CCC in Parliament. Again.

Yet again, Parliament has decided that it will take evidence from the bigwigs at the Committee on Climate Change. On Wednesday, just after appearing in front of the Science and Technology Committee, Lord Deben will give evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee on his work at the CCC, accompanied by his sidekick David Kennedy.

I have no idea what the committee is intending to achieve with this hearing. I'd like to see them exploring issues such as how Lord Deben manages to provide independent advice on renewables while occupying a management role within a company that will gain massively from expansion of renewables and also how he can provide independent advice on recycling (something the CCC offers up on a regular basis) while occupying the role of chairman in a recycling business.

I imagine they'll talk about less edgy matters though.

09 October 2013 10:15 AM

The work of the Committee on Climate Change

Witness(es): Lord Deben, Chair, Committee on Climate Change and David Kennedy, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change

Location

The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Comments

[Phillip Bratby]

"The CCC comprises a Chair and seven independent members." Someone else asked why a committee needs a Chief Executve. I wonder how much a committee of eight people costs the taxpayers. Who decides that the members are independent? Independent of what, one wonders.
Membership of the Committee:

The Committee sets the vision and strategic direction for the organisation and is responsible for the delivery of independent advice on tackling climate change and compliance with requirements for the use of public funds.
The Chairman of the Committee is Lord Deben and the Committee itself consists of experts in the fields of climate change, science and economics.
The members of the CCC are:
The Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord DebenThe Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord Deben, Chairman established and chairs Sancroft, a Corporate Responsibility consultancy working with bluechip companies around the world on environmental, social and ethical issues. He was the longest serving Secretary of State for the Environment the UK has ever had. His experience as an international negotiator has earned him worldwide respect both in the business community and among environmentalists. He has consistently championed an identity between environmental concerns and business sense.
David Kennedy (Chief Executive)David Kennedy (Chief Executive) Previously he worked on energy strategy and investment at the World Bank, and the design of infrastructure investment projects at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He has a PhD in economics from the London School of Economics.
Professor Samuel FankhauserProfessor Samuel Fankhauser is Co-Director of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change at the London School of Economics and a Director at Vivid Economics. He is a former Deputy Chief Economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, CBE, FRSProfessor Sir Brian Hoskins, CBE, FRS is the Director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College and Professor of Meteorology at the University of Reading. His research expertise is in weather and climate processes. He is a member of the scientific academies of the UK, USA, and China.
Paul JohnsonPaul Johnson is the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. He has worked on the economics of public policy throughout his career. Paul has been chief economist at the Department for Education and director of public spending in HM Treasury, where he had particular responsibility for environment (including climate change), transport and public sector pay and pensions. Between 2004 and 2007 Paul was deputy head of the Government Economic Service. He has also served on the council of the Economic and Social Research Council.
Julia KingProfessor Dame Julia King DBE FREng Vice-Chancellor of Aston University. She led the ‘King Review’ for HM Treasury in 2007-8 on decarbonising road transport. She was formerly Director of Advanced Engineering for the Rolls-Royce industrial businesses, as well as holding senior posts in the marine and aerospace businesses. Julia is one of the UK’s Business Ambassadors, supporting UK companies and inward investment in low-carbon technologies. She is an NED of the Green Investment Bank, and a member of the Airports Commission.
Lord Krebs Kt FRSProfessor Lord Krebs Kt FRS, is currently Principal of Jesus College Oxford. Previously, he held posts at the University of British Columbia, the University of Wales, and Oxford, where he was lecturer in Zoology, 1976-88, and Royal Society Research Professor, 1988-2005. From 1994- 1999, he was Chief Executive of the Natural Environment Research Council and, from 2000-2005, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. He is chairman of the House of Lords Science & Technology Select Committee.
Professor Lord May of Oxford, OM AC FRSProfessor Lord May of Oxford, OM AC FRS holds a Professorship jointly at Oxford University and Imperial College. He is a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. He was until recently President of The Royal Society, and before that Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and Head of its Office of Science & Technology.
Professor Jim Skea, CBEProfessor Jim Skea, CBE is Research Councils UK Energy Strategy Fellow and Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London. He was previously Research Director at the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) and Director of the Policy Studies Institute (PSI). He led the launch of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and was Director of the Economic and Social Research Council’s Global Environmental Change Programme.

[Neal Asher]

"responsible for the delivery of independent advice on tackling climate change and compliance with requirements for the use of public funds"

Sometimes the corruption is so overt all you can do is laugh tiredly and shake your head.

[Phillip Bratby]

Well I've discovered why it needs a Chief Executive. If you go to the CCC website and under 'Transparency' look at the Organograms, there are dozens of staff (communications, finance, economics, other), all on good salaries, plus lots of well-paid managers. Salaries range from £29.060 from the lowest 'junior' up to £110,000 at the top, with a 'Combined salary of reporting posts' (whatever that is) of £1,289,330. No wonder the country's debts keep mounting up.

Another organisation ready for the bonfire.

[ssat]

The Committee on Standards in Public Life follow the 7 Nolan principles;

Selflessness
Integrity
Objectivity
Accountability
Openness
Honesty
Leadership

Throw out the latter and insert Service and we might get somewhere.

[ssat]

And why is *leadership* a principle? Would not *humility* be a better fit on this list?. "Britain should lead the fight against climate change" comes directly from this kind of guff.
/rant

[DaveS]

I'm sure Deben and Kennedy will provide a scrupulously impartial view of the work of the CCC.

[Schrodinger's Cat]

I think I've heard of the CCC.
Isn't that the parliamentary lobbying group on behalf of the renewables and low carbon industries?

[TinyCO2]

Why ask how to improve the public acceptance of climate change from people who a) are professed to be convinced on CAGW, so don't understand the sceptic viewpoint and b) have never demonstrated an ability to get through to the public on AGW other than in a superficial and unsuccessful way? I mean, what has John Gummer ever managed to convey to the public other than he's an arse? Talk about looking for answers in all the wrong places.

One has to be greatful that CAGW is looking increasingly unlikely because the people in charge of making a difference couldn't find their John Gummers with both hands.

[pesadia]

http://heartland.org/policy-documents/recycling-your-time-can-be-better-spent

Perhaps Lord Deben should read this interesting article.

[simon]

The committee grilling Deben & Kennedy need to be briefed beforehand, which means 'us' the public whom they serve, writing to them. Who are the 'grillers'?

[Manfred]

Deben's most important role should be the presidency of Globe international, by shifting power away from people, local councils and parliaments to unelected, intransparent networks.

http://www.globeinternational.org/

[dougieh]

to condense for my use only -

The Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord DebenThe Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord Deben, Chairman established and chairs Sancroft, a Corporate Responsibility consultancy working with bluechip companies around the world on environmental, social and ethical issues.
(DUFFER & init for the money for short)
David Kennedy (Chief Executive) Previously he worked on energy strategy and investment at the World Bank, and the design of infrastructure investment projects at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He has a PhD in economics from the London School of Economics.
(DUFFER for short)

Professor Samuel FankhauserProfessor Samuel Fankhauser is Co-Director of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change at the London School of Economics and a Director at Vivid Economics. He is a former Deputy Chief Economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

what is "Vivid Economics" - from the blurb
Our practice areas
Our core areas of work are set out below. Please contact us if you are a prospective client or potential partner; or equally if you have interests in any of these areas that you would like to discuss with us.

Energy &
climate change
The economics of climate change has taken centre-stage for energy-intensive industries and governments across the world.
Click here to read more >
Competitiveness
& strategy
Competitiveness is of fundamental concern to investors and managers, reflecting a firm’s ability to generate profits and achieve market share.
Click here to read more >
Infrastructure
& resources
The efficient provision, financing and operation of infrastructure is a major contributor to economic output and quality of life.
Click here to read more >
Development
economics
& finance
The challenge of securing sustainable economic growth across the globe will be one of the defining issues of the 21st century.
Click here to read more >
Innovative
policy
Levering our creative culture and independence, we run a studio for generating innovative policy.
Click here to read more >

Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, CBE, FRSProfessor Sir Brian Hoskins, CBE, FRS is the Director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College and Professor of Meteorology at the University of Reading.

say no more :-(

Julia KingProfessor Dame Julia King DBE FREng Vice-Chancellor of Aston University. She led the ‘King Review’ for HM Treasury in 2007-8 on decarburizing road transport. She was formerly Director of Advanced Engineering for the Rolls-Royce industrial businesses, as well as holding senior posts in the marine and aerospace businesses. Julia is one of the UK’s Business Ambassadors, supporting UK companies and inward investment in low-carbon technologies. She is an NED of the Green Investment Bank, and a member of the Airports Commission.

supporting UK companies and inward investment in low-carbon technologies - god help us

Lord Krebs Kt FRSProfessor Lord Krebs Kt FRS, is currently Principal of Jesus College Oxford. Previously, he held posts at the University of British Columbia, the University of Wales, and Oxford, where he was lecturer in Zoology..... blaa blaa- anybody help us please !!

Professor Jim Skea, CBEProfessor Jim Skea, CBE is Research Councils UK Energy Strategy Fellow and Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London.

ok I give up, the gravy train can not be stopped, to many passengers who go free (or minimal cost for the ride)

ps. this is not a conspir..... ahh

[jorgekafkazar]

"Well I've discovered why it needs a Chief Executive. If you go to the CCC website and under 'Transparency' look at the Organograms..." --Phillip Bratby

Given the intracircular nature of these bodies, I'm sure you meant to say 'Onanograms.' Yes?

[dennisa]

Read Lord Deben at the launch of GLOBE Climate Legislation Initiative (GCLI), accompanied by Ed Davey.

http://www.globeinternational.org/index.php/foreword-by-lord-deben

This is subversion of the legislative and democratic process, is it not, when a government minister associates himself with a process promoting UK legislation outside of the parliamentary process and nobody says anything about it and the chairman of an influential government committee which advises on legislation, is proposing UK legislation via a trojan body like GLOBE.

How can this happen and no word in the media? How can Sam Fankhauser also be on a committee that proposes legislation from which he has stood to gain, as an adviser to Lord Stern's Idea Carbon. (A colleague of his at Vivid Economics is Simon Dietz, who was seconded from the Tyndall Center to Stern's team for his "Stern Review" and is a co-director with Fankhauser at LSE Grantham, where Stern is chairman).

Why is everyone silent about these gross conflicts of interest?

Deben at Rio, 2012: http://www.globeinternational.org/index.php/world-summit