‘Report is worse than fiction, it is a lie!’ — Climate expert rejects claim of 300,000 climate deaths as ‘methodological embarrassment’ – ‘Absurd’

Roger Pielke Jr. May 29, 2009 Excerpt: The new report issued by the Global Humanitarian Forum which makes the absurd claim that 315,000 deaths a year can be attributed to the effects of rising greenhouse gas concentrations. Roger A. Pielke Jr., a political scientist at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who studies disaster trends, said the forum’s report was “a methodological embarrassment” because there was no way to distinguish deaths or economic losses related to human-driven global warming amid the much larger losses resulting from the growth in populations and economic development in vulnerable regions. […]

It is a methodological embarrassment and poster child for how to lie with statistics. The report will harm the cause for action on both climate change and disasters because it is so deeply flawed. […]

The report is worse than fiction, it is a lie. These are strong words I know. […] Let me first start by noting that the same group that did the analysis for the UN, the Geo-Risks group in Munich Re, earlier this year published a peer-reviewed paper arguing that the signal of human-caused climate change could not presently be seen in the loss data on disasters.

For Pielke Jr.’s complete analysis see here:

More Reaction to 300,000 climate death claim:

Columnist on claim of 300,000 deaths: ‘For $40 billion, even I might be tempted to peddle such despicable nonsense’

‘Simplistic disaster storyline will prevail for some time’

‘Dishonesty’: ‘Just transfers deaths by storms to the ‘global warming’ category’

Update: Kofi Annan defends: 300,000 climate death claim ‘could never be as rigorous as a scientific study’ – Excerpt: ‘We feel it is the most plausible account of the current impact of climate change today’

NY Times: ‘There are significant questions about robustness of numbers at heart of ‘ claim of 300,000 climate deaths – Excerpt: ‘Nearly impossible to isolate contribution from human-induced climate change to mortality from disasters’

‘There are simply no words to describe the lunacy’

Not The First False Claim About 300,000 Deaths

300,000 death claim is ‘poster child for how to lie with statistics’

Skeptical French Scientist Rebukes Climate Critics: ‘We are not in the Soviet Union, we can contest a scientific thesis’

Washington, DC: Controversy continues to swirl around French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s possible appointment of renowned geophysicist and former socialist party leader Dr. Claude Allegre – France’s most outspoken global warming skeptic — as the new super-ministry of industry and innovation.

Just one day after news reports revealed Sarkozy is close to appointing Allegre to a high government post, Allegre has fired back at critics upset that he has embraced a skeptical view of man-made global warming fears.

“We are not in the Soviet Union, we can contest a scientific thesis,” Allegre retorted, according to a May 28, 2009 article in Nature’s blog. (See: Claude Allegre back in French government? – May 28, 2009)

Nature’s Blog Excerpt: Allegre has responded to such criticisms by saying that he recognizes the reality of climate change but had doubts as to its causes “given that the climate is a complex phenomenon,” and was worried that the challenges facing the planet might lead to decreases in economic growth and threaten the free market. Questioned by the newspaper Le Monde, Allegre said: “I’ve nothing to say. I’m in my lab writing a scientific article,” describing the current controversy as nothing more than “agitation.” “We are not in the Soviet Union,” he added with respect to his opinions on climate change, “we can contest a scientific thesis.” [End Nature Blog excerpt]

Climate Depot reported on May 27, 2009 about Allegre’s unique past.

Climate Depot Excerpt: Skeptical Scientist Who Mocked Gore’s Nobel Prize as ‘Political Gimmick’ May Be Appointed to French Super-Ministry Post – Reversed View of Warming To Become Skeptic – Ridiculed Gore’s Film as ‘Nonsense’

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s appears ready to appoint renowned geophysicist and former socialist party leader Dr. Claude Allegre – France’s most outspoken global warming skeptic — as the new super-ministry of industry and innovation.

If Allegre, who has mocked former Vice President Al Gore’s Nobel Prize as “a political gimmick,” is chosen for the appointment, it would send political earthquakes through Europe and the rest of the world. Allegre is a former believer in man-made global warming who reversed his views in recent years to become one of the most vocal dissenters of man-made global warming fears. Climate Depot first reported on Allegre’s possible appointment to a government post on April 16, 2009. (See also: Sarkozy in climate row over reshuffle – Financial Times – May 27, 2009)

Allegre, …