Climate change: The long, dark shadow of doom

Clive Hamilton, perhaps Australia's highest profile "public intellectual", predicts the dire consequence of Copenhagen's bureaucratic dithering:

Despite the genuflection to the two degree target in the [Copenhagen] accord document, the actions pledged by the major emitters mean that the world is now confirmed on the path to a four-degree world.

That a catastrophic rise in temperature is inevitable is recognized by every person on the planet. Well, not quite all:

Everyone seems to understand this except Tim Flannery, who has praised the accord as a good outcome that has made "huge advances". With his bizarre interpretations, frequent blunders and repeated changes of position, Flannery has become the butt of jokes among the cognoscenti, although that won't cool the ABC's ardour for the former Australian of the Year.

Yeah, like fringe Leftist Hamilton isn't the subject of ridicule - he may be a genius but he doesn't edit all that well, describing himself as "ther Greens candidate in the by-election for the federal seat of Higgins." No biggy for certain but surely the uber-intelligent must be held to a higher performance standard than us non-intellectual pontificators.

Back on topic. For Hamilton the problem isn't those loony climate change-denying conservatives. Nope, the problem is deluded, well meaning Leftists like Flannery who aren't out there with Hamilton way beyond the Left horizon in Narnia or Oz or wherever it is he hangs out when not spouting doom and gloom. You see, with Lefties like Flannery breaking ranks the cognoscenti (without doubt 100 percent progressives) is never going to be able to convince the public to let the United Nations run the planet.

And why exactly was Hamilton overlooked for Australian of the Year, the gong going instead to know-nothing Flannery? Life is so unfair.

Anyway, you'll note that non-scientist Hamilton predicts a four degree temperature rise. On what science does he base that figure? Do a bit of looking around and you'll find temperature rise predictions ranging from two to seven degrees, with new predictions popping up just about daily. These conflicting predictions tell me the science isn't as settled as we're led to believe. The climate wonks really should get in email contact with one another to sort this out.