Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Climate Change

As a physicist of sorts, I like to burrow into climate change science from time to time. This:

http://www.gao.spb.ru/english/astrometr/abduss_nkj_2009.pdf

from CCNet caught my eye, because it suggests reasons for the current cooling spell and makes near-term predictions that should be verifiable.

It seems to me that actions that have clearly defined benefits outside climate change - energy conservation, diversity of supply - ought to be given priority over those that have only costs (carbon capture, vast subsidies for solar power).

Lobbying the Lords

A correspondent writes:

"I have taken on board what you said about keeping MPs aware of the issues, especially when the Bill is published at the end of November. In addition to more lobbying, would it be in order to arrange some kind of showcase event at the Houses of Parliament for particularly gifted home educated people? I can think of a couple of families with children of exceptional musical talent.



Having steered clear of politics in the past, I do not fully understand how the system works in regard to the House of Lords. Should we be approaching members of the Lords, other than yourself, for help? How do we choose who to contact in the light of there being no constituencies."

No, the Lords is reactive not proactive, by and large, so the time to lobby is when the bill has been published or, if it starts in the Commons, when it has had its third reading there. We have no staff, so early lobbying tends to get forgotten before the time arrives when we can affect things.