EU Eco power, Measure by Measure

They used to say that Britannia Rules the Waves but the New York Yaught Club Waves the Rules, and it has been known since way back when that control of the system of measurement equates in part to control full stop. Not for nothing was Clause 35 of the Magna Carta thus,

(35) There shall be standard measures of wine, ale, and corn (the London quarter), throughout the kingdom. There shall also be a standard width of dyed cloth, russet, and haberject, namely two ells within the selvedges. Weights are to be standardised similarly.

So we should watch those who would measure us, and how they would measure us.

And you will not be surprised to discover a great panoply of measurement and standardisation going on under the auspices of the EU. Last week there was a great public hearing in Brussels European Parliament, chaired by the Tory MEP, Malcolm Harbour. It was set up to greet this report,

REPORT OF THE EXPERT PANEL FOR THE REVIEW
OF THE EUROPEAN STANDARDIZATION SYSTEM
Standardization for a competitive and innovative Europe:
a vision for 2020

Why must we have harmonisation? Here's why

2.1.3 Environmental drivers
· Climate change is the biggest challenge facing the world. There is a need for standards to tackle climate change and related challenges - such as energy and water efficiency - in support of the EU energy and climate change package (20/20/20 goals) and to promote its practice worldwide. This will include the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, establish credit trading systems and, more generally, provide the metrics (measurement standards) for setting, claiming and verifying environmental achievements;
· Need to facilitate behavioural changes towards more sustainable decisions of all economic players and individual consumers.

The point being is that if they design the standards, they can therefore design it to fit the results that they desire, rather than the reality of the world that is found. Standards will fit the evidence to promote particular policy prescriptions. Note that rather scary comment, 'There is a need for standards to tackle climate change'.

And why is that?

'To facilitate behavioural changes'.

Now as scientists surely there should be a need for standards to reflect the world as she is, to facilitate in the understand of said extant world?

Err chaps, you don't think you might be overstating your brief just a little bit?