Subjectively 2015 seemed like a very hot year, so there may be some surprise to find that according to the BOM’s Annual climate statement 2015 it was only the fifth hottest year. That’s possibly because the October-December period was the hottest on record. There was exceptional heat early in October, with parts of Victoria being 7°C above normal. Nationally October was 2.89°C above the 1961-90 average, a record monthly anomaly. Continue reading Australia’s annual climate statement 2015
Reconciling estimates of climate sensitivity
The most important number in climate science is not 400 ppm or 2ºC. It’s climate sensitivity, the amount of warming we’ll get from doubling CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Curiously the IPCC AR5 report declined to give a number. Continue reading Reconciling estimates of climate sensitivity
Where the wind blows…
Households can now think about harnessing wind power as well as solar:
- A super-efficient and completely soundless wind turbine developed by a Dutch company aims to enable every household to generate its own wind energy. Continue reading Where the wind blows…
Wild weather reaches the North Pole
A freak heatwave has pushed the North Pole temperature to above freezing, about 20°C above average.
Nearby:
-
An Arctic monitoring point 300 kilometres from the Pole that had been recording -37°C on Monday had shot up to -8°C by Wednesday.
The tip of an iceberg, or a broadbrush smear?
Terry Sweetman in the Courier Mail has raised a real question about the objectivity of Commissioner Dyson Heydon’s report on trade unions.
- the part of the iceberg he can identify is populated by about 30 unionists and 16 executives from large commercial organisations who are adversely mentioned or recommended for possible prosecution.
Sweetman says the misconduct identified by Heydon stems from just six of the 132 unions in Australia (Heydon’s figures). Continue reading The tip of an iceberg, or a broadbrush smear?
Saturday salon 2/1
1. Arise Sir Lynton!
At first I thought it was a joke, but apparently it really happened! Lynton Crosby was knighted for services to the realm!
As far as anyone can see he was knighted for doing a party political job for which he had already been paid handsomely – £500,000 ($A1,015,500). Continue reading Saturday salon 2/1
The year that was – 2015
Ian MaAuley hopes “we will make progress to becoming a real “developed” country, and not just a third world country temporarily enjoying a first world living standard.”
- Donald Horne wrote 50 years ago, “Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.”
Well, we’ve run out of luck, and make that third rate people. Continue reading The year that was – 2015
Taking out the garbage
While we are all at the beach and otherwise distracted, Malcolm Turnbull has been doing some house cleaning.
Liberal MP Mal Brough will stand aside, pending a police investigation of the Peter Slipper matter, while Jamie Briggs has tendered his resignation as Minister for Cities and the Built Environment following a late-night incident involving a female public servant in a Hong Kong bar during an official overseas visit last month. Continue reading Taking out the garbage
Happiness is…
At this time of the year we invariably wish for people to be happy.
I recently came upon an article where Tiffany Watt Smith was interviewed about how language affects emotion. It seems that the assumption that happiness could be within our reach is a relatively new phenomenon. Not so long ago we aspired to be sad: Continue reading Happiness is…
Sunday penalty rates
Almost everything conservative commentators say about the industrial relations system is wrong, says Peter Martin. It works well, it isn’t creating wages explosions, and it isn’t pricing people out of work.
What do the conservatives think about Sunday penalty rates? Mark Kenny explains: Continue reading Sunday penalty rates
Saturday salon 26/12
1. Spanish elections
Wall Street Journal has the story, or you could try The Guardian, or The Independent.
The ruling conservative Popular Party was reduced to 28.7% of the vote, followed by the main socialist party PSOE with 22%. These two parties normally win 70-80% of the vote, now reduced to around 50%. Third was Podemos, a far-left anti-austerity party less than two years old. Next was Ciudadanos, a centre-right party, with 13.9%. Continue reading Saturday salon 26/12
Seasons greetings
Climate Plus wishes you a pleasant Christmas/New Year and health and happiness for 2016.
It’s quiet this year, but I intend to keep blogging as time permits. Continue reading Seasons greetings