Latest on UK global warming denial documentary

Looks like the video 'The Great Global Warming Swindle', discussed here yesterday, has been pulled from Google Video. Maybe you can find it elsewhere on the Net.

Recommended reading is a new George Monbiot article that deconstructs the deconstructors: Don't let truth stand in the way of a red-hot debunking of climate change.

Also to read: Martin Durkin, the documentary's director, at this article at Wikipedia (which says "Durkin was also questioned by the Independent newspaper regarding the origins of a graph of global temperatures in recent years that was crucial to his argument. He has been unable to point to the source of the graph, which was labelled as 'NASA' but did not reflect the most recent data NASA have freely available on their website"). And some more on this odd ideologue and alleged associate of the Revolutionary Communist Party (UK, 1978), by George Monbiot here, and some more at New Independent.

Prof. Carl Wunsch (pictured), who appeared in the 'Swindle' documentary, claims to have been swindled himself – by none other than the documentarians:

"An example where my own discussion was grossly distorted by context: I am shown explaining that a warming ocean could expel more carbon dioxide than it absorbs – thus exacerbating the greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere and hence worrisome. It was used in the film, through its context, to imply that CO2 is all natural, coming from the ocean, and that therefore the human element is irrelevant. This use of my remarks, which are literally what I said, comes close to fraud.

"I have some experience in dealing with TV and print reporters and do understand something of the ways in which one can be misquoted, quoted out of context, or otherwise misinterpreted. Some of that is inevitable in the press of time or space or in discussions of complicated issues. Never before, however, have I had an experience like this one. My appearance in the 'Global Warming Swindle' is deeply embarrasing, and my professional reputation has been damaged. I was duped – an uncomfortable position in which to be."
Source

Thanks be to Nora from Extra! Extra! for sending me the Monbiot article, and the following comment left at her blog:

Calvin Jones has left a new comment on your post "Debunking the debunking!":

It appears that the recent Channel 4 and More4 documentary "The Great Global Warming Swindle" has left many viewers doubting that today's climate change is largely humanly caused. In this email, anyone so affected by the programme is urged to view the following information:

1. An introduction to the flaws of the programme. http://climatedenial.org/2007/03/09/the-great-channel-four-swindle/ (or Google "climate denial", go to 9 Mar post.)

2. How a similar docu on Channel 4 by the same director Martin Durkin in 1997 was rapped by the ITC, in particular for misleading four featured interviewees and distorting their views. See Parags. 8-11 of http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2001694,00.html

3. Prof. Carl Wunsch says: I was misled and misrepresented in the 'swindle' documentary

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/climate_change/article2347526.ece

4. http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=414
(or Google "Realclimate", go to 9 Mar post.) Climate scientists' view of some of the key flawed or discredited claims made by the programme (some of which you may have seen elsewhere). A site praised by Scientific American, with explanations for the medieval grapes, why Thames stopped freezing, and loads more.

5. http://www.hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3268874#post3268874
- with THAT graph clearly explained, plus a clear guide to the links of some of the interviewees.

6. Royal Society and science academies around the world joint statement on climate change:
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/news.asp?id=3226
(or via Google "Royal Society").

7. A blog discussion on the programme, including details of apparent breaches of the Broadcasting Code, and how to complain. http://portal.campaigncc.org/node/1820 (or Google "Climate Campaign Portal".)

Posted by Calvin Jones to extra! extra!

Tagged: google, video, climate+change, global+warming