Unless we announce disasters, no one will listen

"I'm referring to the recent kerfuffle over whether Sir John Houghton did actually say the controversial words that have been ascribed to him for many years. These words:
"Unless we announce disasters, no one will listen."
Bishop Hill
Then go to here:
The Clamour of the Times (Prof. Stott)
"Unlike some we might mention, my good friend and colleague, Emeritus Professor John Adams of University College London (UCL), keeps impeccable academic archives, and he has just called Sir John’s bluff and bluster on his excellent blog".
"Yet, particularly noteworthy is this quotation:
“If we want a good environmental policy in the future we’ll have to have a disaster.”
H/T Bishop Hill