Gerrit van der Lingen

Credentials

Ph.D., Geology, Utrecht University. [1]

Background

Van der Lingen describes himself as a geologist/paleoclimatologist and climate change consultant. He is a founding member [1] of The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition [2], an organization of climate change skeptics. [2]

Brought together in May 2006, the NZ Climate Science Coalition states that its main goals are:

To publish and distribute papers and commentaries produced by members of the Coalition;
To audit statements by other organizations, both in New Zealand and overseas, which are published in New Zealand, or are expected to influence New Zealand public policy and public opinion;
To audit the forthcoming IPCC report, either on its own, or through the Asia Pacific Climate Science Coalition, or equivalent organization, if one has been established in time.

Stance on Climate Change

"Incidentally, the IPCC hypothesis has now been thoroughly falsified (3). Moreover,
the world has not been warming anymore since 1998 and has even slightly cooled
since about 2002 (Fig 2). Many astrophysicists are predicting that the planet is
entering a cooling phase that could last 30 to 50 years (4)." [3]

Key Quotes

"We geologists can help to steer climate science away from the ideological hype and straight-jacket and return it to its proper functioning." [4]

"That the Earth has been cooling and the fact that many signs point to a continued cooling is difficult to accept for scientists and politicians who have nailed their colours to the apocalyptic-global-warming mast." [1]

Key Deeds

November 19, 2009

Van der Lingen authored a "open letter" [3] to NZ Climate Change Minister Nick Smith. The letter refers to a discussion Van der Lingen had with Smith "at the pre-dinner drinks at the Annual Conference of Architectural Designers" where Smith had agreed with his views on climate change. [5]

But when Smith's policy decisions didn't reflect his views in the informal chat, Van der Lingen sent an open letter to clarify how global warming is alternately a "blatant lie," "the biggest scam in human history," "a major threat to democratic freedoms" and, generally, "propaganda."

Van der Lingen describes how "the planet has been cooling for the past decade" and makes reference to a list of "32,000 American scientists" who doubt climate change.

This list is likely the infamous Oregon Petition [4], created by the "Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine [5]" along with the Exxon-funded [6] George C. Marshall Institute. A vast majority of the signatories were found to have no credentials related to climate science and many entries were found to be fake or repeated.

March 4, 2008

Van der Lingen is an endorser [7] of the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change [8], which was created by the ICSC in 2008 and initially presented at the Heartland Institute's 2008 International Conference on Climate Change [9]. [6]

The declaration states that "global warming is not a global crisis" and that "there is no convincing evidence that CO2 emissions from modern industrial activity has in the past, is now, or will in the future cause catastrophic climate change."

December 13, 2007

Van der Lingen is listed as a signatory to an open letter [10] to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. [7]

The open letter describes global warming as "a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages," and describes CO2 as a "non-polluting gas that is essential to plant photosynthesis."

The letter claims "the IPCC’s conclusions are quite inadequate as justification for implementing policies that will markedly diminish future prosperity" and summarizes that

"attempts to prevent global climate change from occurring are ultimately futile, and constitute a tragic misallocation of resources that would be better spent on humanity’s real and pressing problems."

April, 2006

Van der Lingen signed an open letter [11] to Stephen Harper which recommended that the government stall any action on climate policy because the "climate changes all the time due to natural causes."

The letter advocates a delay or cancelation of the implementation of Kyto reductions, and states that "allocating funds to 'stopping climate change' would be irrational."

Many prominent skeptics were signatories including Tim Ball [12], David Wojick [13], Chris de Freitas [14], Ian Clark [15], Paul Copper [16] and the list goes on.

Affiliations

International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) [17]— Member, "Science Advisory Board [18]," and contributor [19]. [8]
New Zealand Climate Science Coalition [20]— Founding Member [1]. [9]

Publications

According to a search of 22,000 academic journals, Van der Lingen has not published any research in a peer-reviewed journal on the subject of climate change. Google scholar lists two articles [21] published by Van der Lingen in the 1970s.

Resources

"New Zealand Parliamentary Select Committee: Emissions Trading Scheme Review" (PDF [22]), Submission by Dr Gerrit J. van der Lingen. Accessed January, 2012, from www.parliament.nz [23].
"Scientists Group to Refute Global Warming Claims [1]" (Press Release: Center for Resource Management Studies), Scoop Independent News, May 1, 2006.
Dr. Gerrit van der Lingen. "Ruminants not Kyoto villains" (PDF [24]), climatescience.org.nz. Accessed January, 2012.
Gerrit J. vand er Lingen. "The Anthropogenic Global Warming Doctrine [25]," Newsletter of the Geological Society of New Zealand, No. 138 (November, 2005). Republished by the Science and Environmental Policy Project. Archived September 28, 2006.
"Open Letter to Climate Change Minister Nick Smith [3]" (Press Release), Scoop Independent News, November 19, 2009.
"QUALIFIED ENDORSERS NOT AT CONFERENCE [7]," International Climate Science Coalition. Accessed January, 2012.
"Open Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations [10]," December 13, 2007. Reprinted by the Science and Public Policy Institute.
"WHO WE ARE [18]," International Climate Science Coalition. Accessed January, 2012.
"Scientists Group to Refute Global Warming Claims [1]" (Press Release: Center for Resource Management Studies), Scoop Independent News, May 1, 2006.