{"id":261979,"date":"2023-06-13T19:20:29","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T17:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=261979"},"modified":"2023-06-13T19:20:39","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T17:20:39","slug":"net-zero-zealots-are-treating-the-public-like-fools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=261979","title":{"rendered":"Net Zero Zealots are Treating the Public Like\u00a0Fools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Science Matters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By\u00a0Ron Clutz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A summary at The Telegraph <\/strong><\/a>of David Frost\u2019s recent lecture, in italics with my bolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the worst policies<\/strong> ever pursued in this country have been those which nearly all politicians supported at the time<\/strong>. Keeping Britain on the gold standard. Running down our Armed Forces in the 1930s. Demolishing our historic cities and replacing them with concrete. Joining the EU\u2019s Exchange Rate Mechanism. Only a handful of free thinkers questioned these at the time. But when the disastrous results became clear, suddenly few people wanted to defend them.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, of course, consensuses can be correct,<\/strong> too. Most people agree that free trade is a good thing. But no one could say that that policy has been unchallenged. Indeed, although it is repeatedly attacked, both intellectual argument and real life keep proving it right.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why challenge and argument are so important.<\/strong> When everyone agrees on a policy, it is never seriously questioned. The arguments for it become ritualised<\/strong>. Zombie numbers get repeated<\/strong> from one document to another, however feeble their real underpinning \u2013 remember the three million jobs we were told for 20 years depended on EU membership? And its advocates don\u2019t feel the need to invest any effort in defending it, because it\u2019s easier just to smear its opponents.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the cross-party agreement on the totemic policy of our time \u2013
net zero 2050 \u2013 is troubling.<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By all means accept the scientific consensus<\/strong>: it doesn\u2019t<\/strong> seem to me to depict \u201cclimate catastrophe\u201d<\/strong>. But net zero 2050 isn\u2019t science. It\u2019s a political goal<\/strong> enshrining a particular view of the trade-offs facing us as a result of climate change. It makes assumptions about how our economies and societies work which must be open to question<\/strong>. If no one ever does question it, we will inevitably end up with bad policy and bad results. That\u2019s why I refuse to remain silent.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these economic assumptions seem to me to be highly suspect.<\/strong> That\u2019s partly because predicting the future is very difficult, and in this case we can prove that, because so many of the predictions in Labour\u2019s Energy White Paper 20 years ago turned out to be wrong.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think, therefore, that the right thing for governments<\/strong> to do would be to invest in basic scientific research<\/strong>, to establish a simple regime for taxing the externality of carbon emissions<\/strong> at whatever level we think justified \u2013 and then stand back and let the market sort out how best to meet the policy goal.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think that, but you would be wrong. Governments have all decided
that they know best and can pick the technologies, the subsidies,
and the targets to get us to net zero.<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why you will be forced to buy ineffective boilers and expensive electric cars.<\/strong> That\u2019s why you\u2019re made to pay for windmills<\/strong>, a technology that was cutting-edge just after the Norman Conquest. That\u2019s why our electricity grid is getting less reliable while<\/strong> at the same time energy bills go ever higher.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some voters are clearly doubtful. So Western governments now go further, and argue that all these inferior technologies will actually improve economic growth<\/strong> \u2013 by a grand total of 2 per cent in 2050, according to reports quoted in Chris Skidmore\u2019s Net Zero Review.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sorry, but I don\u2019t believe it. This whole area is riddled with economic fallacies:
counting benefits but not the costs; optimism bias;
illusory certainty and misplaced confidence in prediction.<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s the belief that raising taxes to pay subsidies will not damage the wider economy. There\u2019s the \u201cbroken windows fallacy\u201d<\/strong>: just as repairing a broken window does not make you any better off, and you also lose the chance to spend the money on something more productive, so scrapping one system of energy production and replacing it with another does not make us richer<\/strong> \u2013 especially when the new system is worse than its predecessor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s the faith that massive projects like insulating every house in the country can be undertaken simply and speedily<\/strong> with just an effort of will. And finally there\u2019s the view that \u201cgreen jobs\u201d,<\/strong> many of them required to install all those less efficient technologies, are somehow a benefit rather than a cost.<\/strong> If you believe that, you must think we could make ourselves wealthier by sending everyone back into the fields to work the land.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stop treating us like idiots.<\/strong> If we are told things will get better, and then they get worse, voters will in the end rebel against the policy. Look at the migration figures if you doubt that. I personally believe we will have to rethink the net zero methods and the timetable.<\/strong> Of course I might be wrong. But let\u2019s have a proper debate and real honesty, not smears and cancellations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Bob Dylan\u2019s greatest songs,\u00a0Not Dark Yet,<\/strong>\u00a0is a reflection on his own waning powers and mortality. We need to make the same reflection about our society. Not only whether we literally go dark, because we can\u2019t keep the lights on any more, but\u00a0whether we in the West can actually summon the strength to resist degrowth, miserabilism and economic decline.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s not dark yet, but it\u2019s getting there.\u201d Time to stop, and rethink.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The text of David Frost\u2019s lecture \u2018Not Dark Yet\u2019 is available\u00a0at GWPF<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So the cross-party agreement on the totemic policy of our time \u2013
\nnet zero 2050 \u2013 is troubling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":261989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818076,691818154,691820180,691818130,691818299],"class_list":{"0":"post-261979","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-co2","9":"tag-net-zero","10":"tag-net-zero-zealots","11":"tag-renewables","12":"tag-subsidies","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0zombie_horde2.jpg?fit=1600%2C1000&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-169t","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":342293,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=342293","url_meta":{"origin":261979,"position":0},"title":"\u201cColossal Waste of Money\u201d: Climate Alarmists Turn on Carbon Capture","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/09\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The insane Net Zero revolution is starting to devour its own children. The latest technology to fall foul of the zealots passionate hatred of all things hydrocarbon is carbon capture, a process that consumes billions of dollars, often fails to meet expectations and, horror of horrors, justifies the continuing activities\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Carbon capture\"","block_context":{"text":"Carbon capture","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-capture"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0Screenshot-2024-09-06-184906.jpeg?fit=1200%2C663&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0Screenshot-2024-09-06-184906.jpeg?fit=1200%2C663&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0Screenshot-2024-09-06-184906.jpeg?fit=1200%2C663&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0Screenshot-2024-09-06-184906.jpeg?fit=1200%2C663&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0Screenshot-2024-09-06-184906.jpeg?fit=1200%2C663&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":363278,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=363278","url_meta":{"origin":261979,"position":1},"title":"Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey: Go Back to Your Constituencies and Prepare to Live in Mud and Grass Huts","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"25\/01\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"As we noted on Tuesday, supporters of the bill are either zealots or boobies. The zealots have a political campaign to pursue and know full well what they are doing, but the boobies are almost certainly unaware of the vital role that hydrocarbons play in the modern economy. Hydrocarbons are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"British Parliament\"","block_context":{"text":"British Parliament","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=british-parliament"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0Screenshot-2025-01-23-180450.jpeg?fit=1181%2C664&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0Screenshot-2025-01-23-180450.jpeg?fit=1181%2C664&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0Screenshot-2025-01-23-180450.jpeg?fit=1181%2C664&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0Screenshot-2025-01-23-180450.jpeg?fit=1181%2C664&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0Screenshot-2025-01-23-180450.jpeg?fit=1181%2C664&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":373501,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=373501","url_meta":{"origin":261979,"position":2},"title":"Put Up Gas Prices, Demand Net Zero\u00a0Zealots","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/04\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Matt Oliver is the Telegraph\u2019s Industry Editor, so I am surprised he has fallen for this dishonest nonsense.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0AA1xi4z3.jpeg?fit=1200%2C721&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0AA1xi4z3.jpeg?fit=1200%2C721&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0AA1xi4z3.jpeg?fit=1200%2C721&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0AA1xi4z3.jpeg?fit=1200%2C721&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0AA1xi4z3.jpeg?fit=1200%2C721&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":255224,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=255224","url_meta":{"origin":261979,"position":3},"title":"Brickworks Closes West Australia Branch, Cites Energy Costs and Planning Delays","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"29\/04\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The green zealots who run West Australia appear to have claimed another energy intensive industry scalp, with the complete pullout of a branch of Australia\u2019s largest brick manufacturer.","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0-Net-Zero-127.jpeg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0-Net-Zero-127.jpeg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0-Net-Zero-127.jpeg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0-Net-Zero-127.jpeg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0-Net-Zero-127.jpeg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":300687,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=300687","url_meta":{"origin":261979,"position":4},"title":"The great electric car lie is a monstrous deception against the British public","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/02\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s laughable for eco zealots to blame Rowan Atkinson for low take-up. 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