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Science and Public Policy Institute
From SourceWatch
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This article is part of the Climate change portal on SourceWatch. |
This is not the earlier, pro-public-health Science and Public Policy Institute founded by George Carlo; see Science and Public Policy Institute (disambiguation) for the distinction.
The Science and Public Policy Institute (SPPI) is a global warming skeptics group which appears to primarily be the work of Robert Ferguson, its President; its website draws heavily on papers written by Christopher Monckton.
SPPI describes itself as "a nonprofit institute of research and education dedicated to sound public policy based on sound science." It also proclaims that it is "free from affiliation to any corporation or political party, we support the advancement of sensible public policies for energy and the environment rooted in rational science and economics. Only through science and factual information, separating reality from rhetoric, can legislators develop beneficial policies without unintended consequences that might threaten the life, liberty, and prosperity of the citizenry."[1]
Contents |
Background
Ferguson
Prior to founding SPPI in approximately mid-2007, Ferguson was the Executive Director of the Center for Science and Public Policy (CSPP), a project of the corporate-funded group, the Frontiers of Freedom Institute.
Between March 4, 2005 and May 10, 2006 Ferguson edited a weekly bulletin titled Climate Weekly, then Climate and Environment Weekly and finally Climate and Environment Review, which was published by the Center for Science and Public Policy.[2][3]
Origin of SPPI
The initial media release of the Institute appears to have been issued on June 1, 2007. The release -- supporting the statements made by the then NASA Administrator Michael Griffin questioning global warming -- also listed Harriette Johnson from the Chicago-based think thank, the Heartland Institute as a media contact.[4]
From mid-July 2007 SPPI began publishing SPPI eWire, which is identical in content style to CSPP's Climate Weekly, Climate and Environment Weekly and Climate and Environment Review.[5] (SPPI is in the same building as CSPP, though in different offices - SPPI at Suite 299).[6] and CPPR at Suite 2100.[7]
SPPI name
Ferguson founded and named this group approximately eight years after George L. Carlo had founded the identically-named, pro-public-health Science and Public Policy Institute, to work on issues such as electro-magnetic radiation and health issues.
Ferguson states he was oblivious to the existence of Carlo's group, and that it was only after registering his organization in Virginia that he discovered Carlo's group existed, but by then his group had created the website and printed their stationery.[8]
Funding
On its website SPPI does not detail the sources of its funding or outline its approach to disclosure.
Personnel
While the SPPI seems primarily to be the work of Ferguson, it also features on it website the work of other prominent climate change skeptics who are involved with one or more other anti-Kyoto treaty groups.
The SPPI website lists its "personnel" as being[9]:
- Willie Soon, Chief Science Adviser
- Lord Christopher Monckton (UK)
- William Kininmonth, (Australia)
- Bob Carter (Australia)
- Craig Idso,
- David Legates
- James J. O'Brien
- Joseph D'Aleo
Contact Details
Science and Public Policy Institute
209 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Suite 299
Washington, D.C. 20003
5501 Merchants View Square,# 209
Haymarket, VA 20169
Website: http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/
Other SourceWatch Resources
References
- ↑ "Our Mission", Science and Public Policy Institute website, accessed February 2009.
- ↑ Center for Science and Public Policy, "Climate and Environment Weekly Archives", Center for Science and Public Policy website, accessed February 2009.
- ↑ Frontiers of Freedom, "Climate & Environment Review May 10, 2007", Frontiers of Freedom website, accessed February 2009.
- ↑ Robert Ferguson, "Scientists Rally Around NASA Chief After Global Warming Comments", Media Release, June 1, 2007.
- ↑ Science and Public Policy Institute, "SPPI eWire 7/12/2007", Science and Public Policy Institute website, July 12, 2007.
- ↑ Science and Public Policy Institute, "Contact", Science and Public Policy Institute website, accessed February 2009.
- ↑ Center for Science and Public Policy, "Contact Us", Center for Science and Public Policy website, accessed February 2009.
- ↑ Bob Ferguson, interview with Bob Burton, March 2009.
- ↑ Science and Public Policy Institute, "Personnel", Science and Public Policy Institute website, accessed February 2009.
