"Lord Monckton invites ‘Chazza’ to spar over ‘unroyal’ global-warming remark."
"His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales,
Clarence House, London.
Candlemas, 2014
Your Royal Highness’ recent remarks describing those who have scientific and economic reason to question the Establishment opinion on climatic apocalypse in uncomplimentary and unroyal terms as “headless chickens” mark the end of our constitutional monarchy and a return to the direct involvement of the Royal Family, in the Person of our future king, no less, in the cut and thrust of partisan politics.
Now that Your Royal Highness has offered Your Person as fair game in the shootout of politics, I am at last free to offer two options. I need no longer hold back, as so many have held back, as Your Royal Highness’ interventions in politics have become more frequent and less acceptable in their manner as well as in their matter.
Option 1. Your Royal Highness will renounce the Throne forthwith and for aye. Those remarks were rankly party-political and were calculated to offend those who still believe, as Your Royal Highness plainly does not, that the United Kingdom should be and remain a free country, where any subject of Her Majesty may study science and economics, may draw his conclusions from his research and may publish the results, however uncongenial the results may be.
The line has been crossed. No one who has intervened thus intemperately in politics may legitimately occupy the Throne. Your Royal Highness’ arrogant and derogatory dismissiveness towards the near-50 percent of your subjects who no longer follow the New Religion is tantamount to premature abdication. Goodnight, sweet prince. No more “Your Royal Highness.”
Hi, there, Chazza! You are a commoner now, just like most of Her Majesty’s subjects. You will find us a cheerfully undeferential lot. Most of us don’t live in palaces, and none of us goes everywhere with his own personalized set of monogrammed white leather lavatory seat covers.
The United Kingdom Independence Party, which until recently I had the honor to represent in Scotland, considers – on the best scientific and economic evidence – that the profiteers of doom are unjustifiably enriching themselves at our expense.
For instance, even the unspeakable Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has accepted advice from me and my fellow expert reviewers that reliance upon ill-constructed and defective computer models to predict climate was a mistake. Between the pre-final and final drafts of the “Fifth Assessment Report,” published late last year, the Panel ditched the models and substituted its own “expert assessment” that in the next 30 years the rate of warming will be half what the models predict.
In fact, the dithering old fossils in white lab coats with leaky Biros sticking out of the front pocket now think the rate of warming over the next 30 years could be less than in the past 30 years, notwithstanding an undiminished increase in the atmospheric concentration of plant food. Next time you talk to the plants, ask them whether they would like more CO2 in the air they breathe. Their answer will be Yes.
The learned journals of economics are near-unanimous in saying it is 10-100 times costlier to mitigate global warming today than to adapt to its supposedly adverse consequences the day after tomorrow.
Besides, in the realm that might have been yours there has been no change – none at all – in mean surface temperature for 25 full years. So if you are tempted to blame last year’s cold winter (which killed 31,000 before their time) or this year’s floods (partly caused by the Environment Agency’s mad policy of returning dozens of square miles of the Somerset Levels to the sea) on global warming, don’t.
You got your science and economics wrong. And you were rude as well. And you took sides in politics. Constitutionally, that’s a no-no. Thronewise, mate, you’ve blown it.
On the other hand, we Brits are sport-mad. So here is option 2. I am going to give you a sporting second chance, Charlie, baby.
You see, squire, you are no longer above politics. You’ve toppled off your gilded perch and now you’re in it up to your once-regal neck. So, to get you used to the idea of debating on equal terms with your fellow countrymen, I’m going to give you a once-in-a-reign opportunity to win back your Throne in a debate about the climate. The motion: “Global warming is a global crisis.” You say it is. I say it isn’t.
We’ll hold the debate at the Cambridge Union, for Cambridge is your alma mater and mine. You get to pick two supporting speakers and so do I. We can use PowerPoint graphs. The Grand Debate will be televised internationally over two commercial hours. We let the world vote by phone, before and after the debate. If the vote swings your way, you keep your Throne. Otherwise, see you down the pub.
Cheers, mate!
Viscount Monckton of Brenchley"
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Comment: Prince Charles even involved himself in Texas politics by "personally addressing" state legislators there on global warming via video in 2009: "A conference was also held at the Texas Capitol in Austin (in 2009) in which a video of Prince Charles personally addressing Texan politicians on the subject of climate change was shown."...
4/3/12, "(Texas Gov.) Rick Perry criticises UK initiative to influence US climate sceptics," UK Guardian, Leo Hickman
"Rick Perry, the governor of Texas and former Republican presidential candidate, has criticised the UK's Foreign Office for funding an environmental group which aimed to "educate" Texan policymakers about climate science and "move them from a state of denial and inaction to one of acceptance and effective action"
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In 2009, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) gave £13,673 to the US-based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to part-fund a project entitled "Influencing climate security policy and legislation in Texas", the Guardian has learned. The money was used to fly two Texan state politicians, including the climate sceptic Republican Troy Fraser, to the UK to receive a briefing with climate scientists and government officials. A conference was also held at the Texas Capitol in Austin in which a video of Prince Charles personally addressing Texan politicians on the subject of climate change was shown.
Perry, a vocal climate sceptic, described the FCO's spending on the project as "misdirected". His spokeswoman told the Guardian: "In Texas, we base our policy decisions on sound science and what is ultimately best for our citizens. Man-made global warming remains but a theory and one where thousands of scientists remain sceptical. It would be irresponsible to put our entire economy at risk based on unproven science. Our state has one of the best success stories in cleaning our air, all while remaining the nation's leading energy producer and job creator. Given these achievements, it would seem those UK tax dollars were misdirected."...
"UK experts on climate change science, economics and policy (including emissions trading) met with and gave testimony to Texas House and Senate committees in advance of and during the legislative session in response to a direct request from key Texas legislatures."
Details about the FCO's spending on climate change and energy projects were obtained by the Guardian after a Freedom of Information request."...
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Comment: Pathetic that Texas legislators agreed to fly to the UK to allegedly receive a "briefing with climate scientists and government officials."
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10/31/2010, "Andrew’s friend the Abu Dhabi prince - and the £3billion windfarm off Britain that could earn the Queen millions," UK Daily Mail, Ian Gallagher and George Arbuthnott"An Arab royal who frequently entertains Prince Andrew has secured a multi million-pound stake in the world’s biggest windfarm in a deal that could earn a fortune for the Queen.
Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – the brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi – has been friends with Andrew since their days at Gordonstoun School in Scotland.
His energy company, Masdar, owns 20 per cent of the planned £3 billion London Array windfarm in the Thames Estuary. And last night questions were raised about the Duke of York’s possible role in facilitating the deal.
It is understood that Andrew was consulted when Shell, an original member of the consortium running the scheme, withdrew its backing.
The Mail on Sunday has learned that on the night Masdar won the contract, Andrew joined its executives at a celebration dinner at a London restaurant.
Once complete, the project is expected to yield big profits for Masdar and its partners. The 341 turbines, each the size of Nelson’s Column, will produce enough electricity to power every home in Kent and Sussex.
But as well as making money for the rulers of Abu Dhabi, the windfarm will also generate funds for Andrew’s own family – because the seabed within Britain’s territorial waters is owned by the Crown Estate.
The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that with the Government scrapping the Civil List and instead giving the Queen 15 per cent of Crown Estate profits, experts estimate that offshore windfarms could net the Royals up to £37.5 million a year on top of earnings from the rest of the Estate’s £6 billion property portfolio.
The Duke is a regular visitor to Abu Dhabi, part of the United Arab Emirates. In April he was given free run of a luxury villa inside the Gulf royals’ personal compound – hospitality that some felt was at odds with his role as an ambassador for British business. Andrew is also a regular visitor to Sheikh Mohammed’s house in Morocco, where the pair go hunting. Last night, critics said the Masdar deal represented a potential conflict of interest, although Buckingham Palace insisted Andrew played no part in it.
‘This raises very serious questions about how appropriate it is to fund the Royals from a state-owned property empire, which is basically what the Crown Estate is,’ said Graham Smith, campaign manager of anti-monarchist group Republic.
‘How can we know that when Andrew is lobbying business and when Prince Charles is lobbying on green energy that they’re not pursuing
- their own interests above those of the country?’
Two months later, as E.ON and Dong Energy desperately sought a new partner, Prince Andrew hosted a seminar for Masdar at Buckingham Palace which was attended by business leaders, academics and the then Business Secretary John Hutton.
Its theme was renewable energy and the delegates called for greater collaboration between Masdar and the UK to ‘develop an affordable, sustainable energy future’.
Afterwards, senior Masdar executives met the Queen and other Royals in a ‘private event’ in the Palace garden.
The Mail on Sunday understands that around this time E.ON, which industry insiders say has been keen on working with Masdar for some time, also entertained Andrew, although the company declined to explain why.
Then, on October 16, 2008, it was announced that Masdar had been given a 20 per cent stake in the project. That night, Andrew attended the party given by Masdar at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant in Grosvenor Square, Central London. Curiously, Masdar did not have to take part in the tender process. Sources say the deal was ‘private’.
In a statement, the Crown Estate said: ‘E.ON’s decision to sell a share of their stake in London Array is a matter for E.ON. In buying their stake in the project company, Masdar has inherited the same obligations under the lease as granted to E.ON and their other project partner.’
Abu Dhabi’s ruling family launched Masdar in 2006 after developing nations criticised its massive energy usage – the UAE has the world’s highest carbon footprint per capita. It also unveiled plans for the world’s first zero-carbon city. Andrew has lobbied hard for British companies looking to secure contracts in the Masdar City development.
Two of his ex-girlfriends have links to Sheikh Mohammed. When the Sheikh’s brother, Mansour, bought Manchester City Football Club two years ago, Amanda Staveley, an ex-girlfriend of Andrew, brokered the deal. She also acted for Mansour when he bought a stake in Barclays.
Another of Andrew’s girlfriends, Lebanese Christina Keserwan, helps Mohammed breed racing horses.
Last night it remained unclear whether Masdar was suggested as a possible partner in the windfarm project by the Royal Family or the Government, which made a point of praising the deal.
Prince Charles, who takes a close personal interest in Crown Estate matters, also has close links to Masdar. He is the patron of the Masdar Institute, a ‘green’ think-tank. Industry insiders say E.ON was interested in establishing a broader alliance with Masdar –- and gaining access to its financial firepower.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said yesterday: ‘The Duke played no role – formal or informal – in Masdar’s involvement in the London Array deal. He was invited, as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, to the celebratory meal held by Masdar on winning the contract.
'This is entirely appropriate since the Duke is a strong supporter of the Masdar City initiative and has lobbied hard for British firms to win some of the £12.5 billion of contracts on offer there. There was never any conflict of interest on the part of His Royal Highness.’" image caption, "Mutual benefit: Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahayan has been friends with Prince Andrew since childhood." afp getty
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