Nir Shaviv Joins Skeptics’ Conference

Published February 10, 2009

Physics professor Nir Joseph Shaviv, one of the world’s leading researchers into astrophysics and climate science, has joined the lineup of more than 70 presenters at the second International Conference on Climate Change in New York March 8-10.

Dr. Shaviv, 37, an associate professor at the Racah Institute of Physics of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is a leading proponent of the theory that solar and cosmic rays, not human activity, are the driving forces behind climate change.

He will join other elite climatologists, economists, political leaders, and global warming skeptics as they confront the issue, “Global warming: Was it ever really a crisis?”

James M. Taylor, senior fellow at The Heartland Institute and organizer of the conference, said,”Nir Shaviv is unquestionably one of the world’s most expert scientists studying the link between fluctuating solar output and resulting temperature changes on Earth. His research into solar activity casts substantial doubt on the theory that humans are causing a global warming crisis.”

Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute, producer of the event along with more than 50 co-sponsors, said, “In the past nine months, the science has grown even more convincing that global warming is not a crisis. The crisis has been cancelled by sound science and common sense.”

Several hundred are expected to attend the event, which will feature presentations by:

* Vaclav Klaus, the Czech Republic’s opinionated president and current president of the European Union.

* American astronaut Dr. Jack Schmitt

* Richard Lindzen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the world’s leading experts in dynamic meteorology, especially planetary waves

* William Gray, Colorado State University, leading researcher into tropical weather patterns

* Willie Soon, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

* Roy Spencer, University of Alabama at Huntsville, principal research scientist and team leader on NASA’s Aqua satellite

Jose Maria Aznar, former prime minister of Spain, has cancelled his scheduled presentation.

Dan Miller, executive vice president of The Heartland Institute, a 25-year-old national nonpartisan think-tank based in Chicago, noted, “All of the event’s expenses will be covered by admission fees and individual and foundation donors to Heartland. No corporate dollars earmarked for the event were solicited or accepted.”

For more information about the conference, a complete list of confirmed speakers, and journalist accreditation, go to www.heartland.org.

For more information, contact Publisher Dan Miller at [email protected] or call 312/377-4000.