Spotlight on Stern

Now that scientists and economists are starting to have a good look at the Stern Review it is becoming clear that it is fatally flawed and only useful as a green lobby propaganda piece.

The recently published "The Stern Review: A Dual Critique" looks at both scientific side of Stern Review as well as economics.

The authors find that Review fails to present an accurate picture of scientific understanding of climate change issues.Stern Review greatly understates the extent of uncertainty as to possible developments, in highly complex systems that are not well understood, over a period of two centuries or more; and its treatment of sources and evidence is persistently selective and biased. Authors conclude that the Review doesn't present accurate picture of scientific understanding of climate change issues, and will only strengthen the ill-informed alarmism about climate change.

When it comes to economics, the authors note that Stern Review systematically and dramatically overstates the costs of climate change. The Review fails to acknowledge the great costs from drastic carbon mitigation programs especially to the world's poor. They also point out that Stern have chosen a very low discounting rate, echoing the earlier Nordhaus' critique.

The authors conclude:
So far from being an authoritative guide to the economics of climate change, the Stern Review is deeply flawed. It does not provide a basis for informed and responsible policies.

Could this be the reason why not even Gordon Brown, the man who commissioned the Review, is willing to follow it's recommendations?