http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

The issue is not should we do something. The issue is can we do something in practical terms that will have a meaningful effect on halting climate change? While political opinions vary, there is no scientific knowledge that definitively answers this question. And so political fervour asserts itself on one side or the other.

Global warming is occuring. The long term trend is still intact, although there has been global cooling in recent years. Greenhouse gases, under the right conditions, can cause global warming. That is all we know.

With the increasing emphasis on climate forecasting, not least by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s forthcoming assessment, a crucial element in the argument for action is the accuracy of the forecasts produced by different climate models. Accuracy matters, in terms of the validity of the climate models, the presumed policy impacts and the uncertainties around the forecasts. These uncertainties translate into massive investments in resources which are potentially wasted or mis-allocated.

In the paper, “Validation and forecasting accuracy in models of climate change, now published in the International Journal of Forecasting, Fildes and Kourentzes cast doubt on the effectiveness of climate models when used in 10 year ahead forecasting.

In fact, the Hadley Centre model analysed could be improved by following recommendations long established from forecasting research. In so doing, this research casts doubt on the methods being used by climate modellers to produce accurate forecasts and the levels of accuracy that are claimed.

There are actually a lot of things you can do to reduce energy usage without sacrificing comfort. Better household insulation is probably the biggest, since it means you get more benefit from every unit of heating and cooling power you have. Well designed homes can make a big difference, too. Passive solar heating can help a lot in the winter, especially if your home is insulated well enough to keep the heat. Better energy efficiency inside the house can help a lot in the summer; less waste heat from inefficient appliances means less work for your air conditioner. And if your house is well designed, you may be able to get adequate cooling just by airing the house out at night and keeping the windows closed during the day.

Of course he’s concerned about climate change, .. with a brand spanking new 30K+ SF home at sea level you’d be concerned too.

Divide annual CO2 emissions by population and get back to me. Americans produce by far the most carbon per capita, and the main in-home culprits are meat, travel (car and air), and heating and cooling houses.

I think his real concern is, with climate change, there could an adverse impact on gift basket prices if the reeds used to weave them have their habitat jeopardized.