Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science

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Kevin Grandia

13 February 08

Marketing Professor Scott Armstrong at the New York Climate Change "Skeptics" Conference

Scott Armstrong is a Marketing Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and is listed as a speaker at the "2008 International Conference on Climate Change," being organized by the ExxonMobil and Philip Morris-friendly Heartland Institute.

Below is a list of other briefing notes we have completed on speakers for the "2008 International Conference on Climate Change:"

Chris Horner

Madhav Khandekar

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Big Picture Journalism

Submitted by JohnnyB (not verified) on Tue, 2008-04-08 02:56.

Hi Kevin,

This funding thingy needs clearing up doesn't it? Take a look at the Suzuki Foundation (your president James Hoggan sits on the board) which is funded by 3 energy companies (at last count!):

annual report for 2005/2006 lists at least 52 corporate donors including: Bell Canada, Toyota, IBM, McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Microsoft, Scotia Capital, Warner Brothers, RBC, Canon and Bank of Montreal.

The David Suzuki Foundation also received donations from EnCana Corporation, a world leader in natural gas production and oil sands development, ATCO Gas, Alberta’s principle distributor of natural gas, and a number of pension funds including the OPG (Ontario Power Generation) Employees’ and Pensioners’ Charity Trust. OPG is one of the largest suppliers of electricity in the world operating 5 fossil fuel-burning generation plants and 3 nuclear plants.

But Mr Suzuki apparently claims in radio interviews it's difficult getting corporate funding! I think there's a story here Kevin, go to it Son.

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About the climate cover-up

Democracy is utterly dependant upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

Although all public relations professionals are bound by a duty to not knowingly mislead the public, some have executed comprehensive campaigns of misinformation on behalf of industry clients on issues ranging from tobacco and asbestos to seat belts.

Lately, these fringe players have turned their efforts to creating confusion about climate change. This PR campaign could not be accomplished without the compliance of media as well as the assent and participation of leaders in government and business.

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