CO2 terror salesman mistakenly says Kiribati island is sinking, instead of being happy when he finds it's not sinking, he spews extra 'carbon,' denies the science, and hurls a hateful epithet

5/17/13, "Look at this other drowning island, the Global Mail writer insisted. So I did…," Andrew Bolt, Australia Herald Sun

"Yesterday I noted this typical example of eco-catastrophism by one of the warming alarmists on the Global Mail:

• The waves are slowly seeping over Kiribati, which is at the frontline of the climate-change-induced rise in sea levels striking low-lying nations all over the world. Formerly part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands — a British protectorate until the mid 1970s — Kiribati is lower, frailer and more defenceless. It may be the first nation to enter an end game against climate change.

Kiribati’s leaders now face wrenching questions: How many of its 100,000 people will need to leave? Where will they go? How will it feed those remaining? And, as its islands become uninhabitable, can Kiribati remain a nation at all?

I wondered how that Kiribati-is-drowning meme squared with satellite time-lapse pictures showing no such thing. 

Indeed, recent studies show no cause for alarm:

Climate scientists have expressed surprise at findings that many low-lying Pacific islands are growing, not sinking. 

Islands in Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia are among those which have grown, largely due to coral debris, land reclamation and sediment. 

The findings, published in the magazine New Scientist, were gathered by comparing changes to 27 Pacific islands over the last 20 to 60 years using historical aerial photos and satellite images. 
Auckland University’s Associate Professor Paul Kench, a member of the team of scientists, says the results challenge the view that Pacific islands are sinking due to rising sea levels associated with climate change. 

 "Eighty per cent of the islands we’ve looked at have either remained about the same or, in fact, gotten larger,” he said. 

But you just can’t tell an alarmist anything. The Global Mail’s alarmist, Bernard Lagan, promptly claimed that I’d simply looked at the wrong island:

• What Bolt failed to tell his readers is that the Earth Engine link he posted is in fact Christmas Island, the most remote and among the least populated of Kiribati’s 33 islands and atolls…

Here is the Landsat link to South Tarawa that Bolt — had he wanted to show Kiribati’s tiny, low-lying population centre — should have posted.

I wonder how many Global Mail readers clicked on that link to see if it showed what Lagan implied it showed - an island drowning under rising seas. 

In fact, if anything, it seems to suggest the very opposite. The satellite time-lapse series begins in 1999 (the top picture) and ends in 2012 (the bottom). Check for yourself if the island of Kiribati said by Lagan to better show the effects of global warming is indeed drowning - or just waving: 

 
Another thing, Lagan informed the credulous readers of the Global Mail that global warming was filling South Tarawa with refugees from global warming:

• The main population centre of South Tarawa is severely over-crowded and the problem is worsening because outer-islanders fleeing the effects of climate change are coming to South Tarawa.

They are? 

That’s odd. The 2012 Republic of Kiribati Report Series also notes the population boom, but of all the explanations it gives, not one is global warming:

• The population of Kiribati grew by 10,525 people between 2005 and 2010. Almost all of this growth is in South Tarawa, which grew by 9,871 people.

The practice of sending children for schooling and leaving them with relatives on South Tarawa, and relations visiting families on South Tarawa hoping to find jobs, or for health reasons and staying with them indefinitely are some of the main reasons for this overcrowding issue. But though these are the usual reasons given for the growing population of South Tarawa, the 2010 Census reveals that more babies are now being born on South Tarawa than on any other island, contributing to about 2.26 of the population annually to South Tarawa.

Indeed, it’s inclined to reject what Lagan suggests: 

• However, there is evidence that at present, climate change is not the main cause of coastal erosion, water shortages or overcrowding. Other issues, especially population growth and the move to Western lifestyles, are having a more immediate impact.

Mark Lynas, once a prominent global warming catastrophist, last year noted how warmists were misrepresenting the facts about Kiribati: 

A new paper published in the AGU’s house journal Eos Transactions shows why caution is often justified. Here ... is the 1993-2011 sea level trend data from Tarawa atoll, part of Kiribati in the central Pacific:

Whoa! No sea-level rise there, then. And yet of course climate campaigners – and even the Kiribati government – understandably anxious to highlight the future existential threat to the islands, have used storm surges, flooding events and suchlike as evidence of current sea-level rise impacts. Which they are almost certainly not, at least not in Tarawa atoll anyway…[please see update about atolls at end of post]

In Tarawa atoll, direct human interference probably explains the majority of what is often pointed to as evidence of sea-level rise impact, according to Donner...:  

"The combination of natural weather – and climate – driven variability in sea level and the astronomical tidal cycle can lead to flooding and erosion events, particularly in sand-dominated systems like atolls and barrier islands. For example, the 2004–2005 ENSO event contributed to two major flooding events in Tarawa… These flooding events, though statistically more likely to happen as global average sea level rises, are themselves no more evidence of rising sea level than an individual heat wave is evidence of rising global temperatures. Despite a continued global average sea level rise, the gauge height reached on 10 February 2005 in Tarawa has not been surpassed since."

The paper then goes on to discuss some direct human impacts which can impact shoreline dynamics with or without a sea-level trend:
 
"Three types of shoreline modification that are typical in low-lying island nations have altered sediment supply and island shape in South Tarawa [Webb, 2005].  

•  First, land reclamation, accomplished by infilling behind a constructed sea wall, has increased land area in some locations but exacerbated erosion and inundation in others…

•   Second, the practice of mining of beaches and barrier reefs for construction materials, common in Kiribati, Tuvalu, and other atoll nations, can make the shoreline more vulnerable to tidal extremes and storms… 

• Last, the construction of causeways between islets has altered islet evolution. Unlike a bridge, a solid, hard-topped causeway limits or blocks the natural flow of sediment between the ocean and the lagoon… The lagoon islet of Bikeman, which was dotted with coconut trees during the Battle of Tarawa, is now a sandbar that disappears from view at high tide. Despite some claims to the contrary by climate activists, the loss of this once popular resting spot for fishermen is primarily due to the construction of the Betio-Bairiki causeway, which redirects sediment flow."

Yesterday Lagan suggested I was a liar and “denier” to doubt his tale of global warming horror on Kiribati. An apology would be nice.

UPDATE
   
Willis Eschenbach:

• Since (as Darwin showed) atolls float up with the sea level, the idea that they will be buried by sea level rises is totally unfounded. Despite never being more than a few metres tall, they have survived a sea level rise of up to three hundred plus feet (call it a hundred metres) within the last twenty thousand years. Historically they have floated up higher than the peaks of drowned mountains.

So the third claim is not true either. Atolls are created by sea level rise, not destroyed by sea level rise." via Tom Nelson

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Among comments to Andrew Bolt:

"Andrew, I don’t understand why you don’t sue him?  I know you have said you don’t like the legal path because you have been a victim of it yourself.  But did you ever consider that one of the main reasons people like him keep doing this, is because people like you let them get away with it ?  I hate to say it - but you have to take some of the blame for this.  You are in a unique position to have these frauds brought to account, and yet you chose to let them continue with their slander and lies.  I`m starting to think maybe you actually want them to keep doing it - otherwise Andrew Bolt, may not have anything to write about. 

max (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (12:45am) 

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Leigh replied to max
Fri 17 May 13 (02:04pm) 

Andrew you seem to have struck a nerve with this bloke and his audience.
Some of the nasty comments posted about you had me laughing out loud.
 
Loved this one,

“Andrew Bolt is the most repulsive of creatures. With a vastly over-inflated ego, extreme right-wing views, he has now added ‘disgraceful liar’ to his CV. He’s got an ego larger than Ayer’s Rock (Uluru), but the IQ of George W. Bush. How he ever managed to get a job in journalism is beyond me, but to rise up the ranks so quickly shows how bereft the LNP are of competent political commentators with some intellectual ability. Prominent “Intellectuals” who carry the LNP’s brand and sing their praises include Alan Jones and his ilk.”

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An apology? Fat chance. 

Lagan will stick his finger in his ears and go lalala. 

Chris F of Melbourne (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (02:04am)

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What? No mention of the ever sinking Maldives with it’s new International airport and new luxury resorts up and running? 

Remember the staged “underwater Cabinet meeting”
to attract additional foreign aid for the “sinking” Maldives? 

PS isn’t the “Global Mail “ a home for would be journos even the “Guardian” won’t employ? 

watty of far left coast (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (02:29am) 

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The chances of any Kiribati island catastrophe due to rising water caused by Global Warming, Climate Change or even CO2 are far, far less than the chance of Andrew Bolt getting an apology from Bernard Lagan or the Global Mail.  The chance of the latter is also zero as is the chance of the former. 

nicholas william tesdorf of kings cross (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (03:23am) 

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An apology would be nice

I wouldn’t be holding my breath there Andrew. Such courtesy and respect for others is anathema to activist warmists. 

Country Bumpkin of Qld (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (03:26am) 

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(1)
After QLD floods victims received a poultry $1 Million fed Gov assistance in Feb, Bob Carr toured ‘climate change ravaged’ Kiribati throwing away $15 million for climate guilt… 

http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/australia-throwing-away-15-million-for-climate-guilt/
 
You’d think Carr would have done some basic climate research noting neither satellites nor tide gauges show any rise in sea level over the last thirty years. Or was Kiribati an opportune time for a Carbon Tax promo in an election year? 

ahhh Labor waste at its finest and Labor Global Warming crimes against the Australian taxpayer on show for all to ‘sea’ ! 

Jamie S of Bali (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (03:59am) 

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(2)
Re other ‘Island Nations’ queuing up for Australia & UN’s “Loss & Damage” Climate Billions - Maldives recently opened 4 new ‘underwater’ airports to add to total of 9. Whilst the Maldivian Govt puts the hand out for climate $$$, clearly they’re not too worried. 

http://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/maldives-opening-four-new-underwater-airports/
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/15/message-to-maldives-president-your-claims-are-bs/
 
Good job on Lagan by the way ~ another catastrophist with alarmist sand in his eye! 

Jamie S of Bali (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (04:00am) 

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Anyone who’d believe Julia Gillard would ipso facto believe in disappearing islands, so I’d recommend stopping trying to convinve ‘em and shutting the door of the padded room on your way out. 

The Old and Unimproved Dave (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (05:46am) 

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I have known for years that the alarmist are full of bullshit, but until the media is cleaned out of left wing loonies the mass of the population will never know. The most important thing the next government must do is fix the media inbalance. People are very lazy, they never research anything themselves, they just believe what they are told. 

jimheath of brisbane (Reply)
Fri 17 May 13 (06:03am)"

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Ed. note: Please excuse extra wide gaps between some of the comments. Google/Blogger has been hacking and vandalizing my blogs for several years. One of the things they do is destroy the appearance of my posts. I spend a half hour or so trying to repair the appearance, spacing, etc., then they wreck another part of the post. It's a merry go round that never stops. In the past they've simply erased large amounts of posts. The radical left knows its ideas can't survive when discussed freely on a level playing field. They can only win by silencing all opposition.