. He helped us keep this country together, and then navigate through the difficult reconciliation with Quebec. As a finale, he very wisely kept us out of America’s ill-conceived, and disastrous war in Iraq. Jean Chrétien is probably Canada’s most underrated prime minister, and will probably be rightly viewed in the future as one of our greatest leaders.

But, as a cabinet minister in the government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau that he took one of the biggest gambles of his political career. As Minister of Indian Affairs that he tried – but failed – to end Canada’s apartheid regime.

GWPF Newsletter: China's Coal Secret Revealed

China Is Building Hundreds of New Coal Power Plants

In this newsletter:

1) China Coal Power Building Boom Sparks Climate Warning
BBC News, 26 September 2018 
 
2) New Coal War: China And Japan Compete For Hundreds Of New Coal Plants In Southeast Asia
Frederick Kuo, South China Morning Post, April 2018

GWPF Newsletter: How ‘Green’ China Fooled The World As New Coal Boom Continues

Angela Merkel Warns Against Tougher EU CO2 Limits On Cars, Vans

In this newsletter:

1) How ‘Green’ China Fooled The World As New Coal Boom Continues
Michael Bastasch, The Daily Caller, 24 September 2018 
 
2) Germany’s Merkel Warns Against Tougher EU CO2 Limits On Cars, Vans
Reuters, 25 September 2018

Bob Edlin: Govt rejects MBIE costings of oil decision

The Ardern government’s ban  on new oil and gas  exploration could cost the country  from $1.2bn  to $23.5bn  in foregone revenue, according to official advice from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and  Employment.  The MBIE  modelling, quality-checked  by Treasury,  points to lost oil company profits falling within a range of $199m and $7.3bn, with a calculated mid-point of $2.1bn.

Energy and Resources  Minister Megan  Woods says the government disputes  the figures— but doesn’t  offer  its own estimate. She  has introduced  to  Parliament the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill, which will legislate  officially  to stop new offshore oil and gas exploration permits.

Brian Gaynor: What Fonterra needs — radical reform

When will New Zealand dairy farmers wake up and realise that Fonterra Co-operative Group needs a massive shake-up?

When will farmers grasp that the group’s poor performance has a massive impact on their pockets, with this column estimating that the average NZ dairy farmer has missed out on over $1.5 million of tax-free capital gains over the past nine years?

The most depressing section of Fonterra’s recently released annual report is the historical financial summary on page 62. This shows that the farmgate milk price has fallen 20.4 per cent since 2014, the co-op’s dividend is the same as 2014 and its shares have a dividend yield of only 1.7 per cent.

NZCPR Weekly: Capital Gains Tax Edges Closer

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we examine some of the proposals outlined in the Tax Working Group’s interim report and urge anyone concerned about the prospect of a 33 percent Capital Gains Tax to send in a submission, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Frank Newman shares his analysis of tax changes proposed by the Working Group, and our poll asks whether you think the Capital Gains Tax as outlined by the Tax Working Group will be good for New Zealand or bad.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter: Arctic Sea Ice Much More Stable Than Thought

BBC’s Climate Change ‘Facts’ Are Fiction

In this newsletter:

1) Arctic Sea Ice Much More Stable Than Thought
Ron Clutz, Science Matters, 22 September 2018
 
2) 30 Years Ago Officials Predicted The Maldives Would Be Swallowed By The Sea. It Didn’t Happen
Michael Bastasch, The Daily Caller, 21 September 2018 

Clive Bibby: “Hang on a minute mate” - Half time in the Provinces.

I hope the late Barry Crump won't be too concerned if l flog the title of one of his best works. It seemed like an apt description of the current political scenario in this country.

Last week's public demonstration of unity (or lack of it) within the governing coalition gave indications of what we might expect during the remainder of this parliamentary term.

Most experienced political observers will say that the chaos was bound to occur given the lack of experience amongst those chosen to be in cabinet although they might have been surprised at how quickly the incompetency of some was exposed.

Hans Bader: How a Minimum Wage Hike Wiped Out 40% of Venezuela's Stores

A large minimum wage increase in Venezuela has dealt a “fatal blow to 40% of Venezuelan stores,” reports the Miami Herald. The increase has closed many stores and left employees jobless. Venezuela’s government ignored the most basic law of economics in raising the minimum wage: the law of supply and demand. But laws don’t go away just because you ignore them.

The job losses will rise in the coming weeks because even “some of the stores that did [remain] open are simply liquidating their merchandise and plan to close definitively when that’s done.”

Bob Edlin: Mystery still shrouds ‘incident’ that sparked latest ministerial sacking

Boom!  There  goes another  minister…

PM  Jacinda  Ardern  wasted little time  in firing  Meka  Whaitiri  as  Minister  of Customs after   receiving a  report  into  an  “incident”  in Gisborne  on  August  27   involving Whaitiri and one of her staff.

Ardern said she no longer had confidence Meka Whaitiri as a minister.

“That is why I have taken the action I have.  I’ve made the decision solely on this incident. I’m confident in the decision I have made.”

No  mucking about this time, as there was  over the  Curran  affair.  Yet there  are  still elements of  mystery  over precisely  what  happened  in that  Gisborne  “incident”.

Melanie Phillips: The Leverage for Britain in the Art of the No Deal

According to a report in the Mail on Sunday, a “gang of four” has emerged inside the British Cabinet to get Brexit through without breaking the government and Conservative party apart.

The quartet, said to comprise two Brexiteers, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab, and two Remainers, Sajid Javid and Matt Hancock, have reportedly formed a “pragmatic” alliance to “get Brexit over the line”.

Apparently, these four ministers will seek to hose down both ultra-Remainers and ultra-Brexiteers who are all likely to object to the final terms of the deal.

GWPF Newsletter: One-Third Of US Households Struggle To Pay Energy Bills

Ontario Government Moves To Scrap Green Energy Act

In this newsletter:

1) One-Third Of US Households Struggle To Pay Energy Bills
Associated Press, 20 September 2018
 
2) One In Three U.S. Households Faces A Challenge In Meeting Energy Needs
U.S. Energy Information Administration, 19 September 2018

Karl du Fresne: My shameful confession

I have a shameful confession to make.

On a gorgeous spring afternoon in 2017, I drove to Fernridge School, just west of Masterton, and cast my vote in the general election.

Virtually until the moment I entered the polling booth, I remained an undecided voter.

My electorate vote was straightforward enough. It went to Labour’s Wairarapa candidate Kieran McAnulty – mainly because I thought Alastair Scott, the sitting National MP, had done bugger-all in his first term other than turn up for photo opportunities, and therefore didn’t deserve to be re-elected.

GWPF Newsletter: Europe's Business Lobby Finally Fights EU's Unilateral Climate Policy

Release Of New Climategate Emails Imminent

In this newsletter:

1) Europe’s Business Lobby Prepares Pushback Against EU’s New Climate Goals
EurActiv, 19 September 2018
 
2) Climategate Continues: Release Of University Of Arizona Climate Emails Imminent
Watts Up With That, 19 September 2018

NZCPR Weekly: Cultural Indoctrination Week

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we reveal the radical race-based agenda that Labour is progressing – including their just-announced plan to pass responsibility for some of the Marine and Coastal Area claims to a new powerful Maori Agency, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Michael Coote shares his analysis of the Government’s Maori language strategy and urges readers to make submissions, and our poll asks whether you support the Government’s Maori language revitalisation strategy.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter: Arctic Ice Growing Again

Computer Climate Simulations Just Crashed

In this newsletter:

1) Arctic Ice Growing Again
Ron Clutz, Science Matters, 16 September 2018
 
2) Harry Wilkinson: Arctic Sea Ice Just Won’t Play The Game
The Conservative Woman, 7 September 2018

Bryan Leyland: “Things you know that ain't so" - fossil fuels

As the American humorist Will Rogers said: “It’s not what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” 

“We can have a reliable and economic supply of electricity without burning fossil fuels”

Nonsense!

Blackouts are inevitable if we do not have sufficient energy in reserve to make up for the loss of hydro generation in a dry year. In a 1:20 dry year the shortfall amounts to 10% of annual consumption.

To make up for the shortfall we need to have an energy store that can be converted into electricity over the four month dry period. Ever since Meremere power station was commissioned in the 1950s, we have relied on coal-fired stations supplemented by gas and oil to provide the dry year reserve.

Matthew Lau: Federal Government’s “Eat the Rich” Plan Backfires

A few years ago, the federal Liberals told Canadians that they would help the middle class by raising taxes on the rich. According to the early evidence, the plan has flopped. This was entirely predictable. Indeed, in 2015, the C.D. Howe Institute (formerly chaired by the current federal finance minister) called the policy a “losing proposition.” However, the federal finance minister and federal government forged ahead anyway.

The data so far suggests that the federal government’s tax hike on top earners was so economically damaging that it actually reduced federal tax revenues. The Globe and Mail recently reported that the “Liberal government’s tax on Canada’s top 1 per cent failed to produce the promised billions in new revenue in its first year, as high-income earners actually paid $4.6-billion less in federal taxes.”

Mike Butler: Gate Pa and the need to look ahead

Gate Pa and Te Ranga – the full story seeks to put fighting that took place in Tauranga in 1864 within a wide historical narrative that includes Maori history back 360 years, the impact of British settlement in the 19th century, and the reaction to that settlement.

The Battle of Gate Pa on April 29, 1864, has been described as a humiliating defeat for the British although the Battle of Te Ranga seven weeks later resulted in Maori defenders being routed and their commander killed.

At Gate Pa, 31 Government troops were killed and 80 wounded despite vastly outnumbering the rebels. At Te Ranga, more than 80 rebels were killed or fatally wounded. The book corrects a few myths:

GWPF Newsletter: Out-Trumping Trump

European Nations Urge Subsidy Extension For Coal Plants Beyond 2030

In this newsletter:

1) Out-Trumping Trump: European Nations Urge Subsidy Extension For Coal Plants Beyond 2030
Montel, 14 September 2018
 
2) Green No More: Germany Is Razing A 12,000-Year-Old Forest To Make Way For A Coal Mine
Quartz, 13 September 2018

Frank Newman: Sidestepping planners

The government is getting serous about housing, but it's interesting how Labour's view of planning regulations has changed now that it finds itself in the position of being a developer via its Kiwibuild scheme.

It seems the Housing Minister Phil Twyford is now discovering the very same difficulties builders and developers have confronted for quite some time. The only difference being, unlike every other poor sod who is burdened with outrageous planning regulations, the Minister is able to sidestep the obstacles to get the building work done quicker and at less cost.

GWPF Newsletter: Green Madness

Europe's Renewable Energy Directive Poised To Harm Global Forests

In this newsletter:

1) Green Madness: Europe's Renewable Energy Directive Poised To Harm Global Forests
Princeton University, 12 September 2018
 
2) Is The European ETS Falling At The First Hurdle?
ICIS, 11 September 2018 

Bob Edlin: Ethnicity data to be collected for “balance” in appointments to State sector boards

Great news for mathematicians.  Their services – or the services of a few of them, appropriately selected – look likely to  be increasingly required to monitor the implementation of the Government’s diversification policies.

Those policies are being pushed into the domain of science by the Royal Society of New Zealand and by Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods.

The society and the Minister are saying – in effect – they can’t wait for the gender and race blends they seek to evolve naturally.  They favour a creative approach, to be effected through social engineering.

This puts merit on the back seat and promotes a numbers game.

Clive Bibby: "We have been conned! You could be next!"

The front page of Friday 7th edition of The Gisborne Herald had a headline usually reserved for the outbreak of war.

It focused on the same day Prime Ministerial-announcement of $153 million being pumped into the local economy from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, mostly based on applications from Gisborne District Council.

My research tells me similar amounts are likely to be added during the life of this Government. They must think we’re worth it.

On this basis, why would anyone even try to rationally assess the real impact of this huge dollop of largesse on the region?

Melanie Phillips: America's Party of Hate and Subversion

What’s going on in the US is simply terrifying. Almost every day seems to bring a fresh demonstration of a hate-driven stampede towards mob rule – by people who, in Orwellian fashion, claim to be acting to uphold American values.

Look at how the Senate judiciary committee confirmation hearing into the Supreme Court candidacy of Judge Brett Kavanaugh turned into a circus on day one. It is standard procedure in the US that when the presidency changes political colour, the political makeup of the Supreme Court may also change as a result.

NZCPR Weekly: Attacking Landlords

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we question the Government’s proposed changes to tenancy laws and their continued attack on landlords, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Mike Butler explains why Labour’s changes could make tenancies unmanageable, and our poll asks whether you agree with Labour that the present rental laws are unfair on tenants.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter: Paris Climate Agreement ‘On The Brink’

Western Governments Refuse To Transfer $100 Billion P.A.

In this newsletter:

1) Paris Climate Agreement ‘On The Brink’ As Western Governments Refuse To Transfer $100 Billion P.A.
AFP, 9 September 2018
 
2) Real News: Bangkok Meet Fails To Finalize Draft On Paris Agreement Rules
Associated Press, 9 September 2018

GWPF Newsletter: BBC Freezes Out Climate Sceptics

Science As We Know It Is Dying — And So Is Academic Freedom

In this newsletter:

1) BBC Freezes Out Climate Sceptics
Ben Webster, The Times, 8 September 2018
 
2) Business As Usual: UN Climate Meeting Deadlocked
AFP, 8 September 2018

Seton Motley: Yet Another Leftist Anti-Energy Misdirection - hiding behind the animals

The entirety of the Leftist radical environmental movement is dangerous and stupid.

Dangerous: Because it costs many, many humans their lives when they can’t heat or cool their homes because the Left has prohibited – or rendered prohibitively expensive – the energy they need to heat or cool themselves.  

And because Leftist environmentalists routinely engage in violence in attempts to impose their will.

Stupid: Because their ideas for alleged energy – are awful, and awfully dumb.  Solar, wind, ethanol and the like – are terrible sources of energy…and are worse for the environment than the real energy sources they purport to replace.  “Green energy” – is neither green nor energy.

So when you have a terrible product to sell – your salesmen must incessantly lie their faces off.

Bob Edlin: So how did the politicians dish out our money this week? Let’s check it out…

Point of Order has been keeping an eye on how taxpayers’ money has been spent – or given away – by the Ardern Government over the past week.

Ministers typically get a warm glow from announcing spending decisions, grants or the establishment of new troughs within the authority of their portfolios.

Here’s what our check of their press statements shows they announced in the past week…

3 SEPTEMBER 2018

Minister announces additional $13.7 million to rebuild Redcliffs School

Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced a further $13.7 million will be invested to relocate and rebuild Redcliffs School in Christchurch. This is a part of the $332m announced in Budget 2018 to support school infrastructure.

GWPF Newsletter - Benefits of Global Warming: Global Tree Cover Is Expanding Rapidly

200 Years Worth Of Shale Gas: Australian Minister Announces Huge Discovery

In this newsletter:

1) Benefits Of Global Warming: Global Tree Cover Is Expanding Rapidly
Ronald Bailey, Reason Online, 4 September 2018
 
2) 200-400 Years Worth Of Shale Gas: Australian Minister Announces Huge Discovery
Australian Associated Press, 6 September 2018

Bryan Caplan: Amazon and Other Tech Giants Deserve Our Gratitude, Not Our Outrage

When I started working at George Mason University, Google, Facebook, and Twitter did not exist. Amazon was around, but I’d yet to purchase anything from them. The big news in the book industry was the sudden rise of Borders and Barnes & Noble superstores; if you’d claimed that Amazon was a viable competing book outlet, most people would have just furrowed their brows at your naivete.

Frank Newman: Making life better for renters

Housing Minister Phil Twyford says he wants to make life better for renters. But in doing so, will he make life unbearable for landlords?

The Government has released a discussion paper as a prelude to what will be a comprehensive reform of the residential tenancy market. The changes to be "discussed" come on top of a number of changes either in place or on the way, which include:

• Insulation upgrades.
• Removing the right of property managers to charge a letting fee.
• Limiting damages claims against tenants.
• New standards which are likely to include the installation of a fixed heating source, a ventilation method, and protection against draughts.

Brian Giesbrecht: Airplane Safety and Alcohol

Ever since Wilbur and Orville Wright proved that heavier than air machines could indeed fly, safety has been the first priority when it comes to air travel. Engines and chassis are inspected and re-inspected. It only makes sense that if some gizmo in your car engine breaks, your car will stop, and you can get out and take a look under the hood. You don’t have that luxury in an airplane. If the engine fails, you fall out of the sky.

And the same goes for in-flight safety. The pilots and crew must have calm and quiet in order to do their jobs. The passengers are entitled to the same.

And that is why rules about alcohol consumption and intoxicated passengers are so strict on an airplane. If a flight attendant believes that a person about to board the airplane is intoxicated, the attendant is required to prevent that person from boarding. After the airplane has left the ground, the attendants are very careful to ensure that a passenger does not consume too much alcohol.

GWPF Newsletter Forget Paris: Europe’s Carmakers Challenge EU Climate Targets

Walter Russell Mead:
'Anti-Capitalist Climate Campaigners Have Failed'

In this newsletter:

1) Forget Paris: Europe’s Carmakers Challenge EU Climate Targets
Deutsche Welle, 5 September 2018 
 
2) ‘Climate Leader’ Germany: Police Clear Protesters, New Coal Mining Imminent
Reuters, 5 September 2018

Clive Bibby: A "Sestercentennial" experience

When some pointy headed colleague dropped this little beauty into the discussion some years ago, I thought he was just trying to demonstrate to the gathering that he was indeed worthy of sharing the air with female knights of the realm (we still call them Dames over here) and other high flyers ranging downwards to lesser mortals like myself.

Actually, I knew instinctively that he wasn't interested in impressing me but it none-the-less caused a few eyeballs to roll amongst those of us who didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

For all our faults, my kind are still able to recognize someone with a dodgy agenda. We have learned our trade in the "School of Hard Knocks" where there is no place for those who feel just that little bit superior.

Steven Cranston: NZ should lead on smart agricultural emission accounting

The Zero Carbon Bill is an opportunity for New Zealand to lead the world on smart agricultural emissions policy. James Shaw has regularly touted his wish to see our country as international leaders on climate change and is trying to break new ground by bringing biological emissions into the ETS. To be leaders however, we must look forward and not backwards.

The issues with the current Global Warming Potential (GWP) accounting system for methane are now widely publicised and understood. Anyone who cares to investigate the origins of GWP accounting will find it was actually created by a group of climate scientists to demonstrate the flaws in comparing short and long-lived greenhouse gases. To their surprise, the IPCC saw things differently and adopted it as the international standard. So although GWP is now the accepted way to compare different GHG emissions, people should not be fooled into thinking it got there on scientific merit.

GWPF Newsletter - UN Climate Meeting: ‘Time Is Running Out To Save The … Paris Agreement’

Coal Shows Resilience in Global Comeback

In this newsletter:

1) UN Climate Meeting: ‘Time Is Running Out To Save The … Paris Agreement’
AFP, 4 September 2018
 
2) UN Climate Talks: The Annual Ritual 
Global Warming Policy Forum, 4 September 2018

Mike Butler: What Twyford tenancies will do

Reforms that could make many tenancies unmanageable were proposed by one Minister on the day that the Prime Minister launched an advisory group in a bid to avert flagging business confidence.

There was no indication that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford never considered any connection between the confidence of everyone involved in rental property, both landlords and tenants, and falling business confidence.

Twyford has 14 proposals, but the two that will make properties unmanageable for some, and this includes Housing New Zealand, are the end of 90-day no-reason terminations and the requirement to allow dogs.

NZCPR Weekly: Warning Shots Over Foreshore and Seabed Claims

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we outline how the Marine and Coastal Area Act is failing New Zealanders and needs to be repealed, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Rex Beer shares his concerns about the lack of clarity in the law and the implications for the High Court claims process, and our poll asks whether you believe the Marine and Coastal Area Act should be repealed and Crown ownership restored through the reinstatement of the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

GWPF Newsletter: Global Temperatures Drop Back To 2002 Levels

Arctic Sea Ice Back To 2007 Levels

In this newsletter:

1) Global Temperatures Drop Back To 2002 Levels
Paul Homewood, Not A Lot Of People Know That, 2 September 2018 
 
2) Arctic Sea Ice Back To 2007 Levels
Ron Clutz, Science Matters, 31 August 2018 

GWPF Newsletter: Canada’s Climate Plan In Freefall As Alberta Pulls Out

How Coal Saved Germany’s Summer

In this newsletter:

1) Canada’s Climate Plan In Freefall As Alberta Pulls Out
AFP, 31 August 2018
 
2) Roll-Back: Ontario Government To Eliminate Carbon Tax From Natural Gas Rates
Toronto City News, 30 August 2018