Conflict of interests

Lord Turner (Adair Turner) is a busy man.  In January 2008, two years ago, he was appointed as the first Chairman of the government’s new Committee on Climate Change.  Then in September of the same year he was appointed Chairman of the FSA.
 
Leave aside for the moment the obvious fact that both these posts sound like serious full-time jobs, which a lesser man than Lord Turner might feel would justify his undivided attention.  My concern is the equally obvious conflict of interests between the two positions.  The FSA exists to ensure that the financial services industry performs as well as it can, and since that industry underpins our whole economy, it must also be generally concerned that the economy functions well.
 
But even those who support the Great Carbon Myth recognise that their efforts to mitigate climate change involve very substantial costs.  There is a certain amount of whistling in the wind about green jobs and economic opportunities in the green economy, but few deny that the costs of mitigation will be at least billions in the UK, and globally trillions, if anything like the plans proposed by campaigners gets implemented.  (I take some comfort from the fact that climate alarmism in Copenhagen was supported by much lip-service and grand-standing and hot air, but rather little commitment to real expenditure).
 
I cannot see that the same man can champion climate alarmism while at the same time championing, and regulating, the financial services industry on which so much of our economy depends.  Perhaps he should consider his position.  Or both of them.