The UK Conservative Party's Boris Johnson, climate realist and member of Benny Peiser's scholarly electronic network CCNet, has been elected Mayor of London, defeating 'Red Ken' Livingstone.
There are a hundred reasons why Boris Johnson should not be Mayor of London. But his dinosaur views on the environment alone are enough to show what a disaster he would be for our city. The man who backed Bush against the Kyoto treaty and who doesn't believe there's a risk from passive smoking cannot be trusted with our future - or even, really, with his own. He's a 19th century man in a 21st century city
--Sian Berry, Green Party, 25 April 2008
Under a climate change denier like Boris Johnson, we would have to fear for our futures, and for the jobs of all the hundreds who work for us. We would also have to fear for the physical security of the city itself, under the assault of unmitigated global warming, were others to follow Johnson's 'lead' on climate change.
--Jeremy Leggett, SolarCentury, 25 April 2008
The prospect of Boris as Mayor of London is just so scary. The prospect of Boris taking over London's Climate Change Action Plan is even scarier. He may have learnt not to reveal his full contrarian bigotry on climate change, but he really doesn't get it, and would rapidly scale back or completely get rid off the ambitious targets in the Action Plan. And that would be a massive set back. I just hope all the environmental NGOs can rally the troops in London in a pro-Ken campaign, even if they can't come out and explicitly endorse him.
--Jonathon Porritt, Sustainable Development Commission, March 2008
Boris Johnson claimed a remarkable victory in the London mayoral contest on Friday night to cap a disastrous series of results for Gordon Brown in his first electoral test as Prime Minister. Mr Johnson's landmark victory, a result that would have been almost unthinkable six months ago, was the most symbolic blow to Mr Brown's authority on a day that left the Prime Minister facing the gravest crisis of his leadership.
--Andrew Porter and Robert Winnett, The Daily Telegraph, 3 May 2008
[The defeated] Mr Livingstone made clear he views 1 May as a referendum on his policies to tackle climate change and protect the health of Londoners. Aides claimed it would be the first election in British history to be decided largely on environmental issues.
--The London Evening Standard, 25 March 2008
Londoners now face a stark choice. Boris Johnson is an environmental vandal, whose main contribution to environmental policy was as a cheerleader for George W Bush's disastrous decision to oppose the Kyoto climate treaty. The election is neck and neck and everyone who cares about the environment needs to vote with the first and second preferences for myself and Sian Berry if we are to stop Boris Johnson wrecking London's environment.
--Ken Livingstone, 25 April 2008
The hypocrisy of the Europeans over Kyoto is staggering. They attack America in hysterical terms, and yet the 15 EU countries have never come close to meeting their own eight per cent target for cuts in carbon dioxide emissions. They have not even agreed which countries should cut the most. If America were to meet its Kyoto targets now, it would require a cut of 30 per cent in emissions, and how, exactly, is that supposed to work in the current economic downturn? It would exacerbate the recession, and when Bush says no, he is doing what is right not just for America but for the world
--Boris Johnson, The Daily Telegraph, April 2001
The world's first election about environmental issues - and the Green got 3.5%!!
We must be approaching a "tipping point".
Well done Boris, remember how badly the green party have done. Common sense prevails, agreed Carlo
victory for common sense!!
No frothing ranter I don't.
I did a survey - and nobody knew about the PDO and AMO or MOC.
"AGW is too complex for the public to grasp."
Oh - so now we're all too stupid to grasp the concept that more CO2 = hotter climate = we're all doomed. Talk about the height of arrogance.
Did you ever consider the possibility that maybe the public is too smart to be taken in by simplistic garbage like this?
Well scumbo - here's my issue - I'm not telling you what to do at all. What worries me is the insidious venomous divisiveness that pervades all your rhetoric. You're not part of the solution just more of the same old problem.
And yes indeed I agree with Sid (finally) - the ballot box will be the final arbiter - AGW will be voted down - the vast majority aren't going to cop any reduction in living standards or carbon taxes. It ain't gonna happen or if it does it won't last. AGW is too complex for the public to grasp.
Rudd probably already senses this - and you'll note he's hastening slowly.
However none of this will make more iota difference to the atmosphere's final decision.
I have commented in recent threads here, that the ballot box will be the final arbiter in this "global warming" nonsense. That people may feel good about 'earth hour' and similar fantasies but once they start to be hurt by it in the hip pocket...They will reject it.
Apparently that is what has happened in London!
Watch out Kevin...You may be hit for seven.
"and reinforces the opposition's need to kick you into the stone age at the first opportunity"
If you take the time to read your own words, maybe you can understand what the rest of us are really campaigning against -- it's the fear of waking up one morning and finding fruitcakes like you and Ender running the show.
Unfortunately, self-righteous egomaniacs like the two of you won't be happy until you have EVERYONE back in the stone age.
You really are a tedious ranter aren't you. You realise that just progagandising like you do doesn't convince anyone except your banjo twanging mates that you're right and reinforces the opposition's need to kick you into the stone age at the first opportunity. Welcome to your more polarised, more hateful society. Issue resolution zilch.
"If Boris baby is who you all want - no problemo."
Oh sure.
Interesting to read the Alarmist Age this morning. According to them, Boris' win is all part of the general backlash "as the British economy suffers fallout from the US subprime mortgage crisis." Not a single mention of Environmentalist (i.e. big-E, religious) issues.
In fact, there has been no coverage in the Alarmist Age that the creaking, rat-infested 'SS Climate Science' struck an iceberg and sank with loss of all those aboard - or that none of them will be missed.
If David Irving is looking for work, there is an opportunity for him in advising the Alarmist Age and the ABC as they go about reinventing history.