Relevant

 Prominent Australians among those demanding an end to climate hysteria

Ottawa, Canada, June 18, 2008 – Since its creation in March by the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC), the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change has attracted signatories from 40 countries.  Although ignored by most media and governments, endorsement for the Declaration has rained in from hundreds of climate experts and other scientists, as well as professional engineers, economists, policy experts, medical doctors and average citizens.  The complete declaration text, endorser lists and international media contacts for expert commentary, may be viewed here.

“The response to the Manhattan Declaration reveals a huge public appetite for the other side of the story from that with which we are constantly bombarded by the press, IPCC officials, as well as the Rudd Government and its allies in the environmental movement,” said Brisbane-based Declaration endorser John Nicol (PhD and former Senior Lecturer of Physics at James Cook University, Townsville).  “This shows that an increasing fraction of the population are coming to understand that climate hysteria is groundless and is being manufactured by entities with strong vested interests that have nothing to do with environmental protection.”

Among the many Australians who have endorsed the Declaration are the following leaders in their fields (highlights indicate embedded Web links):

1. William Kininmonth, former head of Australia’s National Climate Centre and a consultant to the World Meteorological organization’s Commission for Climatology, Kew, Victoria
2. Ian Plimer, PhD, Professor of Mining Geology, The University of Adelaide; Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
   
3. Donald Parkes, PhD, retired Professor Human Ecology, Australia and Japan
4. Walter Starck, PhD (marine science; specialization in coral reefs and fisheries), Townsville, Queensland
5. Robert M. Carter, PhD, Professor, Marine Geophysical Laboratory, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland
6. Cliff Ollier, PhD, Professor Emeritus (Geology), Research Fellow, University of Western Australia, Crawley
7. Don Aitkin, PhD, Professor, retired Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Canberra
8. John Nicol, PhD , former Senior Lecturer of Physics at James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland
9. Lance Endersbee, AO, Emeritus Professor, former Dean of Engineering and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Monasy University, Past President - Engineers Australia, Frankston, Victoria
10. Des Moore, LLB, BSc (Economics (Hons), London School of Economics), Director - Institute for Private Enterprise, life member - Australian Strategic Policy Institute, former Deputy Secretary, Treasury, Government of Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
11. David Evans, PhD (EE), mathematician, carbon accountant, computer and electrical engineer and head of 'Science Speak', Perth, Western Australia
12. Jennifer Marohasy, PhD, Biologist, Senior Fellow, Institute of Public Affairs; Director, Australian Environment Foundation, Sydney
13. Warwick S. Hughes, MSc Hon. (University of Auckland, New Zealand), geologist (retired), Canberra
14. Chris Schoneveld, MSc (Structural Geology), PhD (Geology), retired exploration geologist and geophysicist, Australia and France
15. Len Walker, BE, PhD (Cantab), Civil Engineer, Melbourne
16. Robert Jacomb Foster, BE (Adelaide University), palaeoclimatologist and energy economist, Director Lavoisier Group; past Councillor Royal Society of Victoria and Victorian Institute of Marine Science, Melbourne
17. John McLean, Climate Data Analyst, Computer scientist, Melbourne
18. Dennis Jensen, BS (Applied Physics), RMIT, MSc (Melbourne), PhD (Monash), Physics, Materials Science, Defence Analysis, Previously Research Scientist (CSIRO and DSTO), Member of Parliament, Perth, Western Australia

Although today’s panic over climate change is driven mostly by IPCC reports, William Kininmonth, the former head of Australia’s National Climate Centre and an advisor to the ICSC, explains, “There has been no open public assessment of the IPCC reports, especially of their findings and recommendations.” While calling for an independent review of IPCC reports, Kinninmonth further explains, “Already scientists have identified major flaws in the computer models that form the basis for the IPCC’s 2007 global warming predictions. For example, there is gross underestimation of the rate of increase of surface evaporation with temperature rise. As a consequence, the predictions of dangerous warming and all its impacts are manifestly exaggerated.”

The Manhattan Declaration concludes, “Attempts by governments to legislate costly regulations on industry and individual citizens to encourage CO2 reduction will slow development while having no appreciable impact on the future trajectory of global climate change.  Such policies will markedly diminish future prosperity and so reduce the ability of societies to adapt to inevitable climate change, thereby increasing, not decreasing human suffering.”

"Just as the Manhattan Project was key to finally ending the Second World War, the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change may one day be regarded as a critical catalyst that helped end today's climate hysteria," said ICSC Science Advisory Board member, Professor Bob Carter of James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland. "Protecting the natural world is crucially important and so environmental policy must be based on our best understanding of science and technology coupled with a realistic appreciation of the relevant economics and policy options. This is not happening in the climate debate."

The ICSC is an association of scientists, economists and energy and policy experts working to promote better public understanding of climate change. ICSC provides an analysis of climate science and policy issues which, being independent of lobby groups and vested political interests, is an alternative to advice from the IPCC. ICSC thereby fosters rational, evidence-based, open discussion about all climate, and climate-related, issues.

For more information about the Manhattan Declaration or the realists’ view of climate change, visit http://www.climatescienceinternational.org or contact:

or

(the AEF is working in cooperation with ICSC as a media contact in Australia for this announcement)

 or