Sir John Beddington is heading for retirement and has taken the opportunity of an an interview with Civil Service World to remind everyone how shaky his grasp of climate science has been.
On climate change, he admits that government investment in renewable and alternative technologies is likely to be constrained by economic circumstances. But he is adamant there is no suggestion that climate scepticism – which some detect in some of the Treasury’s activities – is infecting the policymaking process. He says: “The data is showing not just that climate change is happening, but that we are getting an increase in extreme weather. 2012 had average rainfall, but almost none in the first quarter and enormous amounts in the second half of the year.”
Let's hope the next guy is better.