ABC continue to ignore weather history

We pay over $1billion dollars to the ABC each year. You'd expect with that amount of money, enough to purchase around 3030 new Cat 1 fire fighting tankers (each year), it might be able to meet the requirements of its charter and present a news service free of bias and error but unfortunately for many, many years now it has been failing miserably and continues to let the Australian public down. If any other government agency was this bad they would long ago have been restructured or given the boot, with red-faced politicians vowing that such waste would never see the light of day ever again.
This post from JoNova demonstrates that when it comes to climate, ABC has (long) been infected by activists intent of rewriting history to meet a failing propaganda message.
For another example consider this piece about the maximum temperature in the nation's capital.
Canberra records highest December temperature as mercury soars to 39.3C

ABC claims "Canberra has surpassed its highest recorded December temperature, amid a heatwave that continues to sweep the country. At 3:16pm, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported the mercury had reached 39.3C at Canberra Airport, breaking the 1994 record of 39.2C."

Now compare those statements with the weather recorded at the official Canberra Capital Weather station in Acton that was run for 27 years between 1912 and 1939.
Station:Canberra (Acton)Number: 70099 Opened: 1912 Closed 31 Dec 1939

Here are the top 5 maximum temperatures for December recorded at ACTON until 1939 Canberra's official weather station:
Year Month Day Max.T
1938 12 27 39.7
1937 12 24 38.5
1937 12 23 38
1938 12 19 36.8
1931 12 31 36.7
The temperature on December 27 1938: 39.7 degrees C. This news article from the Telegraph captures what remains Canberra's highest December maximum. In 1938 Acton and the rest of Canberra was more rural village than city with much less urban heating affect. The ACTON reading was done in a Stevenson screen with a mercury thermometer that does not react to microsecond heat bursts like the current electronic thermometer housed on the runway at Canberra's Airport (BOM station 70351 opened in 2008, it replaced another at the airport 70014 that recorded data between 1939 and 2008). It seems both ABC and indeed BOM are completely unaware of the data stored in BOM's vast repository. Our first Parliament house opened in May 1927. Somehow the incompetent reporters at ABC believe there was no weather station there till 1939!

For interest the highest recorded Max. Temp at ACTON was 42.8C set on Jan 11, 1939. ABC would have you believe Canberra's record high is 42.2C recorded on Feb 1 1968.
ABC: "Earlier forecasts for Saturday put the hottest ACT temperature ever, 42.2C, under threat of being overtaken, but the BOM later downgraded its prediction to 41C."

I can't believe we still are forced to pay for the lies, errors and misrepresentations.

For other posts that feature the ACTON station follow this LINK

UPDATE: According to BOM today Canberra Airport recorded at least 40.1C. Amazing what hot tarmac and overly sensitive instruments will do to our weather history!
21/03:00pm 40.1

Update 2: The actual recorded max was 41.1C! Seems BOM's method of instantaneous weather, that records an errant exhaust blast from a passing jet engine will totally corrupt our weather records.

UPDATE: ABC issue a correction. We referred your complaint to ABC News.  They have amended the story, including the headline, to make clear that it relates specifically to readings taken at the BOM station at Canberra Airport.  An Editor’s Note has been added to acknowledge and explain the changes made.  In view of this prompt and appropriate action by ABC News, we consider this matter resolved.

Dysfunctional RN Update

This From RN Listener enquiries regarding RN's short memory:

On August 5, Saturday Extra host Geraldine Doogue introduced Mr Bergmann as “a former senior advisor, also a speechwriter for John Kerry”.

At the end of the interview, Ms Doogue referred to Mr Bergmann as “until this year, a senior advisor at the State Department under John Kerry, now a senior fellow at the Centre for American Progress, a think tank in Washington”.

In response to this complaint, Saturday Extra has updated his title on its website to specify that his time as senior advisor at the State Department was under Barack Obama's Presidency.c

Ms Doogue also will make reference on air on Saturday August 26 to the Centre’s links to the Democratic Party.

Regards

Nerida

Radio National

Listener enquiries 

Score one for us.

coral bleached-odd definition of decimated

decimate

ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/

verb

past tense: decimated; past participle: decimated

1. 1.

   kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of.

   "the inhabitants of the country had been decimated"
2. 2.

   historical

   kill one in every ten of (a group of people, originally a mutinous Roman legion) as a punishment for the whole group.

   "the man who is to determine whether it be necessary to decimate a large body of mutineers"

UPDATED BELOW 11/3/2014
ABC use the word in the following headline:

Coral reef off Pilbara coast in Western Australia decimated by marine heatwave, scientists say

We did not find the word "decimated" used by scientists in the article, this appears to be another case of ABC exaggeration. 

A recent relevant CSIRO report provides the following information about the bleaching event:

Unfortunately, on the trip the research team found evidence of coral bleaching in the region due to some recent marine heatwaves, including the bleaching of a pocket of ancient coral heads – many up to 400 years old – that have provided an important record of reef health.

“We suspect this bleaching event was due to marine heatwaves that occurred in the region over the past few summers, and to see it up so close was sobering,” said our lead scientist on the project, Dr Russ Babcock.

“But to offset this loss, some reefs only a short distance north showed much less damage and will continue to contribute to a healthy ecosystem. By studying these sorts of variations and why they occur, we can improve our overall understanding of the marine environment in the region, and how we can best preserve it”.

The team managed to take some great images of the incredibly diverse flora and fauna that sits under the waters of the Pilbara. We asked Russ to run us through a few photos from the trip to give you an insight into the work of a marine biologist – and maybe even help you learn something in the process! Click on one of the images below to view the gallery.

Decimation seems an exaggeration to me. One of the images accompanying ABC's report which presumably shows the purported "decimation" is re-produced below:

This is ABC's caption: Christmas Tree Worms on a Porites coral head, that has been bleached by a marine heatwave off WA's Montobello Island.

This is a CSIRO photo. Here's the CSIRO's caption for the same photo (oddly no mention of bleached coral): "A coral reef Christmas Display. Those coloured blobs you can see are called Christmas Tree worms, and they are sitting on a porites coral colony. The worm's name is misleading on two counts-they spend their whole life sitting in a tube in a decidedly un-worm like state, and they prevalent all year round,but just don't tell the kids."

We have asked Alan Sunderland and CSIRO's Dr Russ Babcock for comment.


From ABC 11/3/2014:

Thank you for your email of 13 February concerning coral bleaching off the Pilbara coast.  

As your correspondence raised concerns of a lack of accuracy, your email was referred to Audience and Consumer Affairs for consideration and response. The unit is separate and independent from ABC program areas and is responsible for investigating complaints alleging a broadcast or publication was in contravention of the ABC's editorial standards. In light of your concerns, we have reviewed the story and assessed it against the ABC’s editorial requirements for accuracy, as outlined in section 2 of the ABC’s Editorial Policies. In the interests of procedural fairness, we have also sought and considered material from ABC News.

The word 'decimated' used in the headline was taken directly from the CSIRO's Media Release which states:

"Some unwelcome discoveries were made, including the bleaching and decimation of a pocket of ancient coral heads - many up to 400 years old - that have provided an important record of reef health".

As the CSIRO is Australia's top scientific organisation, the use of the headline 'Coral reef off Pilbara coast in Western Australia decimated by marine heatwave, scientists say' is a legitimate description of the content covered in the story.

The original caption, however, did not refer to the photo that was published and has been changed.

ABC News apologises for any confusion that may have resulted.

score +1

What ABC is teaching our Kids

ABC environment and the ABC "Splash" website have published an op ed by former weather presenter Rob Gell.

The piece(s) contain this glaring piece of sensationalism:

"Last year, 2013, was Australia's hottest year ever and we've started 2014 with another 50°C heatwave over inland Australia that then migrated to the southeastern states."

"another 50°C heatwave"!

Temperatures as measured at Bureau of Meteorology station did not pass 50°C this summer anywhere in Australia. The correct descriptor would be "another high 40s°C heatwave", but of course we get those every year! But where is the news in that? We have requested ABC investigate.

ABC promote "Splash" as 

• a new world-class education website for Australia

Sadly it seems the site has the same respect for the facts as the rest of the ABC.

UPDATE:

The following from ABC: received today...

You are correct that no temperatures above 50 degrees were recorded in the period described. The story has been corrected.

ABC Digital Education apologises for this mistake.

Audience and Consumer Affairs are satisfied correcting the story adequately resolves the matter.

Score +1

Fact checking the weather man

Graham Creed ABC's weather man, runs a blog. We fact checked the statistics is his post of the 14/1/2014, seems he is a little selective with his cherry's:

CANBERRA
Graham says:
Canberra, In 2009 there were 3 days of consecutive 40 degree temperatures. This is pretty significant given there have only been 11 days above 40 in Canberra’s history. Seven of those has occurred in the last 5 years. The 1979 heat wave was significant because it had five consecutive days in excess of 37 degrees. Hottest day on record is 42.2 and was recorded back in 1968. Data courtesy ABC Canberra and BOM.

Independent analysis indicates that Graham seems to have forgotten the catastrophic heatwave of January 1939, this had a run of 9 days over 38 degrees including 5 days over 40. It also includes Canberra's record temp of 42.4 degrees C. The devastating Black Friday bushfires affected much of SE Australia. The Canberra Times reported the following temperatures in Fahrenheit (celcius) as recorded at the Acton meteorological station:

Saturday 7/1/1939: 101.7 (38.7)

Sunday 8/1/1939: 102.8 (39.3)

Monday 9/1/1939: 102.6 (39.2)

Tuesday 10/1/2013: 106.4 (41.3)

Wednesday 11/1/1939: 108.4 (42.4)* seems this should be the record beating GC's mention by 0.2

Thursday 12/1/1939: 103.6 (39.8)

Friday 13/1/1939: 107.4 (41.9)

Saturday 14/1/1939: 107.4 (41.9)

Sunday 15/1/1939: 105.4 (40.8)

In terms of the number of days over 40, we make it least: 18 comprising:

5 for the 1939 heatwave outside BOM records as recorded at the Acton meteorological station, 

7 from BOM station records for Canberra Station ID 70014*

5 readings from BOM station records for Canberra Station ID 70351**

1 in 1932 104.2 (40.1) recorded 28/1/1932-outside BOM records as recorded at the Acton meteorological station,, 

Number of days 40 and above in the last 5 years: Last 5 years 2014-5=since 2009=5

*7 readings 40 and over at 70014: 41.4 recorded 31/1/1968, 42.2 recorded 1/2/1968-BOM, 40.5 recorded 12/1/2007, 40.2 recorded 3/1/1973, 40.0 recorded 18/1/1998, 40.0 recorded 7/2/2007, 40.0 recorded 8/2/2008

**5 readings 40.3 recorded 6-8/2/2009 (3 days), 40.1 om 5/1/2013, 42.0 on 18/1/2013
UPDATE: It seems the Acton meteorological station is closed BOM station 70099 for which daily observations are not available online. We have asked BOM why this is the case. Of interest the highest monthly mean for January remains Jan 1932 @ 32.5 degrees for station 70099. The record at Canberra Airport (70351) is 32.3 in January 2013.

ADELAIDE

Graham says: Adelaide: 2009, 13 consecutive days over 33, 6 consecutive days above 40 and 4 consecutive days over 23.

Graham forgets the 1908 and 1939 heatwaves. 

1908 Monthly mean record @ 34.2 degrees with 10 days over 40 (4 consecutive days-Jan 4 to 7 and 6 consecutive days 14-19)

1939 Monthly Mean @ 33.6 degrees with 5 days over 4 and Adelaide's record maximum of 46.1 degrees.

MELBOURNE

Graham says: Melbourne: 2009 12 consecutive days above 28, 5 consecutive days above 30 3 consecutive days above 43.

Once again it seems 1908 was hotter

The January 1908 heatwave in Melbourne helped push the January monthly mean to its as yet unsurpassed maximum of 31.0 degrees. The month included 15 days over 30 and a run of 5 days over 40.

UPDATE: Seems ABC's weather man has made some changes following our inquiries:

Graham Creed's blog post was based on Bureau of Meteorology Climate Information and was taken from a Bureau interview on ABC Radio in Canberra. The figures were attributed to the Bureau.  The Bureau's figures and Graham's blog post were based on the climate record from Canberra Airport. The Bureau appears not to have any records of temperatures at Acton which were the basis of the Canberra Times article. They are therefore unverified weather records and we would not normally use them. The blog has been modified to clarify that the data refers to the record at Canberra Airport.

The reference to the 2009 heat event was just meant to be a comparison with a recent heatwave. It did not claim those figures were a record. It would have been more accurate to say that "This is pretty significant given there have only been 11 days above 40 since the Bureau began recording more than 70 years ago."

Accordingly, while noting your concerns, Audience and Consumer Affairs are satisfied that reasonable efforts were made to ensure the accuracy of the article and it was in keeping with the ABC’s editorial standards. Nonetheless, please be assured that your comments have been noted and conveyed to ABC News management.

The post now reads as follows, but still ignores 1939:

Canberra Airport, In 2009 there were 3 days of consecutive 40 degree temperatures. This is pretty significant given there have only been 11 days above 40 in Canberra Airport’s history. Seven of those has occurred in the last 5 years. The 1979  heat wave was significant because it had five consecutive days in excess of 37 degrees. Hottest day on record is 42.2 and was recorded back in 1968. Data courtesy ABC Canberra and BOM.

Quick fix on alarmist report

A quick fix that does nothing to repair the lack of balance in this alarmist report.

Thank for contacting the ABC regarding an interview aired on The World Today Tuesday December 3rd.

As a result of your complaint we have corrected the transcript on our website http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2013/s3903815.htm.

I hope this resolves the matter for you but please feel free to contact ACMA if you feel you need to take it further.

Sincerely,

Paula Kruger
Coordinating Producer
ABC Radio Current Affairs

Score +1

Reggae-loving parrot joins Vanuatu's climate change fight

Reggae-loving parrot joins Vanuatu's climate change fight.

well not quite....

Thank you for your email of 9 August concerning the headline “"Reggae-loving parrot joins Vanuatu's climate change fight".  

As your correspondence raised concerns of a lack of accuracy, your email was referred to Audience and Consumer Affairs for consideration and response. The unit is separate and independent from ABC program areas and is responsible for investigating complaints alleging a broadcast or publication was in contravention of the ABC's editorial standards. In light of your concerns, we have reviewed the story and assessed it against the ABC’s editorial requirements for accuracy, as outlined in section 2.1 of the ABC’s Code of Practice: http://about.abc.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/CodeofPractice2013.pdf . In the interests of procedural fairness, we have also sought and considered material from ABC News.

We agree that the headline was slightly misleading in that it suggested that the video was part of the fight against climate change as against part of the effort to prepare for it. The relevant part of the script said:

Climate change may intensify some of the impacts of El Nino and la Nina in the future. Learning how to adapt to the natural ups and downs in our climate will help prepare for long-term climate change

The headline has been modified and an editor’s note attached.

Audience and Consumer Affairs are satisfied this adequately resolves the problem.

Thank you for taking the time to write; your feedback is appreciated.

For your reference, the ABC Code of Practice is available online at http://about.abc.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/CodeofPractice2013.pdf

Yours sincerely

Mark Maley                                 

Audience & Consumer Affairs

Editor’s note: (August 20) The original headline mentioned “Vanuatu’s climate change fight”. The headline has been changed to reflect the fact that the piece is more about information and preparations for weather events.

score +1

Fragile facts, climate time lie take 2

Update 2/7/2013: ABC provide the following regarding errors and omissions in this propaganda piece:

In summary, five captions have been corrected or modified. Of these: two were editing errors – captions 4# and 8#; one was the addition of extra information to avoid ambiguity – caption 1#; others were the inclusion of qualifications to reflect the uncertainties in predictions and analysis of past events – caption 2#; and finally one was an editing error and a decision to include a different estimate – caption 13#.

Remember Ian Allen stated "Captions were checked are consistent with the weight of scientific evidence." Crap they they were. Expect better next time you spend public money on propaganda Mr Allen..

In round up 3, we raised the issue of ABC science promoting a photo essay by activist organisation, The Climate Institute. We posed the following questions to the ABC:

This photo essay is a promotion for the Climate Institute.

Is the ABC now providing free advertising for the Climate Institute?

Can the ABC clarify its relation with the  climate institute?

and got the following response:

The editor of the portal advises that the photo essay was chosen for it aesthetic qualities and editorial relevance to the site. No money was exchanged and the publication did not constitute advertising. Normal photo credits were published in line with standard procedures among publishers.

The ABC has no special relationship with the Climate Institute. It is treated the same as any other research or policy centre.

We posed a follow up:

Can the editor please outline why he/she felt this was relevant to the Science site? 

Did ABC check the captions for accuracy?

To which Ian Allen Executive Producer, Content, ABC Innovation responded thus:

ABC Corporate Affairs asked me to respond to your enquiry.

The photo gallery was published because it was topical (World Environment day) and because of the quality of the images. Captions were checked are consistent with the weight of scientific evidence.

Looking closely at the captions we found a few problems that suggests very little attention was paid to checking the accuracy. We have requested ABC to address these. Looks like another Climate Time Lie...

Errors and misrepresentation in captions to “Fragile World” presented on ABC Science June 2013.

Photo 1.

Caption: Haifoss, Iceland. High tension power cables snake above an apparently pristine environment. Iceland relies on hydroelectricity for clean energy, but declining runoff may affect the future energy supply. (The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

Errors and omissions:

“Iceland relies on hydroelectricity for clean energy”. Iceland’s main energy source is from geothermal sources: from Wikipedia: “About 81 percent of total primary energy supply in Iceland is derived from domestically produced renewable energy sources. In 2007, geothermal energy provided about 66 percent of primary energy, the share of hydropower was 15 percent, and fossil fuels (mainly oil) 19 percent.” However most of Iceland’s electricity is derived from hydropower: from Wikipedia: Renewable energy provides 100 percent of electricity production, with about 70 percent coming from hydropower and 30 percent from geothermal power”.  To say “Iceland relies on hydroelectricity for clean energy” is an oversimplification of the facts.

“declining runoff may affect the future energy supply”. This would be true if runoff were in fact declining.  One study suggests the follow in terms of long term run off from melt water: “Meltwater runoff is expected to increase initially, but to peak after 40–50 years and then to decline to present-day values 100 years from now.” Icelandic glaciers. Helgi Björnsson and Finnur Pálsson JÖKULL No. 58, 2008, pp365-385.

Another study  indicates “ River runoff is projected to increase by 25% between 1961--1900 and 2071--2100, mainly due to increased melting of glaciers.”

Melt water run off from glaciers provides one source of water to drive hydro plants the other is rainfall. If alarmist climate models are correct then Iceland’s glaciers will eventually disappear. However the models that forecast increased temperatures also forecast increases in rainfall over Iceland. See image below from IPCC AR4. Note Iceland in area where models show a precipitation increase in >66% to >90% of simulations.

One would think that construction of dams to capture this rainfall would be one means of ensuring adequate water to drive hydrothermal power plants more than 100 years in the future.

Conclusion. Potential long term decline in runoff from glaciers is just one factor in Iceland’s hydro energy mix. The caption is overly simplistic and design to elicit an emotional response. This caption is propaganda and ABC’s Science unit should be embarrassed to have run it without clarification.

Photo 2.

Lake Hume, Australia. Crazed mud and skeletal trees create a stark landscape after severe drought. The Millennium drought, which ran from 1995 to 2012, was the worst recorded since settlement. It cost the Federal Government some $4.5 billion in assistance. In southern Australia, rainfall is in decline, while heat waves and drought are becoming more frequent. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

Errors and omissions:

“The Millennium drought, which ran from 1995 to 2012”. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural

and Resource Economics and Sciences provide the following table for drought in Australia form a 2012 report titled: “Drought in Australia Context, policy and management”. This does not show a drought extending from 1995 to 2012.

“It cost the Federal Government some $4.5 billion in assistance”. This statement appears to be derived from Wikipedia. The estimate is derived from a newspaper article in The Age published in 2012 which states: “Since 2001 the government has provided $4.5 billion in exceptional circumstances (EC) assistance.” The amount therefore omits assistance provided in the years 1995 to 2001. The cost is obviously more than the stated figure. The document Drought Policy in Australia provides the following chart of exceptional circumstances payments. This suggests a figure of about $725 million paid between 1994-1995 and 2000-2001. The corrected figure should therefore read “about $5.25 billion”

“In southern Australia, rainfall is in decline.” In fact the long term trend is on the increase for southern Australia and for Australia as a whole. From BOM time series graphs.

“while heat waves and drought are becoming more frequent.”

Heat waves: an alternate image of heatwave impacts:

Take a boat trip: holidaymakers relax on Trigg Beach in WA after record temperatures in 2007. Photo: Stewart Allen/Perth Now

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/news/gallery-fn78rwin-1226549358655?page=8#ixzz2WjAZSGJG

Drought not becoming more frequent, note higher frequency between 1890s and 1940s in the figure below.

From http://www.science.unsw.edu.au/files/indian_graph_download.JPG

Conclusion: some significant factual errors that require correction.

Photo3.

Anti Atlas, Morocco. Studies show Morocco will be among countries most threatened by climate change, with more frequent droughts and a shorter crop growing season. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“more frequent droughts and a shorter crop growing season” This is based on projections derived from climate models. How are those models tracking?

Based on this how reliable are the forecast changes to climate in Morocco?

Conclusion: The statement “more frequent droughts and a shorter crop growing season”, does not provide a sense of the uncertainty in projections of future climate based on model outputs. The statement in its current form is therefore misleading and require qualification. For example  “Climate models predict more frequent droughts and a shorter crop growing season, however concerns about the validity of climate models suggest significant uncertainty with this prediction.”

Photo 4.

Hvalnes, Iceland. Global warming is already having a profound effect on glaciers worldwide and threatening to melt permafrost with serious consequences for wildlife and people. Climate change may cause all of Iceland's glaciers to disappear by 2100. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“Climate change may cause all of Iceland's glaciers to disappear by 2100.”

Conclusion: This is a ridiculous exaggeration. “Plausible future climate scenarios, coupled with models of mass balance and ice dynamics, suggest that the main icecaps will lose 25% to 35% of their present volume within half a century, leaving only small glaciers on the highest peaks after 150–200 years.” Icelandic glaciers. Helgi Björnsson and Finnur Pálsson JÖKULL No. 58, 2008, pp365-385.

See also http://www.vedur.is/media/vedurstofan/utgafa/hlidarefni/Tomas_COP-15.pdf where glaciers are expected to be present more than 200years into the future.

Photo 5.

Newcastle, Australia. The MV Pasha Bulka, a coal carrier that ran aground on Nobbies beach during a storm 2007. While this single event cannot be attributed to climate change, the intensity of tropical cyclones is predicted to increase in the future. (The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

Conclusion: The 2007 storm was an east coast low and not a tropical cyclone. See the CSIRO publication: “The Pasha Bulker east coast low of 8 June 2007” It is misleading therefore to link the grounding of the Pasha Bulka with Tropical Cyclones. Furthermore the caption is misleading in omitting information about future cyclone activity. BOM for instance provide the following information about current trends:  Trends in tropical cyclone activity in the Australian region (south of the equator; 90–160°E) show that the total number of cyclones appears to have decreased to the mid 1980s, and remained nearly stable since. The number of severe tropical cyclones (minimum central pressure less than 970 hPa) shows no clear trend over the past 40 years. And indicate the following (see 5.9.1) about future trends: Australian region studies indicate a likely increase in the proportion of the tropical cyclones in the more intense categories, but a possible decrease in the total number of cyclones. Again these trends are based on climate model outputs that are currently proving unreliable (see Photo 3).

Photo 6.

Jokulsarlon, Iceland. The 8,100 square kilometre Vatnajokull ice cap, where these ice fragments originated, is the largest ice cap in Europe and is fast retreating as the climate warms. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“largest ice cap in Europe” This is misleading. ABC provide an area but the the Jokulsarlon Glacier is the largest by volume. The largest by area in Europe the Austfonna icecap in Norway at 8,105 km2 (8,492 km2 including Vegavonna).

Conclusion: some significant factual errors that require clarification.

Photo 7.

Victoria, Australia. Drought, fierce winds and 47 degree Celsius temperatures led to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire, which killed over 170 people and millions of animals and plants. The intensity and frequency of bushfire conditions is rising in south-eastern Australia. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“The intensity and frequency of bushfire conditions is rising in south-eastern Australia.”

CSIRO tells a different story: “Since European settlement, the total amount of fire in the landscape has declined. The bush land areas and particularly those around Sydney, New South Wales, have thickened and accumulated more fuel. As a result, the infrequent fires that now occur under extreme weather burn much more intensely and have a significant impact on the built environment.”

Conclusion: Significant over simplification of the science clarification required.

Photo 8.

Tasmania, Australia. Old growth deforestation in the Upper Florentine 70 kilometres from Hobart. Deforestation releases around 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air each year. Curbing deforestation and restoring forests are a key means of avoiding dangerous climate change. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“Deforestation releases around 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air each year.” This statement appears to be a misrepresentation of a wikipedia entry. The Wikipedia entry on deforestation states: “Scientists also state that tropical deforestation releases 1.5 billion tons of carbon each year into the atmosphere.^[45] “ Of course 1.5 billion tonnes of C would equate to about 5.5 billion tonnes of CO2. A simple error but one commonly made. Surprising to find ABC Science accepted an these at face value.

Based on a 2009 article in Nature Geoscience it appears the figure of 1.5 billion tonnes of C has been revised down to 1.2bt, which would equate to about 4 billion tonnes of CO2.

Conclusion: factual error requiring correction, clarification required.

Photo 9.

Yangtze River delta, China. The muddied waters attest to the loss of topsoil upriver. Greater China accounts for 30 per cent of the global volume of containerised exports. Emissions from shipping are currently some 1 billion tonnes annually. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

 “Emissions from shipping are currently some 1 billion tonnes annually” presumably this refers to CO2. This figure differs from official figures released by the International Maritime Organisation who provide the following information: “According to the Second IMO GHG Study 2009, which is the most comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the level of GHG emitted by ships, international shipping was estimated to have emitted 870 million tonnes, or about 2.7% of the global man-made emissions of CO2 in 2007. Exhaust gases are the primary source of GHG emissions from ships and carbon dioxide is the most important GHG, both in terms of quantity and of global warming potential.”

Conclusion: factual error requiring correction.

Photo 10.

A man works bailing discarded plastic in Hubei Province, Central China. A significant proportion of plastic dumped in landfills ends up in the sea, injuring and killing marine wildlife. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

No comments.

Photo 11.

Brahman cattle in the Northern Territory, Australia. Emissions from livestock account for approximately 10 per cent of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, livestock health is likely to be impacted by rising temperatures and changed weather patterns. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

No comments

Photo 12.

The Super Pit in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Up to 850,000 ounces of gold are taken from this mine each year. The hole is approximately 3.7 kilometres long, 1.5 kilometres wide and 480 metres deep, big enough to bury Uluru. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

No comment.

Photo 13.

Latrobe Valley, Australia. Loy Yang Power Station emits 14.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“Loy Yang Power Station emits 14.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year.”

There are two Power stations at Loy Yang A and B. AGL provide the following information about Loy Yang A: The Loy Yang A Power Station has a carbon intensity of around 1.3 tCO2e/MWh. In 2011 Loy Yang A produced 14,925 GWh (=14925000MWh)  of life enhancing electricity. Based on the stated carbon intensity figures this would amount to a potential CO2 output of 19.4 million tonnes. Clearly the figures provided by the Carbon Institute are a little out.

Conclusion: factual error requiring correction.

Photo 14.

Oil wells in California. Last year some $674billion was spent to find and develop new fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas. Much of this must stay in the ground if we are to have a good chance of avoiding global warming of 2 degrees Celsius. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

“avoiding global warming of 2 degrees Celsius” This appears to be based on faulty climate sensitivity figures. Recent estimates of the climate’s sensitivity to CO2 suggest previous estimates are exaggerated. This buys much more time to alter energy sources in the future. The caption grossly over simplifies  issue.

Photo 15.

Wind turbines in Southern California. In 2011, for the first time, investments in renewable energy sources outstripped those in fossil fuels. Over the long term, investment in clean energy shows strong long-term growth and is projected to reach $630 billion annually by 2030, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. (Creative Fellow at The Climate Institute: Michael Hall)

No comment.

ABC cross the 400ppm barrier..well sort of.

ABC's environmental activists were quick to report on levels of atmospheric CO2 from Mauna Loa that are approaching 400ppm. Based on a NOAA press release ABC claimed Carbon pollution hits highest point in 3 million years.

 "atmospheric carbon dioxide reached 400 parts per million for the first time in over three million years".

However after ABC's activist reporters jumped the gun with some rushed opinion pieces, NOAA adjusted the figure slightly downwards resulting in this update being posted, after we pointed it out (it seems ABC's fact checkers asleep at the wheel)...

Update

"Since this article was published, NOAA revised the reading of the CO₂ levels at Mauna Loa down to 399.89ppm, not 400ppm. The milestone has not therefore yet been reached, however the CO₂ levels remain higher than at any time in the past three million years and continue to trend upwards."

ABC have not offered any further corrections (See below-only took a week). See how the LA times covered the correction here:  Carbon dioxide in atmosphere did not break 400 ppm at Hawaii site

SO with the northern hemisphere spring bringing plant growth that will soak up some of that CO2, we may need to wait until next year to see that magical figure of 400ppm daily average atm CO2  passed.  Mind you, with the climate's sensitivity to CO2 being lower than IPCC projections it seems in the long term that this will pass as a Y2K moment, rather than the climate Armageddon being actively promoted by the ABC. But of course those missing stories don't fit the ABC play book.

Update May 23
Hello Mr Hendrickx
Thanks for writing about this item on AM.
The story you refer to is a transcript of the program as broadcast on 11 May at 8am AEST.

While our original broadcast item did not make specific reference to a date on which the 400 PPM figure had been recorded, it was based on information from the NOAA that this had happened on 9 May, which at the time of our broadcast on 11 May we believe was still its advice.

As you point out, NOAA subsequently revised its reading for 9 May to below 400 PPM.

We are adding a note to the transcript of the program to reflect NOAA's revision of the 9 May reading, and to also note that the 400 PPM reading has at the time of this writing been recorded on a number of other days in May.

Sincerely
Shane McLeod
National Editor, Radio
ABC News

Gergis Update

ABC is yet to formally cover news that a paper it widely reported on and promoted was flawed and withdrawn from publication by its authors. The only mention that the paper was withdrawn is in editorial notes posted discretely at the end of articles such as this one: EDITOR'S NOTE: Since this story was originally broadcast, errors have been identified in aspects of the data processing which may affect the results of this study. As a result, publication has been delayed and the research has been withdrawn from online publication. Professor Karoly says the data will be recalculated, peer reviewed and published in due course.

They provide the following response to a query we made regarding missing editorial notes from a number of ABC reports, including one on its ITunes site.

Thank you for your email of 21 June. I apologise for the delay in responding; it took a little longer to sort out iTunes than it should have. The segment on the Radio National website now has a prominent editor’s note and the podcast is no longer available on iTunes.

At this stage, neither Radio nor News propose to do any further broadcasts or stories on the subject. If or when the scientists re-release their research, the story will be reassessed in the normal way taking account of editorial priorities at the time.

Thank you for taking the time to write; your feedback is appreciated.

Audience & Consumer Affairs

Received 19/7/2012

Score +1

ABC's Gergis update - a poor excuse for journalism

It seems ABC's total coverage of important news of the withdrawal of a scientific paper following the discovery of errors in its methodology uncovered by Climate Audit is as follows:

Editor's Note: Since this story was originally broadcast, errors have been identified in aspects of the data processing which may affect the results of this study. As a result, publication has been delayed and the research has been withdrawn from online publication. Professor Karoly says the data will be recalculated, peer reviewed and published in due course.


If not for our request of an update even this meagre offering would not have been undertaken. However mainstream, actual coverage of this important news by the ABC remains MISSING. One wonders if it plans to use editorial notes as a reporting tool for other important stories. Perhaps the following is an example of what we can expect from ABC news in the near future (you'll have to read the fine print). Perhaps this would save on costs?

Coverage of the withdrawal of the paper in other news outlets included the following:
Sydney Morning Herald/ The Age: Climate warming study put on hold
The Australian: Climate paper flawed, Blog scrutiny forces reappraisal
New York Times Dot Earth: Australian Warming, Hockey Sticks and Open Review

In contrast here are the ABC reports that announced the publication of the erroneous study back in May. Something does not appear to add up. But who are we to expect balance from the ABC?
5 major reports
AM 1000 years of climate data points to a warming Australia
The Science Show RISING TEMPERATURES ACROSS AUSTRALIA

AM Last 50 years were Australia's hottest study

Radio Australia Climate study shows Australia hotter

Radio National Breakfast 1,000 YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN CLIMATE DATA CONFIRMS 'UNPRECEDENTED' WARMING (this one yet to contain the update)
Not to mention an appearances on ABC News 24 and ABC Local radio

SCORE +1

Small trip on the tightrope of history

MARIA SPELTERINA

A 23-year-old Italian woman, Maria Spelterina was the only woman to cross the Niagara gorge on a tightrope. In 1876, she walked backwards, put a paper bag over her head, and wore peach baskets on her feet to inject some drama into her crossings - note the lack of a safety harness source.

ABC borrow a report from AFP/Reuters about Nik Wallenda's recent tightrope walk across Niagara Falls (with a safety harness) that includes the following statement:

"Since the Great Blondin took his high-wire walk, a ban has been in place on similar stunts over the famed falls. Wallenda waged a two-year crusade to convince U.S. and Canadian officials to let him try the feat."

The Great Blondin, (Charles Blondin or  Jean-François Gravelet) crossed the Niagara River on a tight rope below the falls in June 1859 (see a contemporary, report in the Sydney Morning Herald HERE). Contrary to ABC's report, there were a number of other tightrope walks over the Niagara Gorge since Blondin's and the "ban*" has in fact been in place, not since Blondin's walk in 1859 but according the Niagara Parks Commission since July 1896 when James Hardy, crossed the gorge on a wire.

Source: Niagara Falls: Stunts and dare devils: a history

ABC's neglect in picking up and re-producing errors in the AFP/Reuters piece compounded when this February 2012 report with the photo above is taken into account: Maria Spelterini walks a tightrope over the Niagara Gorge. The date quite clear in that caption. But then we know ABC News has a disregard for historical accuracy.

*The Niagara Parks Commission state: NPC has ruled that it will consider proposals by stunting professionals no more than once in a generation, or approximately once every 20 years, as a way to pay tribute to the stunting history that helped make Niagara Falls a top global tourism destination.

The Niagara Parks Commission prohibits stunting on all of its properties under the authority granted under Regulations of the Niagara Parks Act. Stunting now carries a maximum fine of $10,000.



Update 12/7/2012: From ABC

Dear Mr Hendrickx,
Thank you for alerting us to the error in the agency copy.
This has since been corrected.

Kind regards,
Stuart Watt
National Editor
ABC News Online

Score +1

NiagaraFallsStunts&Daredevils:History

NiagaraFallsStunts&Daredevils:History