Climate Chief Told Staff to “Kill” Negative Net Zero Story About Using Only One Year’s Data in Key Forecast

The head of the Government’s climate watchdog told officials to “kill” a negative news story with “technical language”, FOI documents reveal. The Telegraph has the story.

Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), drafted the response when asked for clarity over claims of a “mistake” made by the body.

“How’s this – kill it with some technical language,” he told his team.

The exchange was revealed in a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Telegraph after apparent obfuscation by the climate watchdog over a story published by the Telegraph in January.

It raises questions about the transparency of the committee, which has been pushing the Government to impose more radical Net Zero targets.

Mr. Stark, a senior public servant whose pay package amounts to more than £170,000 per year, is bound by the Nolan Principles of Public Life, which require “openness” and “accountability”.

David Jones, a Tory member of the Commons Public Administration Committee and former Cabinet Minister, said: “Chris Stark steps down as Chief Executive of the CCC next month. Before he goes, he has some serious questions to answer.

“On the face of it, urging colleagues to ‘kill’ a reasonable request for information with technical language looks very much like an attempt at obfuscation.

“Mr. Stark will undoubtedly understand the crucial importance of academic integrity when addressing such an important issue as climate change. A full and immediate explanation is called for.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former Business and Energy Secretary, said: “This seems outrageous – a public servant seeking directly to obfuscate. At least Sir Humphrey did it subtly.”

Mr. Stark’s comments were made in private emails exchanged within the CCC after the Telegraph contacted the body for a response to a planned article in January.

The article reported a claim by Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith, who led a recent Royal Society study on future energy supply, that the CCC had privately admitted that it made a “mistake” when it only “looked at a single year” of data showing the number of windy days in a year when it made pronouncements on the extent to which the U.K. could rely on wind and solar farms to meet Net Zero targets.

Worth reading in full.

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Dinger64
2 years ago

“looked at a single year” of data showing the number of windy days in a year when it made pronouncements on the extent to which the U.K. could rely on wind and solar farms to meet Net Zero targets”

it didn’t want to find the truth, the agenda was all important and must be met!
Now we’re all shackled into billions of wasted £€$ for pointless net zero targets!

bertieboy
bertieboy
2 years ago

A scientist using 1 year of data for purposes of prediction and it’s a mistake…… of course it is! 😂

JXB
JXB
2 years ago
Reply to  bertieboy

And using 150 years data out of 4.5 billion years is… ?

DrDan
DrDan
2 years ago
Reply to  JXB

Cherry picking

7941MHKB
7941MHKB
2 years ago

Stark should be heading to jail. Both for quite deliberately picking a single year’s data to mislead and also for his lame attempt to mislead the Telegraph.
Some squeaks of indignation from a couple of MPs, Absolutely no indication that Stark and his CCC team of Stark Raving Lunatics will be held to account.

FerdIII
2 years ago
Reply to  7941MHKB

He and his corrupt cult need to be guillotoned. Instead his bank account will grow admirably. A CBE will be in order, a Sir will be offered. Maybe a UN Directorship awaits.

RTSC
RTSC
2 years ago

Caught bang to rights. Presumably he’ll be “considering his position.”

Or, if he wasn’t a member of the Chosen Ones, he might.

Marcus Aurelius knew
2 years ago

The arrogance. To do it via email.

JXB
JXB
2 years ago

Because these folk know now that even if they are found out nothing will happen and they can just laugh at us… up yours.

Marcus Aurelius knew
2 years ago

Chinese Communist Cult of England

sskinner
2 years ago

CCP CoE – There’s a lot of ‘C’s in that.

sskinner
2 years ago

Here are some useful references related to this tyranny. I consider all self evidently bad, except many believe all that is asserted here and it seems rationality is not an antidote, perhaps because the arguments are not rational? https://www.c3headlines.com/global-warming-quotes-climate-change-quotes.html Here are a few examples: “It doesn’t matter what is true, it only matters what people believe is true’ Paul Watson Greenpeace Founder We routinely wrote scare stories…Our press reports were more or less true…We were out to whip the public into a frenzy about the environment’ Jim Sibbison [Environmental journalist, former public relations official for the Environmental Protection Agency] “The only way to get our society to truly change is to frighten people with the possibility of a catastrophe” Daniel Botkin [emeritus professor]  “That, of course, entails getting loads of media coverage. So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have’ Stephen Schneider [Stanford Univ., environmentalist] “No matter if the science is all phoney, there are collateral environmental benefits…. climate change [provides] the greatest chance to bring about justice and equality in the world.” Christine Stewart [Former Canadian Environment Minister]  “It is no secret that a lot… Read more »

sskinner
2 years ago

“The data don’t matter. We’re not basing our recommendations [for reductions in carbon dioxide emissions] upon the data. We’re basing them upon the climate models.”
Chris Folland [UK Meteorological Office] 

“Rather than seeing models as describing literal truth, we ought to see them as convenient fictions which try to provide something useful.”
David Frame [Climate modeler, Oxford University] 

“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts”
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

JXB
JXB
2 years ago

Start point: everything out of Government is a lie until it can be proven otherwise.

sskinner
2 years ago

He looks like Fergusson – the other modeller.

johnbuk
johnbuk
2 years ago

He’s certainly entitled to his own opinions during his own time but I bloody object to this little s..t trying to stifle information the public is entitled to when I’m paying his bloody wages. He should be sacked forthwith and any monetary entitlements withdrawn as a message to all public SERVANTS.

Less government
2 years ago

The Government established CCC is another very expensive and corrupt organisation that is designed to destroy our livelihoods and economy by following Net Zero policies. It is outsourcing to avoid responsibility and access lucrative cronyism. Something like 75 well paid employees paid for by us the taxpayers to wreak our country.