Heartland Institute Condemned for "Major Ethical Transgression"

authordefault
on

Here is a brief taste of some of the emails that have been flying this week to the Heartland Institute in protest over their distribution of a purported scientific paper that announces 500 Scientists with Documented Doubts about Man-Made Global Warming Scares.

Notwithstanding these requests – and many more, as well – as of 4 p.m. EST on Friday, May 2, 2008, the offending article remained on the Heartland website with the names all still attached. There is no apology, clarification or correction. It’s as if Heartland President and CEO Joseph Bast just doesn’t care about the accuracy of his output or the credibility of his organizationย โ€ฆ.

Dear Mr. Josephย Blast,

Please remove my name from your list of climateย skeptics.

While I believe that there are a lot of unknowns, especially how much sea level will rise in coming decades, it is clear that the earth is warming and apparent that humans are playing aย role.

My actual area of expertise is sea level rise impacts, and the coastal system is hard wired everything else being equal so that sea level rise causes beach erosion and wetlandย loss.

Stephen P.ย Leatherman

Chair Professor andย Director

International Hurricane Research Center & Laboratory for Coastal Research Florida International University

My work in no way casts doubt on the reality of human-caused global warming. The true state of the science is that we know of no natural process or cycle that could explain the bulk of the current global warming and many associated changes. The recent IPCC report is clear on this issue. It is not appropriate for my name to be listed in support of the assertion being made by the Heartlandย Institute.

Jonathan T.ย Overpeck

Director

Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, University ofย Arizona

I recently learned from a colleague that I am listed on your (the Heartland Institute’s) website as one of 500 Scientists with Documented Doubts of Man-Made Global Warmingย Scares.

Please remove my name from the list of โ€œcoauthorsโ€ on your website. I do not agree with the conclusions attributed to my name, and in no sense did I โ€œcoauthorโ€ anything on yourย website.

Jeffย Severinghaus

Professor ofย Geosciences

Scripps Institute ofย Oceanography

University of California, Sanย Diego

P.S. Using my name (and many others) in this way is a major ethicalย transgression.

Dearย Sir,

It has just been drawn to my attention that my name is included on a list of 500 โ€œco-authorsโ€ of a report published on the www by yourย organization.

I have read that report and the list of conclusions reached and I find that I disagree most strongly with theseย conclusions.

Quite apart from my disagreement about the conclusions reached, however, it is QUITE UNACCEPTABLE to have one’s name associated with such a report as a โ€œco-authorโ€ without one’s explicit priorย agreement.

I ask, therefore, that my name be removed from that list FORTHWITH.

Please acknowledge receipt of this e-mail and also confirm that my name has been removed from thisย list.

Prof. Brianย Huntley

Institute of Ecosystemย Science

School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences Durhamย University

Hi:

Apparently I am listed on the Heartland list as someone whose work casts doubt on whether greenhouse warming isย occurring.

I am loath to give Heartland any publicity, but I am prepared to state for the record that I, personally, do not believe that my published work supports the idea that current greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are not the main driver behind the observed 20th century warming trend. My work does document times in the 120 000 years when temperatures appear to have been higher than at present, but I do not regard these results as undermining the international consensus as to the reality of changes over the lastย century.

Yoursย sincerely

Mattย McGlone

Science Team Leader, Biodiversity & Conservation Landcareย Research

Canterbury, New Zealand

Dear Drย Bast,

It has come to my notice that my name appears on a list of so-called co-authors to an article accessible on your website in which it is claimed that current global warming and associated problems are not primarily caused by the burning of fossilย fuels.

I ask you to please remove my name from the list of 500 supposed authors of this article. The article is, in my view, an example of very bad science as it is eclectic, and further twists evidence, ultimately citing published work in the opposite sense. The ethics of it all are also problematic, as the article is quite obviously construed to serve the interests of a narrow group. That is not what science should be about. Further, it is well known that prospective co-authors must be asked first about the inclusion of their name on an article, before it is published. And posting on the Web constitutes publication. You are thus contravening good practice in a number ofย ways.

I know quite a few people on your list, and am absolutely convinced that none of these would wish to be associated with yourย article.

Concerning the removal of my name, I will regularly check and will contact you again if I find it has not been done. Then I might be slightly lessย polite.

With bestย regards,

Janย Kramers

Institut fuerย Geologie

Universitaetย Bern

ย 

Related Posts

Analysis
on

Oil patch advocate Lisa Baiton called for more extraction and less regulation at Vancouver address that didnโ€™t once mention climate change.

Oil patch advocate Lisa Baiton called for more extraction and less regulation at Vancouver address that didnโ€™t once mention climate change.
on

PA-based CEO Toby Rice hobnobbed with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Now heโ€™s poised for pipelines, exports, and profits.

PA-based CEO Toby Rice hobnobbed with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Now heโ€™s poised for pipelines, exports, and profits.
on

Longtime DeSmog reporter and author of The Petroleum Papers will play a key leadership role as we investigate a global resurgence of climate obstruction.

Longtime DeSmog reporter and author of The Petroleum Papers will play a key leadership role as we investigate a global resurgence of climate obstruction.
on

Victoria Hewson called the 2050 ambition a โ€œhuge own goalโ€ while working for a Tufton Street think tank.

Victoria Hewson called the 2050 ambition a โ€œhuge own goalโ€ while working for a Tufton Street think tank.