Update: In the face of a challenge from UK Guardian columnist George Monbiot, Ian Plimer has agreed to answering a series of specific questions about his (highly questionable) new book – as a rn-up to a face-to-face debate with Monbiot. BProf. Plimer. I can’t wait to read your answers. (And thanks Brian D for the tip.)

Denier darling Ian Plimer, author of the thoroughly debunked book, Heaven and Earth: Global Warming – the Missing Science, has done a runner in the face of a challenge to participate in a climate change debate with UK Guardian columnist George Monbiot.

Plimer had originally challenged Monbiot to a face-to-face debate, and Monbiot declined. These are the sorts of publicity stunt that deniers are often keen to initiate because they can stand up and say any darn thing they please, putting at a real disadvantage a debating partner who is committed to telling the truth about science.

But Monbiot later reconsidered and said, sure, let’s debate twice – once face to face and once on line, in a forum that allows for questions to be recorded and answers to be vetted by impartial third parties. That’s when Plimer checked out.Monbiot’s account of his correspondence with the unaccountable Plimer is here. As he says, Plimer has made no effort to correct, apologize or account for the numerous errors and lavish overstatements in his book. Why should he when journalistic ingenues like Jonathon Manthorpe are swallowing Plimer’s palaver as if it was actual science. Admitting that his text is flawed from front to back would surely undermine his (currently mindless) support.