Updated: Media Catches Up On Climategate Suspicions

Update: There's additional info via Ed Driscoll here. While I can appreciate that some are questioning why Russia would do this if it meant more energy exploration in the West. I think it's possible that view may be underestimating the influence of the Earth Firsters, with or without Global Warming. The fact is we have held off on Nuclear and much energy exploration long before AGW became big news. I've little faith it would simply turn on, again with AGW debunked.

Was Russia behind the Climate email disclosures?

Suspicions were growing last night that Russian security services were behind the leaking of the notorious British ‘Climategate’ emails which threaten to undermine tomorrow’s Copenhagen global warming summit.

An investigation by The Mail on Sunday has discovered that the explosive hacked emails from the University of East Anglia were leaked via a small web server in the formerly closed city of Tomsk in Siberia.

Well, it's a thought - or was on November 26, anyway.

A climate change scandal round-up and a question: Is anyone else having fun pondering as to whether or not there's an old KGB rat named Vlad behind the still growing potential climate change fraud? Of various suspects, Russia would have means, access and plenty of motivation. The original data leak went up on a Russian server, which could easily be spun, or interpreted, as a reason to not suspect Russia, as much as it could be a reason to suspect they were involved. Actually, it may serve even better as a reason for doubt.

Given the scope of this still exploding story in a matter of about two days, one at least has to wonder if there isn't some force driving the thing from start to end. Yet, few people are speculating as to who pulled off the original hacking, or why. Coming as it does just before potentially significant buy in from the US thanks to Obama, there are more than a few players involved who have a lot at risk relevant to climate change speculation.

So, I can't help but wonder who has the kind of resources it would take and plenty of motivation. If it's one potential suspect, I'm betting it never gets found out. Given Russia's willingness to engage in political assassination even relatively recently, isn't it at least fair to speculate? They certainly would have motivation enough. And the resources, access and general capability to pull it off.

Russia’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. In order to manage windfall oil receipts, the government established a stabilization fund in 2004. By the end of 2007, the fund was expected to be worth $158 billion, or about 12 percent of the country’s nominal GDP. According to calculations by Alfa Bank, the fuel sector accounts for about 20.5 percent of GDP, down from around 22 percent in 2000. According to IMF and World Bank estimates, the oil and gas sector generated more than 60 percent of Russia’s export revenues (64% in 2007), and accounted for 30 percent of all foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country.

Kremlin policy makers continue to exhibit an inclination to advance the state's influence in the energy sector. Taxes on oil exports and extraction are still high, and Russia’s state-influenced oil and gas companies are obtaining controlling stakes in previously foreign-led projects. State-owned export facilities have grown at breakneck pace, while private projects have progressed more slowly or have been met with roadblocks by state-owned companies or by various government agencies.

Comments

[chsw]

I do not see the Russian government behind this. After all, if the AGW hypothesis is discredited, then energy exploration in the West resumes. That would impact Russia's oil and gas companies negatively.

chsw

[Mark Turner]

chsw -

Yes, but Russia also has huge oil and gas reserves, and uses them politically against Europe (especially the former Soviet bloc countries) when convenient. I think they would have very strong motivation to discredit AGW, since their political influence over oil and gas in certain parts of the world is considerable.

[xerocky]

"I think they would have very strong motivation to discredit AGW, since their political influence over oil and gas in certain parts of the world is considerable."

It's hard for me to believe that they would give a plop one way or the other though. Even if there was a treaty that they had to sign, they'd sign it and just ignore it. Ditto for everyone besides the United States and perhaps a few others.

[Atheo]

We all have "motivation enough" to oppose the AGW agenda. Unless that is we are GE which wants to build hundreds of new nuclear plants worldwide. Or Goldman Sachs which wants to get it's cut of the massive carbon credits trading. Or a member of the "Gore dynasty" which has been servicing the nuclear lobby for over half a century.

That leaves the rest of us. And the sooner we all catch on the better.

Read about it at:

There’s more to climate fraud than just tax hikes

alethonews

[Atheo]

There’s more to climate fraud than just tax hikes

http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/theres-more-to-climate-fraud-than-just-tax-hikes/

also read:

The Origins of the “Global Warming” Scare

http://alethonews.blogspot.com/2009/10/origins-of-global-warming-scare.html

[Emily]

If the Russians did it the rest of the world owes them an enormous debt of gratitude.
We can thank them for hopefully preventing the implementing of one world government, world taxation and the destruction of western jobs and economies.
Thank you Vladimir - well done if it was you - but using the BBC was useless, you shoyuld have used a real news channel like Russia Today. Lots of us Brits watch RT to see what is really happening in the world. The BBC is a joke.