_{Image credit: Repeal The Act / YouTube}

Murry Salby (Deceased)

Credentials

Ph.D. Environmental Dynamics, Georgia Institute of Technology (1978)¹
B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (1973)²Elsevier Science, May 13, 1996³. Archived September 24, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Background

Murry Salby was an American-born and educated atmospheric scientist who spent part of his career in Australia. The Australian news outlet Crikey in 2013 described Murry Salby, along with the late Bob Carter, as “two darlings of Australia’s climate sceptic movement.”⁴

In November 2022, Hermann Harde, a retired academic of Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, announced that Murry Salby had died in Melbourne earlier in the year.⁵

In a 2011 presentation at The Sydney Institute, Murry Salby claimed that he had been a scientific reviewer for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.⁶ However, it is not clear whether the IPCC had invited him to review material or he had asked to see draft reports.⁷

Between 1988 and 2013, Salby committed financial and other offenses that led to his departures from faculty positions at two major universities.

1988-2007: University of Colorado

Murry Salby became a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder in 1988. He resigned in 2007,⁸ following a university investigation that documented fraud in his applications and invoicing for federal research funds. Salby “did not fully participate in the University investigation, and provided deceptive
information to the University during its investigation, according to a subsequent investigation by the National Science Foundation (NSF).⁹

National Science Foundation Investigation

In 2009, the National Science Foundation released the results of its multi-year investigation into Murry Salby’s misuse of federal research funds. As DeSmog reported at the time, the investigation found “that over a period when Dr. Salby was working at the University of Colorado, he had likely fabricated time sheets in relation to research paid for through NSF money.” The investigation found that Murry Salby had a 15-year “pattern of deception, a lack of integrity, and a persistent and intentional disregard” towards both NSF and University of Colorado policies:¹⁰

“We conclude that the Subject (Dr Salby) has engaged in a long-running course of deceptive conduct involving both his University and NSF. His conduct reflects a consistent willingness to violate rules and regulations, whether federal or local, for his personal benefit. This supports a finding that the Subject is not presently responsible, and we recommend that he be debarred for five years.”

Ultimately Murry Salby was debarred from receiving NSF research grants or working on NSF-funded research for three years.¹¹

2008-2013: Macquarie University

Murry Salby was a professor at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia from 2008 to 2013. Macquarie University fired Salby in 2013 after he refused to teach, as well as breaking “University policies in relation to travel and use of University resources.” Macquarie stated that it had undertaken two separate investigations into Selby’s behavior before terminating his position.¹²

In the following days, a number of climate sceptic bloggers and commentators claimed that Salby’s contrarian views on climate change science had contributed to his dismissal. Anthony Watts, editor of the Watts Up With That blog, said the termination illustrated the “disturbing lengths a university will go to suppress ideas they don’t agree with,” while news columnist Andrew Bolt claimed Salby had been “persecuted” because he had “challenged the global warming faith.”¹³

Macquarie University denied that Salby’s termination involved his opinions on climate change:¹⁴

“The decision to terminate Professor Murry Salby’s employment with Macquarie University had nothing to do with his views on climate change nor any other views. The University supports academic freedom of speech and freedom to pursue research interests. Professor Salby’s employment was terminated firstly, because he did not fulfil [sic] his academic obligations, including the obligation to teach. After repeated directions to teach, this matter culminated in his refusal to undertake his teaching duties and he failed to arrive at a class he had been scheduled to take.”¹⁵

Salby sued the university for breach of contract in 2013. In 2016, a federal judge ruled against him on every complaint.¹⁶

Stance on Climate Change

The Australian news outlet Crikey in 2013 described Murry Salby, along with the late Bob Carter, as “two darlings of Australia’s climate sceptic movement.”¹⁷

Key Quotes

October 10, 2018

At a talk at Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, titled “What is Really Behind the Increase of Atmospheric CO2?” Murry Salby disputed the scientific consensus on climate change and criticized what he called “the climate change industry”:¹⁸

“The promoted view of atmospheric CO2, the foundation of the climate change industry, is the product of a universe in which atmospheric CO2 changes only through human emission…in which isotopic changes that are inherent to natural emission of CO2 are portrayed as a signature of human emission…in which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere, even if there’s no CO2 in the atmosphere.

“And most unsettling, a universe in which observed behavior that falsifies tenets of the climate change industry is verboten, silenced, and systematically expunged from the record.

“In this universe only one side is permitted: the party line.

“The consequence of this last feature is transparent. It conceals fundamental errors of this fantasy universe. This universe is not governed by the laws of physics or any hard science. It’s governed by ideology. The end justifies the means.”¹⁹

July 18, 2016

At a talk at University College London, Murry Salby claimed there was not sufficient data available to understand the climate:²⁰

“Climate is a subject of limited understanding, in significant part because observations are inadequate, yet it is a subject on which almost everyone has an opinion.”

On current climate science and policies, Murry Salby stated a take that seemed similar to “world government” conspiracy theories:

“For hundreds of years that has been the objective of science, to understand nature. Contrasting fundamentally is the new environmental science: climate science moderna. With the answer determined by government bureaucracy under the aegis of the UN, its objective has become an exercise in social engineering. To predict and control the undetectable.”

August 2, 2011

Speaking at The Sydney Institute, Murry Salby disputed the scientific consensus that rising CO2 levels lead to atmospheric temperature increases:²¹ ²²

“The popularized view has been that CO2 is driving the bus and climate is along for the ride. The observed behavior reveals just the reverse. Climate is at the wheel and to a significant degree, CO2 is at the back of the bus.” (28:22)

He later added:²³

“Future atmospheric CO2 is only marginally predictable and in significant part, not controllable. That means the changes of human emission will not be tracked by changes in atmospheric CO2. They never have been.” (30:20)

Salby finishing by saying, “Anyone who thinks the science of this complex system is settled is in fantasia.” (31:40)²⁴

Key Deeds

March 2015

At a talk in London, Murry Salby presented a series of scientific charts and graphs that, he claimed, demonstrated why the scientific consensus on climate change was wrong. During a question and answer session, an audience member said:²⁵

“The big message that Murry has, in my view, is that he’s shown that the IPCC assumption that all the increase in carbon dioxide in the last two hundred years has been because of our industrialization, is garbage. That’s the really big message, because what you’ve shown is that it’s largely natural. We can argue about the extent to which the anthropogenic component is there, but the really big message is it’s not us that’s been causing that increase in CO2, it’s natural.”

Salby responded: “I agree with that statement.”²⁶

November 7, 2013

On a UK speaking tour, Murry Salby gave a speech in Edinburgh hosted by Scottish Parliament Member Murdo Fraser.²⁷

Scottish Parliament Member Patrick Harvie summed up Salby’s talk in an online post:

“The presentation from Prof Salby contained nothing to surprise me. He seems very pleased with his apparently unique and unprecedented observation that short term changes and long term trends aren’t the same, and manages to ignore about 150 years worth of basic physics in order to conclude that global warming causes CO2 increase, rather than the other way round.”

November 6, 2013

During his UK speaking tour, at a presentation in London, Murry Salby said, “if you find yourself being lectured by a purported expert on the science which he proclaims is settled, you can be confident you’re being counseled by an imposter.”²⁸

The event was organized by British Labour Party MP Graham Stringer, and attended by PSI membership officer Terri Jackson. ²⁹ ³⁰

July 2013

Principia Scientific International (PSI), a fringe UK group that has suggested carbon dioxide cools the atmosphere, offered to host Murry Salby’s speaking engagements in the UK.³¹ PSI said it had secured funding from publisher Stairway Press for the trip.³²

PSI later posted online that Ken Coffman, of Stairway Press, had donated a four-figure sum to cover the expenses of Salby’s speaking tour,³³l which included two speeches in London, one in Cambridgeshire, and two in Edinburgh.³⁴

Affiliations

Salby was not active on social media.

Publications

Murry L. Salby. “Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics,” Academic Press – An Imprint of Elsevier, 1996
Murry L. Salby. “Physics of the Atmosphere and Climate,” Cambridge University Press, 2012
Publications authored or co-authored by Murry Salby, including peer-reviewed scientific papers, on Google Scholar

Resources

1
Murry L. Salby. “Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics,” Elsevier Science, May 13, 1996. Archived September 24, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
2
“Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics,”
3
. Archived September 24, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
4
Cathy Alexander. “Censorship? Climate sceptics culled from universities,” Crikey, July 12, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/ZP1xf
5
Hermann Harde. “A Tribute to Murray Salby,” edberry.com, November 3-4, 2022. Archived April 21, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.is/wip/WOExv
6
“SALBY_02.08.11,” YouTube video uploaded by user SIOPRS on March 2, 2012. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
7
Kevin Grandia. “What’s an “IPCC Expert Reviewer?,” DeSmog, January 11, 2007.
8
Graham Readfern. “Climate Sceptic Professor Sacked From Australian University Was Banned By National Science Foundation For “Deceptive Conduct,” DeSmog, July 12, 2013.
9
“Closeout Memorandum: Report of Investigation Case Number I06090025,” National Science Foundation, February 20, 2009. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive .pdf on file at DeSmog.
10
“Closeout Memorandum: Report of Investigation Case Number I06090025” (PDF), National Science Foundation, February 20, 2009. Archived September 24, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
11
Graham Readfern. “Climate Sceptic Professor Sacked From Australian University Was Banned By National Science Foundation For ‘Deceptive Conduct,’” DeSmog, July 12, 2013.
12
“Statement Regarding the Termination of Professor Murry Salby,” Macquarie University, July 10, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/tFLst
13
Graham Readfearn. “Climate Sceptic Professor Sacked From Australian University Was Banned By National Science Foundation For “Deceptive Conduct”,” DeSmog, July 12, 2013.
14
“Statement Regarding the Termination of Professor Murry Salby,” Macquarie University, July 10, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/tFLst
15
“Statement Regarding the Termination of Professor Murry Salby,” Macquarie University, July 10, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/tFLst
16
John Mashey. “Murry Salby: Galileo? Bozo? Or P.T.Barnum?” DeSmog, July 12, 2013.
17
Cathy Alexander. “Censorship? Climate sceptics culled from universities,” Crikey, July 12, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/ZP1xf
18
“Murry Salby “What is Really Begind the Increase of Atmospheric CO2?”,” YouTube video uploaded by user Rathnakumar S on November 23, 2018. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
19
“Murry Salby “What is Really Begind the Increase of Atmospheric CO2?”,” YouTube video uploaded by user Rathnakumar S on November 23, 2018. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
20
“Prof Salby: Atmospheric Carbon, 18 July 2016, University College London,” YouTube video uploaded by user Com SuspAct on August 1, 2016. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
21
“SALBY_02.08.11,” YouTube video uploaded by user SIOPRS on March 2, 2012. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
22
“Climate Misinformation by Source: Murry Salby,” Skeptical Science. Archived April 21, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.is/o3uru
23
“SALBY_02.08.11,” YouTube video uploaded by user SIOPRS on March 2, 2012. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
24
“SALBY_02.08.11,” YouTube video uploaded by user SIOPRS on March 2, 2012. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
25
“ProfSalby London 2015 720p,” YouTube video uploaded by user Repeal The Act on July 9, 2015. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
26
“ProfSalby London 2015 720p,” YouTube video uploaded by user Repeal The Act on July 9, 2015. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
27
Patrick Harvie. “So much for the consensus on climate change,” Patrick Harvie MSP, November 9, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/tELWv
28
“Professor Murry Salby UK Parliament 2013,” YouTube video uploaded by user Repeal the Act on September 4, 2014. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
29
“Rev Philip Foster and Terri Jackson lead Professor Murry Salby in climate debate in House of Commons,” Terri Jackson’s Scientific Blog, November 8, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/UOnFK
30
“Owen Paterson’s speech on abandoning climate change targets,” Repeal the Act, October 29, 2012. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/qVsmb
31
“Science Confirmed: Carbon Dioxide & Water Vapor Cool Earth’s Atmosphere,” PSI, November 20, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8qvKX
32
John O’Sullivan. “Scientist Fired by University for Exposing Truth on Climate Fraud,” PSI, December 12, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/35Crs
33
Derek Alker. “On Professor Murry Salby’s Edinburgh Talk: November 7, 2013,” PSI, November 11, 2013. Archived September 24, 2020. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/1P29
34
“Prof. Murry Salby UK Tour,” Scottish Climate and Energy Forum. Archived September 24, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
35
“Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics About the author,” Google Books. Archived September 24, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
36
Graham Readfern. “Climate Sceptic Professor Sacked From Australian University Was Banned By National Science Foundation For “Deceptive Conduct,” DeSmog, July 12, 2013.

DeSmog

DeSmog

Murry Salby

Murry Salby (Deceased)

Credentials

Background

Stance on Climate Change

Key Quotes

Key Deeds

Affiliations

Publications

Resources

Related Profiles

APCO Worldwide

Hugh W. Ellsaesser

Al Pekarek

Benny Peiser

DeSmog

DeSmog

Murry Salby

Murry Salby (Deceased)

Credentials

Background

Stance on Climate Change

Key Quotes

Key Deeds

Affiliations

Social Media

Publications

Resources

Related Profiles

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