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International Climate Science Coalition

International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC)

Background

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) describes itself as “a non-partisan group of independent scientists, economists and energy and policy experts who are working to promote better understanding of climate science and policy worldwide.”1“ICSC Mission Statement,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/XA8C2

ICSC was launched in 2007 by the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition when the group “received such positive feedback from around the world … that they decided they needed an international group.” Their aim is “moving the debate away from implementation of costly and ineffectual ‘climate control’ measures.”2Youtube Video, “ICSC-introduction-July2011.” Uploaded by TomHarrisICSC on June 13, 2011. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

According to their website, “ICSC also focuses on publicizing the repercussions of misguided plans to solve the ‘climate crisis’. This includes, but is not be limited to, the dangerous impacts of attempts to replace conventional energy sources with wind turbines, solar power, biofuels and other ineffective and expensive energy sources.”3Youtube Video, “ICSC-introduction-July2011.” Uploaded by TomHarrisICSC on June 13, 2011. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

ICSC describes its purpose as providing a “international response to what has become a very international, heavily funded climate alarmist effort around the world.” ICSC has created the Australian Climate Coalition as well as the Climate Science Coalition of America whose executive director is climate change skeptic Steve Goreham.4Youtube Video, “ICSC-introduction-July2011.” Uploaded by TomHarrisICSC on June 13, 2011. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

Stance on Climate Change

ICSC lists the following as their “core principles” regarding climate science. They break up their principles into two sections: Climate Science, and Energy.5“Core Principles,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Mgli2

Climate Science

1. Global climate is always changing in accordance with natural causes and recent changes are not unusual.

2. Science is rapidly evolving away from the view that humanity’s emissions of carbon dioxide and other ‘greenhouse gases’ are a cause of dangerous climate change.

3. Climate models used by the IPCC* fail to reproduce known past climates without manipulation and therefore lack the scientific integrity needed for use in climate prediction and related policy decision-making.

4. The UN IPCC Summary for Policymakers and the assertions of IPCC executives too often seriously mis-represent the conclusions of their own scientific reports.

5. Claims that ‘consensus’ exists among climate experts regarding the causes of the modest warming of the past century are contradicted by thousands of independent scientists.

6. Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant – it is a necessary reactant in plant photosynthesis and so is essential for life on Earth.

7. Research that identifies the Sun as a major driver of global climate change must be taken more seriously.

8. Global cooling has presented serious problems for human society and the environment throughout history while global warming has generally been highly beneficial.

9. It is not possible to reliably predict how climate will change in the future, beyond the certainty that multi-decadal warming and cooling trends, and abrupt changes, will all continue, underscoring a need for effective adaptation.

10. Since science and observation have failed to substantiate the human-caused climate change hypothesis, it is premature to damage national economies with carbon taxes, emissions trading or other schemes to control ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions.

Energy

1. Carbon dioxide and other ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions from human activity—energy production, transportation, cement production, heating and cooling, etc.—appear to have only a very small impact on global climate.

2. So-called “new renewable energy technologies” are extremely expensive and rely on huge subsidies. To use such intermittent and diffuse power sources requires that the consumer pays between three and ten times the price of power from conventional sources (coal, oil, natural gas, hydro and nuclear). Regardless, it is not currently possible to safely replace a significant fraction of our conventional energy supplies with alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and most biofuels.

3. New renewable energy technologies have only a minimal effect on carbon dioxide emissions because none of them can be relied upon to be available when needed. Therefore, conventional fossil fuel-fired power stations must be kept on standby in case the wind drops or a cloud passes over the Sun. This leads to additional emissions of carbon dioxide  that, to a large extent, offset the reductions made by the renewable energy technologies.

4. “Energy independence” is not a good reason for promoting new renewable energy technologies.Energy independence is more easily–and much more cheaply–attained by exploiting abundant national fossil fuel reserves, and spending some of the wealth created on research into potential new energy technologies.

The International Climate Science Coalition’s promotional flyer (PDF) suggests that “The worldwide drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to control climate is not backed by reputable science.” They believe that “Today’s greenhouse gas mitigation policies are climatically ineffectual, immensely costly, and thus politically unrealistic. Consequently, intense battles are erupting wherever governments try to implement them. In contrast, ICSC promotes adaptation and other climate and energy policies that are pragmatic, cost-effective and environmentally sensible.”6“Ending the climate scare requires an approach that is: International, Non­partisan , Focused, Realistic” (PDF), International Climate Science Coalition. Archived February 6,  2015.

Funding

According to the International Climate Science Coalition, “Since its formation in 2007, ICSC has never received financial support from corporations, foundations or governments. 99% of all donations have come from private individuals in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States and Canada.”7“ICSC Funding,” ICSC. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/QItsc

At that time, ICSC did note they would still “welcome contributions from all sources, including corporations, foundations and government, and are actively soliciting support.”8“ICSC Funding,” ICSC. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/QItsc

ICSC received $45,000 from the Heartland Institute in 2007 alone — As reported by SourceWatch and in the Conservative Transparency database.9“International Climate Science Coalition,” SourceWatch. 10“International Climate Science Coalition,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed August, 2015.

Murray Energy Funding

Murray Energy bankruptcy filings in 2019 revealed the ICSC received $60,000 from the energy company owned by climate change denier Robert Murray. The Murray bankruptcy filings revealed a wide range of creditors with deep ties to climate change denial including the Heartland Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Government Accountability & Oversight. Robert Murray was known for being a major Trump donor, and giving officials a wish list of proposed actions to help the coal industry. See related reporting from The Intercept,11Lee Fang. “COAL GIANT PROVIDED SECRET FINANCING TO GROUP CHALLENGING CLIMATE LAWSUITS,”The Intercept, December 17, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hUjRt Energy and Environment News,12Scott Waldman. “Murray Energy a major funder of climate denial groups,” E&E News, December 17, 2019. Archived December 20, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/wip/WrDuT and The New York Times.13Lisa Friedman. “A Coal Baron Funded Climate Denial as His Company Spiraled Into Bankruptcy,” The New York Times, December 17, 2019. Archived December 20, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/ujTS6

Other groups funded by Murray Energy include FreedomWorks, the Cato Institute, the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, and Judicial Watch. As The New York Times noted, Murray continued to fund climate change denial even as his company was going bankrupt.

Key People

Except for one individual (Owen McShane is no longer listed), the International Climate Science Coalition’s listed staff and advisory board have remained virtually unchanged since December of 2011:14“Who We Are,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Grz6R

  • Tom Harris — Executive Director.
  • Bob Carter — Chief Science Advisor.
  • Terry Dunleavy — Strategic Advisor and Founding Chairman.
  • Bryan Leyland — Energy Issues Advisor.

ICSC Science Advisory Board

ICSC Consultant Science Advisers

ICSC Policy Advisory Board

ICSC Consultant Policy Advisers

Canadian Speakers Bureau

“ICSC offers ten well versed, dynamic Canadian speakers for your group, whether it be a convention, conference, school, business or community meeting. Topics vary but are all centred around presenting a realistic view of one of the most intense debates of our time – the causes and/or impacts of climate change/global warming!”15“Canadian Speakers Bureau,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/zSSYl

Actions

February 24, 2023

ICSC was listed as a member of the Net Zero Reality Coalition, a group introduced by the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) as a “new coalition of energy, national security and public policy groups.”16(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg

CFACT’s Paul Driessen was listed as the group’s coordinator while members included CFACT, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Heartland Institute, E&E Legal, and the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) and “and other public policy organizations that have long sought responsible, science-focused, reality-based laws and policies.”17(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg

“America cannot afford to abandon its reliable, affordable, multifaceted energy system, and try to replace it with a wind, solar and battery system that exists only in government proclamations and legislative mandates,” Driessen said in CFACT’s press release.18(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg

July 17, 2015

In a July 17, 2015 article in the “Opinion” section of the Windsor Star, titled “Government climate policies wreak damage,” ICSC Director Tom Harris writes that “for an increasing fraction of the world’s population, the real crisis is not the possibility that dangerous human-caused climate change may someday occur. It is the serious problems being caused today by government policies to mitigate climate change.”19Tom Harris. “Government climate policies wreak damage,” Windsor Star, July 17, 2015. View .jpg of the original Print version on the ICSC website.

Harris continues, stating that efforts to reduce CO2 emissions is “causing food price spikes that are a disaster for the world’s poor.” He also claims that “electricity rates have soared, mostly affecting the poor” due to increases in wind energy.

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) website republished an Editorial in The Windsor Star by their own Science Advisory Board member, Madhav Khandekar, that lauded the original ICSC article—claiming that this qualified as “public support” for their original article.20“PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR ICSC ARTICLE ON THE DEADLY IMPACTS OF ONTARIO’S MISGUIDED CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/eRptK

March 2015

ICSC Director Tom Harris met with both CKNW News Talk 980 radio and NewsTalk 1290 CJBK radio to discuss why “Earth Hour is a mistake.”21(Press Release). “EARTH HOUR A SERIOUS MISTAKE, PRACTICALLY AND SYMBOLICALLY,” International Climate Science Coalition, March 27, 2015. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oZiwk 22Mike Stubbs. “Interviews > Tom Harris,” Newstalk 1290 CJBK, March 27, 2015. Archived August 18, 2015. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

Video of CKNW News Talk 980 interview below:

November 6, 2014

In an article in the Tulsa Beacon, Tom Harris (ICSC’s Director) comments that it is “frightening that West Virginia’s Sen. Joe Manchin is attempting to find common ground with climate change activist, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.”

Harris, who does not have a background in climate change science, states that “the rate of sea-level rise today is now so low that adaptation is relatively easy,” claiming that because sea levels were rising in the Holocene period that we shouldn’t worry about modern-day sea level rise.23“West Virginia is not affecting sea levels in Rhode Island,” Tulsa Beacon, November 6, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KecFZ 

November 2, 2014

As reported in an ICSC press release, representatives Bob Carter and Tom Harris went on the The Roy Green Show to debate Green Party Leader Elizabeth May regarding the new UN IPCC Synthesis Report.24“ICSC CONTESTS CANADIAN GREEN PARTY LEADER ON NEW UN CLIMATE REPORT,” International Climate Science Coalition, November 2, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/UEOMV

September 25, 2014

Tom Harris, Executive Director of the ICSC, was interviewed by Canada’s Sun Media TV Host Marissa Semkiw, describing climate change protests as “a moral travesty.”25“CLIMATE CHANGE PROTESTS HOPELESSLY MISGUIDED” (Press Release), International Climate Science Coalition, September 25, 2014. Archived. August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/O8ME6

September 12, 2014

ICSC Chief Science Advisor Bob Carter published a small piece in the Opinion section of The Australian titled “Heading for ice age.”26“Poor project management the cause of subs debacle,” The Australian, September 13, 2014. Archived September 13, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FAAh8

“[S]hould the expected solar cooling eventuate, policy makers will rue the day they failed to heed the advice of independent scientists on climate change issues,” Carter comments in an ICSC press release.27Bob Carter. “PREPARE FOR COLD PERIODS, NOT WARM ONES,” International Climate Science Coalition, September 12, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FAAh8

August 11, 2014

International Climate Science Coalition Executive Director Tom Harris published an opinion piece in the New York Post titled “The EPA Vs. The Public and Science.”28Tom Harris. ”The EPA Vs. The Public and Science,“ New York Post, August 11, 2014. Retrieved from climatescienceinternational.org. Archived October 3, 2020.

In the piece, Harris criticizes the Obama administration for never having attended the Heartland Institute’s International Conferences on Climate Change. He also criticizes the EPA, saying they “didn’t even consult with utilities that actually burn coal to produce electricity” before attending public hearings.

“[T]he EPA is intent on regulations that will drive energy prices through the roof, throwing millions out of work, while having no measurable impact on the environment,” Harris wrote.

June 3, 2014

Tom Harris, Executive Director of ICSC, was interviewed by Sun News where he “dissects Obama Administration ‘Clean Power Plan’ (CPP) issued on June 2,” reports a International Climate Science Coalition press release. The video of the interview no longer appears available.29“OBAMA CLEAN POWER PLAN A DISINGENUOUS ‘SLEIGHT OF HAND’,” International Climate Science Coalition, June 3, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qspg3

May 13, 2014

As reported by an ICSC Press Release, Executive Director Tom Harris was interviewed by Ezra Levant on the Sun Media’s network to discuss “Agenda driven science from the White House.”30(Press Release). “THIRD NATIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT ‘A FAIRY TALE’“, International Climate Science Coalition, May 13, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/x7HWy

April 29, 2014

Madhav L. Khandekar, listed as a Scientific Advisor for ICSC, was interviewed by the Progressive Radio Network to discuss climate change.

“Khandekar makes a good case that the climate is always changing, and that extreme weather events have always been with us, and will always be with us no matter what the source of factors that drive long term climate trends is. He points to success in Bangladesh in providing shelters from typhoons after a devastating storm in the 1970s that was estimated to kill several hundred thousand people. David identifies factors such as deforestation and poor urban planning as factors that turn a bad storm into a human disaster,” reads the interview summary.31“INFECTIOUS MYTH – CHANGING THE CLIMATE WITH MADHAV KHANDEKAR – 04/29/14,” Progressive Radio Network, April 30, 2014. Archived July 10, 2014. Archived .mp3 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8bEsQ

April 9, 2014

Tom Harris, ICSC Exective Director, went on to the Voice of Russia radio where he was interviewed by Kells Hetherington. In the interview, Harris said that climate change is “actually a good thing”:32“Coalition Claims Climate Change ‘It’s Actually A Good Thing’,” Voice of Russia US, April 9, 2014. Archived July 29, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/W6kdn

“In fact we are seeing a ‘greening,’ where deserts are actually retreating, forests are expanding, and we’re seeing more habitat for wildlife,” explained Harris. “It’s actually a good thing that this kind of climate change is occurring.”

April 2, 2014

Tom Harris wrote an article in the “Editorial Forum” section of the Times-Republican, where he stated that we should adapt to climate change and increase power production to do so:33(Press Release). “U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE REAL WORLD“, International Climate Science Coalition, April 2, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/cb3eT

“We should focus on adapting to climate change, not vainly trying to stop it. Adaptation measures should include upgrading our heating, cooling, and irrigation systems, relocating populations living in dangerous areas, burying electrical and communications cables underground, reinforcing infra- structure, and preparing for continuing sea level rise, a phenomenon that has gone on for 10,000 years and is not likely to end any time soon. To do this we will need massive quantities of inexpensive, high quality, reliable power.”

March 28, 2014

Tom Harris, Bob Carter, Bryan Leyland, and Terry Dunleavy of the International Climate Science Coalition (and/or New Zealand Climate Science Coalition) publicly denounced Earth Hour in an ICSC press release:34(Press Release). “NEWS RELEASE – “EARTH HOUR” BASED ON A LIE”, International Climate Science Coalition, March 28, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dYEbV

“Earth Hour has become a symbol of how radical climate activists have hijacked the environmental movement,” said Tom Harris, executive director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC). “Most people do not realize that, when they turn out their lights for sixty minutes on March 29, they are not supporting science-based environmental protection. Participants in Earth Hour are unwittingly helping prop up one of the most threatening scientific hoaxes in history—the idea that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities are known to be causing dangerous global warming and other problematic climate change.”

ICSC chief science advisor, Bob Carter, said “Science has yet to provide unambiguous evidence that problematic, or even measurable, human-caused global warming is occurring. The hypothesis of dangerous man-made climate change is based solely on computerized models that have repeatedly failed in practice in the real world.”

New Zealand-based Terry Dunleavy, ICSC founding chairman and strategic advisor said, “It’s important not to waste energy, and to generate it as economically as possible in terms both of cost and depletion of natural resources. Those are the right reasons for mass gestures like Earth Hour. However, it is a mistake to promote such initiatives as ‘saving the planet’ by reducing emissions of CO2 when so many qualified scientists do not support the hypothesis that man-made CO2 can or does cause dangerous global warming. As the public come to realize that they have been misled about the reasons for Earth Hour, much of the incentive to engage in constructive behaviour will, unfortunately, evaporate.”

“If we are going to demonstrate solidarity with those who lack adequate energy supplies, then we need to really feel what they feel, not just turn off a few lights,” said ICSC energy issues advisor, Bryan Leyland of Auckland, New Zealand. “Earth Hour should be ignored and a new Energy Hour established an hour earlier in which citizens are encouraged to use as little energy as possible for 60 minutes so that they get a sense of what societies without adequate power are actually like. For this is exactly where the developed world is headed if governments continue to yield to climate activists, spending trillions of dollars trying to replace reliable, base load generation with expensive, intermittent and diffuse energy sources such as wind and solar power.”

March 8, 2014

Bob Carter, ICSC’s Chief Science Advisor and a lead author of the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) report, was interviewed on Truth News radio in Australia where he discussed “some of the key findings in the latest report and addresses some popular misconceptions about polar ice and climate variability over the past ten thousand years.”35“Professor Bob Carter on the latest NIPCC report,” TruthNews Australia, March 1, 2014. Archived March 28, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/WGBR7 36(Press Release). “ICSC CHIEF SCIENCE ADVISOR DISCUSSES NIPCC ON AUSTRALIAN RADIO” , International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/b8wiH

January 29, 2014

ICSC Executive Director Tom Harris appeared on Sun News media to discuss why President Obama’s statement, “Climate change is a fact,” is “meaningless,” reports an ICSC press release.37(Press Release). “OBAMA STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS RIDDLED WITH DECEPTIONS ON CLIMATE AND ENERGY,” International Climate Science Coalition, January 29, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/HtTzH

December 18, 2013

Tim Ball and Tom Harris Co-Authored an article, titled “Coal Must Embrace All-Out Battle with Eco-Bullies,” where they suggest that the Coal industry needs to be saved:38Dr. Tim Ball and Tom Harris. “Coal Must Embrace All-Out Battle with Eco-Bullies,” PJ Media, December 18, 2013. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MHcDa

“The only way to save coal is to convince opinion leaders, and thus the public, that the administration’s excuse for killing it is misguided. There is no climate crisis happening. The science that supports climate fears is unreliable.”

According to Harris and Ball, “That global warming stopped 17 years ago, and extreme weather has not increased despite an 8% rise in CO2? This is never referenced by President Barack Obama or his Environmental Protection Agency.”

December 10, 2013

As reported in a ICSC press release, the International Climate Science Coalition pressured the American Geophysical Union “to join with us in helping educate the public about extreme weather and climate change.”39“ICSC NEWS RELEASE: AGU MUST SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON EXTREME WEATHER,” International Climate Science Coalition, December 10, 2013. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RUvGD

“For too long, the public, media, and government have been misled into believing that climate change is causing increased extreme weather. At their massive Fall Meeting now taking place in San Francisco, the AGU should start a public education campaign aimed at revealing what science really says about this topic,” Harris said.

Dr. Madhav Khandekar stated, “Our Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change report states that there is no convincing evidence supporting a relationship between warming over the past 100 years and increases in extreme events. When the earth was cooling between 1945 and 1977, there were as many extreme weather events as there are now. The link between global warming and extreme weather is more perception than reality. Earth’s climate is robust and there is no evidence that it is being destabilized by human-added carbon dioxide [CO2].”

Professor Bob Carter, ICSC Chief Science Advisor said, “Although today’s climate and extreme weather are well within the bounds of natural variability and the intensity and magnitude of extreme events is not increasing, there is, most definitely, a climate problem. Natural climate change brings with it very real human and environmental costs. Therefore, we must carefully prepare for and adapt to climate hazards as and when they happen. Spending billions of dollars on expensive and ineffectual CO2 controls in a futile attempt to stop natural climate change impoverishes societies and reduces our capacity to address these and other real world problems.”

December 8, 2013

The ICSC’s Science Advisory Board Member, Dr. Madhav Khandekar, went on The Source, With Ezra Levant, on Sun Media Television to talk about how “recent extreme weather is nothing unusual and undoubtedly due to natural cycles.”40(Press Release). “FORMER ENVIRONMENT CANADA RESEARCH SCIENTIST DEBUNKS EXTREME WEATHER/CLIMATE CHANGE LINK,” International Climate Science Coalition, December 8, 2013. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/0fNMb

September 27, 2013

ICSC Executive Director Tom Harris spoke with Ezra Levant on “The Source” about how “the UN IPCC can not be trusted.” In an attached ICSC press release, Chief Science Advisor Robert Carter also said “No one should trust the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] report issued today.”41(Press Release). “UN IPCC Climate Report Untrustworthy,” PR Newswire, September 27, 2013. Archived October 7, 2013. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/5anLi

September 7, 2013

The International Climate Science Coalition promoted the latest NIPCC (Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change) report.42(Press Release). “New science report debunks climate scare,” PR Newswire, September 17, 2013. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/C80gc DeSmog noted that the ICSC’s Press Release made no mention of The Heartland Institute’s role in funding and publishing the report.43Brendan DeMelle.”International Climate Science Coalition Lacks Credibility, Launches Heartland Institute Anti-Science Report,” DeSmog, September 17, 2013.

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) described its promotion process across news media, the reports of the  (NIPCC), with the most recent being “Climate Change Reconsidered-II.”44“ICSC SUPPORTS IMPORTANT NEW ‘CLIMATE REALIST’ REPORT,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xCX8n

December 2012

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) drafted an open letter to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. The letter was originally suggested by Climate Depot, and The International Climate Science Coalition “took on the job and five ICSC participants became the primary drafters of the letter”:45Tom Harris. “Behind the scenes – preparing the open letter to the U.N. Secretary General on his climate science mistakes,” Frontier Centre for Public Policy, December 4, 2012. Archived December 23, 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/G0VeC

  • Christopher Monckton — ICSC Policy Advisory Board member
  • Bob Carter — ICSC Chief Science Advisor
  • Terry Dunleavy — ICSC Strategic Advisor and Founding Chairman
  • Bryan Leyland — ICSC Energy Issues Advisor
  • Tom Harris — ICSC Executive Director

According to Tom Harris, “After two days of exchanging various versions of the open letter by e-mail, the five us agreed on the final text and, by Tuesday, the second day of the U.N. conference, e-mail distribution to potential signatories began.”

Shortly after that, one of Harris’s emails was leaked (PDF), which resulted in a number of news articles including an article in Hot Topic titled “Signing Up To Nonsense: Denialists Plot Letter to UN Secretary General.” Harris said that, due to the leak, “we had to release the letter right away or the aggressive backlash from activists could start to scare away some of the open letter endorsers.” The letter was initially published electronically in the Financial Post.46“Signing Up To Nonsense: Denialists Plot Letter to UN Secretary General,“ Hot Topic, November 29, 2012. Archived December 3, 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2aSwQ

Harris lists a few of the “hundreds of websites” that have “reproduced, or made reference to, the open letter and the endorser list”:

  • Watts Up With That –  “An open letter to the U.N from climate skeptics”
  • Marc Morano’s Climate Depot – “125 International Scientists Rebuke UN for Climate Claims in Open Letter: ‘Global warming that has not occurred cannot have caused extreme weather of past few years’”
  • Alex Jones’ “Prison Planet”: “Current scientific knowledge does not substantiate Ban Ki-Moon assertions on weather and climate, say 125-plus scientists”
  • News Beacon Ireland: “OPEN CLIMATE LETTER TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL: Current scientific knowledge does not substantiate Ban Ki-Moon assertions on weather and climate, say 125-plus scientists”
  • Before Its News Website
  • Rajan’s Take (India): “125 World’s Top Climatologists & Academicians write Open Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations protesting his climate hysteria”

Bob Carter has noted that none of the ICSC’s open letters have been high on the Secretary General’s radar: “The Secretary General did not even acknowledge receipt of our open letters, let alone address any of our points,” said Carter.47“NEWS RELEASE – UN SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON WHAT PEOPLE WANT,” International Climate Science Coalition, December 13, 2014. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/lfvNG

May 21–23, 2012

The ICSC is listed as an official Co-sponsor (PDF) of the Heartland Institute’s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7).48“Seventh International Conference on Climate Change: Sponsored by the Heartland Institute” (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived August 15, 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

June 30–July 1, 2011

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) was an official Co-Sponsor (PDF) of the Heartland Institute’s Sixth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC6).49Sixth International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived July 25, 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

2010

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) created the “Climate Scientists’ Register,” which states:50“CLIMATE SCIENTISTS’ REGISTER ENDORSERS,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Td8iA

“We, the undersigned, having assessed the relevant scientific evidence, do not find convincing support for the hypothesis that human emissions of carbon dioxide are causing, or will in the foreseeable future cause, dangerous global warming.”

As of August, 2015, there were 142 endorsers.

May 16–18, 2010

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) was an official co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Fourth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC4).514th International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program (PDF), The Heartland Institute. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7M3LQ

DeSmog researched sponsors behind the conference and found that 19 of the 65 sponsors (including Heartland itself) had received a total of over $40 million in funding since 1985 from ExxonMobil (who funded 13 of the organizations), and/or Koch Industries family foundations (funded 10 organizations) and/or the Scaife family foundations (funded 10 organizations).52Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-palooza Round 4: ‘International Conference on Climate Change’ Groups Funded by Exxon, Koch Industries,” DeSmog, May 13, 2010.

June 2, 2009

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) was an official co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Third International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC3) is Washington, DC.53“Co-Sponsors,” Third International Conference on Climate Change. Archived July 14, 2010. 

March 2009

ICSC was an official Co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Second International Conference on Climate Change.54“Co-Sponsors,” The 2009 International Conference on Climate Change. Archived April 28, 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8pEf7

DeSmog found that sponsors for the conference had collectively received over $47 million from oil companies and right-wing organizations.55“Heartland Institute’s 2009 Climate Conference in New York: funding history of the sponsors,” DeSmog.

December 8, 2009

ICSC hosted the “Copenhagen Climate Challenge” which was signed by numerous prominent climate change skeptics.56“UN Challenged to Provide Sound Evidence for Catastrophic Forecasts,” CNW Newswire Release, December 8, 2009. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/U0JfC 57“Copenhagen climate Challenge Signatories,” copenhagenclimatechallenge.org, December 10, 2009. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Or166

The website copenhagenclimatechallenge.org no longer appears to be in operation. However, as of January 2014, the challenge listed 166 signatories with backgrounds supposedly “well qualified in climate science”58“Copenhagen climate Challenge Signatories,” copenhagenclimatechallenge.org, December 10, 2009. Archived January 16, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Or166 plus an additional 29 “science and technology experts in other related disciplines.”59“Copenhagen climate Challenge Associated Signatories,” copenhagenclimatchallenge.org, December 10, 2009. Archived January 16, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/M6D13

See the video (hosted by CFACT) of Tom Harris presented the Climate Challenge below:

March 4, 2008

ICSC promoted the “Manhattan Declaration,” a document that was presented at the Heartland Institute’s 2008 International Conference on Climate Change.

The Declaration states that “That there is no convincing evidence that CO2 emissions from modern industrial activity has in the past, is now, or will in the future cause catastrophic climate change” and “That human-caused climate change is not a global crisis.”

It concludes “That all taxes, regulations, and other interventions intended to reduce emissions of CO2 be abandoned forthwith.”60“THE MANHATTAN DECLARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived August 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/tJhGR

March 2008

The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) was an official Co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s First International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC1) from March 2 – 4, 2008, in New York.61“Sponsorships,” The 2008 International Conference on climate Change. Archived June 10, 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bxDic

At the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change” hosted by the Heartland Institute, ICSC Executive Director Tom Harris gave a speech in which he discussed what he called “information sharing” and “coordinated local activism”:

”[…] We need regular high-impact media coverage of the findings of leading scientists — not just one or two publications, but we need to have hundreds all over the world. We need to have a high degree of information sharing and cooperation between groups, so that when Vincent Gray for example has an article published in New Zealand, we can take the same piece and we can (say) submit it to newspapers all over North America and Europe.

“Then we have a nicely well-coordinated response, where letters to the editor and phone calls are made. “Congratulations on publishing that article!” You know, it’s interesting because I’ve had many of my articles opposed so strongly, by environmentalists through phone calls and letters to the editor, that they just simply dry up, they just won’t publish us again. So this does have feedback, I mean, these are people that run these newspapers, and they’re scared, and impressed, and encouraged, depending on the feedback they get.

We have to have grassroots organizations doing exactly that kind of thing: coordinated local activism.”

December 2007

The Science and Public Policy Institute is responsible62“Ending the climate scare requires an approach that is: International, Non­partisan , Focused, Realistic” (PDF), International Climate Science Coalition. Archived February 6,  2015. for an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon from “climate experts” that attended the Bali Climate Conference.63“2007 BALI CONFERENCE LETTER TO UN SECRETARY GENERAL FROM CLIMATE REALISTS,” Science and Public Policy Institute, December 12, 2007. Archived August 9, 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/naAyl

According to the letter:

“It is not possible to stop climate change, a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages. Geological, archaeological, oral and written histories all attest to the dramatic challenges posed to past societies from unanticipated changes in temperature, precipitation, winds and other climatic variables. We therefore need to equip nations to become resilient to the full range of these natural phenomena by promoting economic growth and wealth generation.”

ICSC Contact & Location

As of June 2016, the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) listed the following contact information on its website:64“Contact ICSC,” International Climate Science Coalition. Archived June 29, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DfIAJ

Tom Harris 
Executive Director
International Climate Science Coalition
P.O. Box 23013
Ottawa, Ontario K2A 4E2
Canada

Ph: 613-728-9200
Email: [email protected] (sometimes bounces)
Alternate email: [email protected]

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