Live Microblogging Of Cardinal George Pell’s “One Christian Perspective On Climate Change” For The GWPF

This is an ordered version of my live microblogging (Twitter – @mmorabito67) of “One Christian Perspective On Climate Change”, the GWPF Annual Lecture by the RC Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell (Oct 26, 2011) (not exactly a staunch traditionalist, apart perhaps from his views on the family), presented on the evening by Benny Peiser with:

[…] In this week’s issue of Church Times, the weekly journal of the Church of England, Peter Forster, the Bishop of Chester and one of our Trustees and who, I am happy to say, is with us tonight in the audience, wrote:

“The Churches have tended to follow climate alarmism with uncritical enthusiasm, but it is now time to take stock. The moral issues surrounding climate policy, as well as the underlying scientific and economic issues, are much more complex than is usually acknowledged. It is time for the Churches to recognise this, and to lead a debate which helps our society to a more sensible set of policies.”

I believe that nobody has done more to raise these awkward questions within the Catholic Church than Cardinal Pell. It is an irony of our bewildering times that it is a courageous churchman who dares to question one of our society’s most entrenched dogmas – but that is exactly what he will do tonight.

1. Reached Cardinal Pell’s lecture some 30 minutes late Will microblog whatever is left
2. Cardinal Pell talking of English wines and warm Greenland
3. Room quite full, more than 100 people for sure Yes, there’s a podium and a microphone
4. Now mentioning the globality of the medieval warm period
5. Maya civilization collapsed during MWP
6. Conclusions: Western world unlikely to develop further of money is spent to fight global warming
7. “Extreme weather events are to be expected but are always unexpected”
8. “Money should be spent to prevent vulnerability”
9. Too often people approach climate change with assumptions not questions
10. Need a cost benefit analysis economically and morally
11. Any benefit apart from more money to governments via taxes and to whoever works in the AGW sector?
12. Long applause 30 minutes of questions
13. Q: AGW nonsense is a cult or a biz opportunity or political? Q: Roman Catholic concerns on climate change? Even Pope
14. A: no judgment on people’s motives A substitute of religion for some $10B/y for years Not much global government
15. A: 9 years Chairman of Caritas Australia so has seen the world and third world
16. Speaking as individual – RC is a Church with no competence on scientific claims
17. Cardinal Pell sees his speaking as a way of telling the truth People may disagree but he’d like to see good policies
18. Q: oil running out, new extractions make environment worse Q: Political divergence between Australian parties?
19. A: eventually we will run out of fossil fuels Past predictions spectacularly wrong Technology will provide alternatives
20. No apologies for the mistreatment of anybody anywhere Some commercial developments are very rough Try minimize costs
21. Says he has not much opinion on either Australian political parties
22. Q: why the IPCC never cares about the advantages to the world of increased CO2? Q: theology of husbanding resources
23. A: no mention of advantages? (Talks of Bob Carter’s book) People reluctant to admit anything contrary to previous belief
24. A: husbanding the world for the future yes
25. My Q: do Cardinals talk about AGW when they meet up? Q: responsible for future? Pope might disagree with Pell
26. A: never discussed AGW among Cardinals Opinions evenly divided in a conference
27. A: pontifical academy of science also contains differing opinions Husbandry important but what are the facts?
28. Follow Church for morality and religion not obligated to follow the PAS on science
29. Q: Attenborough mention of changes due to climate change Will make claim that humans are partially responsible
30. Q: (more theology)
31. A: Attenborough’s changes? Things have always changed We can pick and choose anything for any argument
32. A: always look at evidence Disagreement among scientists
33. many geologists doubt catastrophesA: too many unknown unknowns No way of computing the future of climate
34. Q: did AGW replace Marxism? What right to keep poor nations poor by preventing use of fossil fuels?
35. Q: AGW is taught as a fact Is that moral?
36. A: people need a religion so there’s something in people finding comfort in AGW
37. China very polluted and would need free press We can’t impose impossible fuel standards
38. There’s been global warming during last 100 years but we don’t know if it’s dangerous and how much humans contribute
39. Some Christians feel uneasy about their faith so concentrate on feminism or social psychology instead
40. Q: (inaudible) Q: important points made Opinion on Carbon tax? How can we help poor by taxing them?
41. A: balance and trust are based on truth Worried about unscientific words uttered by scientists
42. A: no problem when disagreeing with other people in the Church
43. end of session with Lord Lawson