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News Corp embraces fantasy genre by turning climate crisis into ‘laughable’ science fiction News Corp embraces fantasy genre by turning climate crisis into ‘laughable’ science fiction
(32 minutes later)
The National Climate Risk Assessment was attacked in the Daily Telegraph, while wind turbines became a frightening obstacle for firefighting planes and solar panels a source of mountains of landfill waste The National Climate Risk Assessment is attacked in the Daily Telegraph, while wind turbines became a frightening obstacle for firefighting planes and solar panels a source of mountains of landfill waste
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On the front page of the Daily Telegraph, Australia’s first comprehensive assessment of the risks from climate change became “SCIENCE FICTION”.On the front page of the Daily Telegraph, Australia’s first comprehensive assessment of the risks from climate change became “SCIENCE FICTION”.
In other leading stories in recent weeks, wind turbines became a frightening obstacle for firefighting planes and solar panels were a source of mountains of landfill waste. In other leading stories, wind turbines became a frightening obstacle for firefighting planes and solar panels were a source of mountains of landfill waste.
Some might say there’s a pattern there that would not be out of character with News Corporation’s more than occasional animosity towards climate change science and renewable energy.Some might say there’s a pattern there that would not be out of character with News Corporation’s more than occasional animosity towards climate change science and renewable energy.
Was there any truth in all this? Let’s have a rummage.Was there any truth in all this? Let’s have a rummage.
Science fact not fictionScience fact not fiction
The National Climate Risk Assessment, released this month, found climate change would affect all aspects of Australian lives and the country’s economy. The National Climate Risk Assessment, released last month, found climate change would affect all aspects of Australian lives and the country’s economy.
“SCIENCE FICTION: Doomsday report out of this world: US expert” blared the Daily Telegraph’s headline, more than a week after the government released the assessment.“SCIENCE FICTION: Doomsday report out of this world: US expert” blared the Daily Telegraph’s headline, more than a week after the government released the assessment.
“Bowen’s climate doom ‘fiction’,” declared a headline on an inside page.“Bowen’s climate doom ‘fiction’,” declared a headline on an inside page.
The front-page story, which was also page one news in Melbourne’s Herald Sun, was based entirely on the views of one US-based political scientist, Dr Roger Pielke Jr, who is loved among climate sceptics for his views that have downplayed the costs of climate change impacts.The front-page story, which was also page one news in Melbourne’s Herald Sun, was based entirely on the views of one US-based political scientist, Dr Roger Pielke Jr, who is loved among climate sceptics for his views that have downplayed the costs of climate change impacts.
Pielke Jr is currently a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute – a conservative thinktank with a record of opposing climate action. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter
Pielke Jr argued the Australian Climate Service that coordinated the assessment had chosen a scenario of the future that was “from science fiction” and “doesn’t pass the laugh test”, suggesting it was a gross overestimate of population rise, temperature rise and the amount of coal that would be burned in the future. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter
Pielke Jr is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute – a conservative thinktank with a record of opposing climate action.
He argued the Australian Climate Service that coordinated the assessment had chosen a scenario of the future that was “from science fiction” and “doesn’t pass the laugh test”, suggesting it was a gross overestimate of population rise, temperature rise and the amount of coal that would be burned in the future.
“That’s a red herring,” said Dr Andrew Watkins, a research associate at Monash University, a lead author of the risk assessment and a former long-serving senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology.“That’s a red herring,” said Dr Andrew Watkins, a research associate at Monash University, a lead author of the risk assessment and a former long-serving senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology.
“Maybe Roger doesn’t actually understand the purpose of the risk assessment?”“Maybe Roger doesn’t actually understand the purpose of the risk assessment?”
Despite hanging an entire page one story off Pielke Jr’s claim, experts told Temperature Check his focus on scenarios was not relevant. Despite the tabloids’ hanging an entire page one story off Pielke Jr’s claim, experts told Temperature Check his focus on scenarios was not relevant.
The risk assessment was based instead on the impacts in Australia from three different levels of global warming – 1.5C, 2C and 3C.The risk assessment was based instead on the impacts in Australia from three different levels of global warming – 1.5C, 2C and 3C.
Watkins said any suggestion global heating would be “well below or well above these scenarios is the greater science fiction”.Watkins said any suggestion global heating would be “well below or well above these scenarios is the greater science fiction”.
“Lead authors, including [UN assessment] lead authors and those with professional lifetimes tackling the technical world of climate projections with some of the best climate minds in Australia, were involved in creating these datasets.“Lead authors, including [UN assessment] lead authors and those with professional lifetimes tackling the technical world of climate projections with some of the best climate minds in Australia, were involved in creating these datasets.
“Why would you ignore that brilliance,” asked Watkins. “That’s not journalism.” “Why would you ignore that brilliance?” Watkins asked. “That’s not journalism.”
Prof Christian Jakob, a climate modelling expert at Monash University who was not involved in the risk assessment, said Pielke Jr’s claim’s of “science fiction” were laughable.Prof Christian Jakob, a climate modelling expert at Monash University who was not involved in the risk assessment, said Pielke Jr’s claim’s of “science fiction” were laughable.
Jakob said the prospects of global heating of 1.5C and 2C were “very real”.Jakob said the prospects of global heating of 1.5C and 2C were “very real”.
“The [ACS] went to 3C of warming,” he said. “It would have been irresponsible not to assess the risks at that level of warming.”“The [ACS] went to 3C of warming,” he said. “It would have been irresponsible not to assess the risks at that level of warming.”
The Daily Telegraph ran one sentence of a four-sentence response from the ACS, which said Pielke Jr had “incorrectly represented the methodology used”.The Daily Telegraph ran one sentence of a four-sentence response from the ACS, which said Pielke Jr had “incorrectly represented the methodology used”.
In some newsrooms, that might have been enough for editors to hit pause on a story.In some newsrooms, that might have been enough for editors to hit pause on a story.
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Solar panel wasteSolar panel waste
“Solar rubbish piling up” was the headline on a Daily Telegraph story earlier this month, which said millions of panels were being thrown away. “Solar rubbish piling up” was the headline on another Daily Telegraph story last month, which said millions of panels were being thrown away.
The Telegraph complained this was happening while state and federal governments were “failing to implement a mandatory recycling scheme” for the panels. The Telegraph complained that this was happening while state and federal governments were “failing to implement a mandatory recycling scheme”.
A month before this story ran, state and federal environment ministers had met to discuss the need for a scheme to make panel suppliers responsible for the design, recycling and disposal of solar panels.A month before this story ran, state and federal environment ministers had met to discuss the need for a scheme to make panel suppliers responsible for the design, recycling and disposal of solar panels.
The NSW state government is working with other states to report on the impacts of a scheme, and the commonwealth and NSW are also investigating how a scheme could work nationally. The New South Wales government is working with other states to report on the impacts of a scheme, and the commonwealth and NSW are also investigating how a scheme could work nationally.
So while it’s true a scheme hasn’t been implemented, it’s also true there is work going on behind the scenes. That includes new businesses opening up that are recycling panels.So while it’s true a scheme hasn’t been implemented, it’s also true there is work going on behind the scenes. That includes new businesses opening up that are recycling panels.
The story said 59,340 tonnes of solar panel waste was likely going to be generated this year – a figure that comes from University of NSW research. That sounds like a lot, but is it? The story said 59,340 tonnes of solar panel waste was likely to be generated this year – a figure that comes from University of NSW research. That sounds like a lot, but is it?
The estimated tonnage of solar panels being dumped right now is about 0.2% of the 26m tonnes of waste that is currently going to landfill in Australia. The estimated tonnage of solar panels being dumped right now is about 0.2% of the 26m tonnes of waste going to landfill in Australia.
Curiously, the Daily Telegraph reported how it had “uncovered advertisements” on reselling sites such as Gumtree of solar panels being sold for as little as $5 each. An example, apparently, of second-panels not going to landfill (let’s not dwell on how you “uncover” an advertisement). Curiously, the Daily Telegraph reported how it had “uncovered advertisements” on reselling sites such as Gumtree of solar panels being sold for as little as $5 each. An example, apparently, of panels not going to landfill (let’s not dwell on how you “uncover” an advertisement).
Experts say 95% of solar panels can be recycled and, curiously again, the Telegraph spoke to one business owner who said it took “about a minute” to collect the aluminium, copper, silver and silicone that are in panels. Experts say 95% of solar panels can be recycled and, curiously again, the Telegraph spoke to one business owner who said it took “about a minute” to collect the aluminium, copper, silver and silicone that are in them.
‘Just fallacies’‘Just fallacies’
This week, the Daily Telegraph ran a page one story – “FANNING THE FLAMES” – on how aerial firefighting support pilots were refusing to fly near “giant net zero projects” for “fear of crashing into wind turbines.” This week the Daily Telegraph ran a page one story – “FANNING THE FLAMES” – on how aerial firefighting support pilots were refusing to fly near “giant net zero projects” for “fear of crashing into wind turbines”.
The printed version of the story didn’t include a response from the NSW Rural Fire Service but did include comments from a retired Yass Valley group captain who had sent a report to his local council outlining concerns about wind turbines.The printed version of the story didn’t include a response from the NSW Rural Fire Service but did include comments from a retired Yass Valley group captain who had sent a report to his local council outlining concerns about wind turbines.
Greg Mullins, a former commissioner of Fire and Rescue New South Wales and strong advocate for climate action and still a volunteer firefighter, was not impressed. Greg Mullins, a former commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, strong advocate for climate action and still a volunteer firefighter, was not impressed.
“These are just fallacies,” he told Temperature Check. “I can’t imagine there would be more than a handful of pilots that are not skilled enough to work out the hazards in their operating space.“These are just fallacies,” he told Temperature Check. “I can’t imagine there would be more than a handful of pilots that are not skilled enough to work out the hazards in their operating space.
“They fight fires in the US and Europe around windfarms. Why this would suddenly emerge as a major problem here is a mystery. Firefighters and pilots will just work around turbines like they work around everything else. If there’s a hazard, they just wait and fight the fire away from it.”“They fight fires in the US and Europe around windfarms. Why this would suddenly emerge as a major problem here is a mystery. Firefighters and pilots will just work around turbines like they work around everything else. If there’s a hazard, they just wait and fight the fire away from it.”
An RFS spokesperson said bushfires moving across a windfarm “are generally managed in the same way as any other bushfire and their presence does not preclude the use of firefighting aircraft to suppress the fire”.An RFS spokesperson said bushfires moving across a windfarm “are generally managed in the same way as any other bushfire and their presence does not preclude the use of firefighting aircraft to suppress the fire”.
Mullins added some renewable energy projects actually made firefighting easier, with provisions such as dams for filling aircraft and access trails. Mullins added that some renewable energy projects actually made firefighting easier, with provisions such as dams for filling aircraft and access trails.