New Scientist slamming the "skeptic scam"

picture-8-1346574554.jpg
on

Here’s a New Scientist editorial pointing out the absurdity of Dr. S Fred Singer and Dennis Avery’s recent PR campaign attacking the science of global warming.

It’s behind a pay-per-view wall, so I’ve pulled a few quotes for those who don’t have access to the whole article:

We need climate change sceptics. Not because they are right – at least not on the big issue of human culpability in recent warming – but because they ask hard questions that lead to deeper knowledge. What we do not need from them is misrepresentation and cynical trashing of scientists’ work.”

Once research findings are published they, of course, become public property, available to be contested and reinterpreted by all. But researchers do have a right not to be blatantly misrepresented. Sadly, the spin doctors of climate scepticism have a history of mangling research and traducing the integrity of climate scientists.”

Another absurd recent claim attributed to Singer is that “the widely touted ‘consensus’ of 2500 scientists on the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an illusion: most of the panelists have no scientific qualifications”. This stuff is bad not only for science, but also for the sceptical cause. No one wants to silence sceptics: we need scepticism. We just wish they were better at it.”

picture-8-1346574554.jpg

Kevin is a contributor and strategic adviser to DeSmogBlog.

He runs the digital marketing agency Spake Media House. Named a “Green Hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine and one of the “Top 50 Tweeters” on climate change and environment issues, Kevin has appeared in major news media outlets around the world for his work on digital campaigning.

Kevin has been involved in the public policy arena in both the United States and Canada for more than a decade. For five years he was the managing editor of DeSmogBlog.com. In this role, Kevin’s research into the “climate denial industry” and the right-wing think tank networks was featured in news media articles around the world. He is most well known for his ground-breaking research into David and Charles Koch’s massive financial investments in the Republican and tea party networks.

Kevin is the first person to be designated a “Certified Expert” on the political and community organizing platform NationBuilder.

Prior to DeSmogBlog, Kevin worked in various political and government roles. He was Senior Advisor to the Minister of State for Multiculturalism and a Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Asia Pacific, Foreign Affairs for the Government of Canada. Kevin also worked in various roles in the British Columbia provincial government in the Office of the Premier and the Ministry of Health.

In 2008 Kevin co-founded a groundbreaking new online election tool called Vote for Environment which was later nominated for a World Summit Award in recognition of the world’s best e-Content and innovative ICT applications.

Kevin moved to Washington, DC in 2010 where he worked for two years as the Director of Online Strategy for Greenpeace USA and has since returned to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada.

Related Posts

on

The technology could provide cover for fossil fuel companies to explore more oil and gas drilling, campaigners say.

The technology could provide cover for fossil fuel companies to explore more oil and gas drilling, campaigners say.
on

Activists hope that more and bigger court wins will break the "grinding gridlock" on policies to end use of fossil fuels.

Activists hope that more and bigger court wins will break the "grinding gridlock" on policies to end use of fossil fuels.
on

Several major newspapers have amplified a new report on the cost of net zero that contains significant inaccuracies.

Several major newspapers have amplified a new report on the cost of net zero that contains significant inaccuracies.
on

A UN expert calls for ending confidential arbitration agreements in development and trade treaties, which are forcing nations to roll back climate, enviro, human rights protections while owing fossil fuel companies billions in damages.

A UN expert calls for ending confidential arbitration agreements in development and trade treaties, which are forcing nations to roll back climate, enviro, human rights protections while owing fossil fuel companies billions in damages.