Here’s a pretty interesting and honest spin by the BBC on the Heartland Institute “4th International Conference on Climate Change” (read: a bunch of industry funded anti-science shills gathering to obfuscate climate science and hide the decline):
“At the world’s biggest gathering of climate change sceptics, organised by the right-wing Heartland Institute, vegetarians were an endangered species. Wine flowed and blood coursed during a rousing address from Heartland’s libertarian president Joseph Bast. Climate change is being used by governments to oppress the people, he believes. After years of opposing government rules on smoking and the environment, Mr Bast now aims to forge a global movement of climate sceptics to end the “myth” that humans are endangering the atmosphere.”
Skeptics, denialists, either way, it’s pretty depressing reading. The interesting bit comes at the end of the article, describing the ‘anti-climax’ that was Steve McIntyre,
“.. the fervour reached a peak when the reluctant hero, Steve McIntyre, shambled on to the stage.
There was a moment of anticipation as Mr McIntyre stood nervously before the podium.
“I’m not used to speaking in front of such big crowds,” he mumbled. And he winced a little when one emotional admirer blurted that he had travelled 10,000 miles from South Africa for the thrill of hearing him speak.But then came a sudden and unexpected anti-climax. Mr McIntyre urged the audience to support the battle for open source data on climate change – but then he counselled them to stop clamouring for the blood of the e-mailers. McIntyre does not want them jailed, or even punished. He just wants them to say they are sorry.
The audience disappointment was tangible – like a houndpack denied the kill.
This was clearly not the sort of emollient message the sceptics expected from one of their heavy hitters. And the speech slipped further into climate pacifism when Mr McIntyre confessed that he did not share the libertarian tendencies of many in the ballroom.
Click here to read the full article. You can find the videos of MacIntyre on Youtube (first of three below). It’s a little bizarre really, but well worth watching (if you can make it past the first 2-3 minutes, it’s pretty awkward to sit through).
So the scientists within the leading ‘sceptical’ climate scientists are a little discomfited by the fervency of the company they are keeping? Just not enough to actually avoid the company of Heartland’s fanatics or criticise their methods or conclusions. Or defend the genuine scientific efforts of others who come to different conclusions.