The speakers’ list at the Fourth International Conference on Climate Change, which opens Sunday in Chicago with more than 700 registered attendees, is loaded with the world’s elite climatologists, economists, and policy makers. But almost all of them are skeptical that human activity is causing a crisis in global warming.
James M. Taylor, senior fellow for environment policy at the sponsoring Heartland Institute and the person who recruited all of the 70-plus presenters at the May 16-18 conference, says many people – Heartland supporters and detractors – have asked why no “warmists” are on the agenda.
In fact, said Taylor, among his first invitations to speak went to those who dispute the predominant views of the global warming skeptics.
“I personally and cordially invited literally dozens of high-profile scientists who disagree with our speakers, including Gavin Schmidt, James Hansen, Michael Mann, Phil Jones, William Schlesinger, and many others,” Taylor said. “I planned to give each side equal time at the conference. Regrettably – and predictably – only two ‘warmists’ accepted my invitation to participate: Scott Denning of Colorado State University and Tam Hunt, a consultant on renewable energy and a lecturer at UC Santa Barbara’s School of Environmental Science & Management.”
All others declined, nearly all of them cordially.
Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute, noted, “Our speakers and more than 700 attendees are assembling with the theme ‘Reconsidering the science and economics.’ Constructive civil discourse requires all sides to engage in the discussion. The fact that one faction has consistently refused to participate in our four climate conferences speaks volumes about who does and who doesn’t feel confident in the science they are presenting.”
Added Taylor, “The only ‘deniers’ in the climate change discussion are those who deny there is a constructive purpose to be served by open, civil dialogue and debate.”
The conference is open to the public, but admission will be charged.
Complimentary registration is available to qualified print, broadcast, and online journalists. For more information, contact Dan Miller or Tammy Nash at The Heartland Institute, [email protected] or [email protected].
The Chicago-based Heartland Institute is a 26-year-old national nonprofit organization funded by 1,800 donors. No corporate donor provides more than 5 percent of Heartland’s $7 million annual budget.
