Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

This phrase is one of the most important thing to remember once you wade into the debate on Climate Change. One of the more egregious examples appeared today in the Opinion section of the on-line edition of the Toronto Star in a piece written by Stephen Hazell, the executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada.

Since I don't know when link rot sets in at the Star site I will quote the section where he shovels out the statistics.

"But a chorus of politicians and pundits whine that Canada cannot possibly meet the target of a 6 per cent reduction from 1990 levels by 2008 to 2012. Canadians will never make the necessary changes to their personal lives and businesses, they complain. "

This is the use of statistics to deceive. It is not an outright lie like saying black is white. It is not telling the whole truth. While it is true that when Canada signed on to Kyoto our reduction target was a 6% percent reduction from the baseline 1990 level by 2012.

What Mr. Hazell conveniently doesn't say in his article is that by 2004 that 6% reduction has grown to a 27% reduction if we are to meet that 1990 baseline target. This is due to the fact that carbon emissions are directly tied to economic activity and since 1990 the Canadian economy has grown and the Alberta oil sands are being developed.

I'd love to see Mr. Hazell try that we only have to reduce by 6% deception in a live debate.