Paltridge would have us believe that the scientists involved with the IPCC are “manipulating” the climate issue “into the ultimate example of the politically correct” acting as if “the science behind the issue” is “irrelevant”. The IPCC “semi religious crusade” threatens the entire enterprise of science itself because their work is so shoddy and their corruption so rampant that the “capital of scientific reputation that has been so painfully assembled over hundreds of years” is threatened. And on and on. The book has a Foreword by Lord Monckton.

Apparently this “sensible” man Paltridge has convinced Lovelock, and therefore to some extent Stewart Brand, that “climate scientists have become overly politicized” Brand even quotes Lovelock saying he can’t understand why his climatologist friends are appalled as he touts a book written by a man who believes Lovelocks appalled friends are so corrupt and whose work is so shoddy they are the worst thing that has happened to science in several hundred years.

Must read, indeed. Must take on Brand in debate. He’s the one who says he would like to see environmentalists “and indeed everybody – become fearless about following science”. As his friend Lovelock stops following science to embrace climate denialist Paltridge, Brand shows what he is really fearless about – following Lovelock.

The Afterword is available at sbnotes.com