Aristocracy's top climate change sceptic shows concern for the environment

Christopher Monckton joins RSPB and Woodland Trust in objections to a development near his Perthshire estate
Today we return once more to the world of one of our favourite climate change sceptics, the 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley. And we bear some joyous news: evidence has emerged proving that Lord Monckton is – steady yourself – an environmentalist!
Notification has reached us that his lordship, who resides on a Perthshire estate in a manner befitting his title, recently submitted a planning objection (pdf) to his local authority against the building of a luxury golfing resort adjacent to his property. Citing concerns about the environmental impact on birds and other flora and fauna, he joins the RSPB, the John Muir Trust and Woodland Trust in objecting to the development being proposed by the Dall Estate on the south shore of Loch Rannoch in Scotland.
We thought he would never be able to better the 428-word sentence he gifted to the US House of Representatives Ways and Means subcommittee this year. But we have now learned never to underestimate how much this man loves to waltz with the English language. Full stops need to know right now they should never dare to interrupt his graceful course.
Here, displaying his splendidly idiosyncratic style in all its glory, is a taster – remember to breathe, mind – of the missive he fired off to his local planning officer:
I object to the proposed development … in that it would represent a major and disfiguring intrusion upon the nationally important and heavily protected natural environment along the littoral of and within Loch Rannoch, would impose far too large a scale and too heavy a built footprint of urban development on what is and should remain a rural region of the Highlands, would destroy for ever some two miles of the uniquely well-wooded southern shore of the loch, would eliminate almost 1,000 acres of deservedly protected and publicly owned forestry, would have a grievously and everlastingly detrimental environmental effect on both flora and fauna, would in particular scare away the protected Carie ospreys that now breed annually in the tranquillity of one of the last unspoiled lochs in the Highlands, would also drive away the nesting golden eagles, peregrine falcons, merlins, hen harriers, herons, black-throated divers, Temminck's stints, capercailzie, and black grouse here that are also species well known to be highly sensitive to disturbance, would interfere with the protected lampreys and otters in the Carie and Dall Burns, would pollute Loch Rannoch and menace not only the ferox trout but also the three rare morphs of Arctic charr that thrive here only because the water of this oligotrophic loch is exceptionally pure and undisturbed, would damage the 60 species of lichen in the woodlands with their countless species of fungi and of rare insects, would in particular put at risk the rare species of giant dragonfly in the woods, would destroy many of the ancient stands of Caledonian pine and upland birch in the Black Wood of Rannoch, would close or divert ancient footpaths, bridleways, core paths and other rights of way, would have an intrusive and unsightly visual impact for miles around, particularly at night, would spoil the undisturbed shoreline with large, ugly, and altogether unsuitable buildings directly on the shore, would intrude upon the loch itself with what looks like a crude power-station cooling tower some 80 yards out from the shore and joined to the land by a steel and concrete causeway of calculatedly repellent design …
I am truly loth to interrupt a statement that is as rousing as anything Henry V ever mustered at Agincourt, but we fear for your bandwidth (there's plenty more in his objection). Lord Monckton's previously hidden passion for the environment and birds – why so shy? – is both highly commendable and moving. It's enough to melt any planning officer's heart. And we wish him every success in seeing off what, indeed, sounds like a hideously inappropriate development.
It's just a shame, though, that he couldn't have packed such sentiments and taken them with him last month when he jetted off to West Virginia to speak in support of coal mining at a pro-coal industry rally called "Friends of America". The rally was held at a mountaintop mine to show solidarity to the region's coal miners and to stress the importance of coal to the US economy.
But now Monckton's passion for conserving endangered habitats and their wildlife has been made public, he might instead want to lend his support in future to the environmental groups who believe mountain mining in the Appalachia to be akin to environmental "genocide". Conveniently, there just happens to be an article in the current issue of Bird Watcher's Digest detailing the disastrous impact of mountaintop removal on the cerulean warbler. He might like to bring this subject up the next time he is interviewed fawningly by those other delightful fans of the environmental cause, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage.
But there's some other recommended reading we've dug out for our new friend which suggests that climate change – something he still refuses to accept is being driven, in large part, by the burning of coal – might, just might, have a more lasting impact on the Highland species he so wishes to protect than the building of a golfing resort.
I recommend he try the RSPB's Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds from 2008, which doesn't offer too much in the way of promise for the aforementioned black-throated diver and capercaillie. And he might also want a salutary read about the likely fate of the Arctic charr in the face of climate change.
If there's anything else instructive you think Lord Monckton – who is now warmly welcomed to the environmental fold – should read, please do share below.