As the PM lectures other world leaders on not doing enough for climate change, an embarrassing video is doing the rounds, from his time as Mayor of London.
The footage from 2013 shows Green Party politician Jenny Jones picking holes in Johnson’s climate theories.
In the clip Jones says:
“Let me get back to your climate sceptic views because you rely a lot on a weatherman called Dr Piers Corbyn and I understand that he’s never been published in any scientific journal that does peer review.
“In science peer review is terribly important and you’re relying, for your views, on somebody who isn’t peer reviewed and he’s a weatherman.
Johnson replies: “I was interested in some of the things – I didn’t know that, I’m interested in what you say about Piers Corbyn who is after all the brother of staunch Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn and he’s got an interesting take on the weather we’ve been experiencing which I thought was worthy of note.
“I do remember 20 years ago when this whole thing’s kicked off we were told that there was this thing called global warming and there still is and that is the fundamental problem, the greenhouse effect… is I’m sure leading to the greater propensity for the planet to warm.
“However, the interesting thing is that may also be coinciding, and this is I think scientifically possible, with a solar minimum of the kind hat the planet has experienced before.”
“You’re giving me a headache,” Jones interrupts. “Mr Mayor this is garbage. You must understand that the overwhelming scientific consensus is that climate change is happening.”
Watch
Otto English tweeted: “The year is 2013. And the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is casting doubt on climate change, based on the theories of his friend….. Piers Corbyn.”
In a Telegraph piece, Johnson introduces the theories of “learned astrophysicist, Piers Corbyn”, who “has a very good record of forecasting the weather”. Corbyn, who runs a long-range weather forecasting service, argues that “global temperature depends not on concentrations of CO2 but on the mood of our celestial orb” and that we are now entering a new “mini ice age”. Johnson signs off with
“Now Piers has a very good record of forecasting the weather. He has been bang on about these cold winters.
“Now I am not for a second saying that I am convinced Piers is right; and to all those scientists and environmentalists who will go wild with indignation on the publication of this article, I say, relax. I certainly support reducing CO2 by retrofitting homes and offices – not least since that reduces fuel bills. I want cleaner vehicles.
I am speaking only as a layman who observes that there is plenty of snow in our winters these days, and who wonders whether it might be time for government to start taking seriously the possibility — however remote — that Corbyn is right.”
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