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Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science

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Fred Seitz

Wall Street Journal: Still Promoting Debate

Despite having been proved, again and again, to be out of step with the science, the Wall Street Journal is still promoting a phony "balanced" view on global warming - still trying to argue that there is a legitimate argument about climate change.

In a short feature today, the WSJ juxtaposes three decades of warnings, from sources of integrity and obvious expertise (eg., the U.S. Department of Energy), with 30 years of denial, from paid apologists for industry (eg., former tobacco and energy industry shill Dr. Fred Seitz).

The effect is to elevate the status of the deniers and to suggest that debate endures.

It's a sham that should be embarrassing to any journalist of conscience.


Read more: Wall Street Journal: Still Promoting Debate

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Fred Seitz: Death of an Icon

Dr. Frederick Seitz, who died yesterday at the age of 96, was a great scientist, a President-Emeritus at Rockefeller University and a past president of the U.S. National Academy of Science.

Which makes it a greater scandal that people like Dr. S. Fred Singer took such advantage of the man in his declining years.


Read more: Fred Seitz: Death of an Icon

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Science Committee Slams Industry-funded climate science attack

Ah, a breath of fresh air on Capitol Hill today. Was it the spring air? Nope, it was a Congressional Subcommittee hearing today questioning industry efforts within science agencies, like NASA, NOAA and the EPA, to control federal scientists and confuse the public around the science of global warming.

Check here for the RealPlayer webcast and hit read more for some quotes DSBlog has pulled from the proceedings, as well as some research on one particular Republican Senator's outrageous "scientific sources" on global warming.


Read more: Science Committee Slams Industry-funded climate science attack

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The "JunkScience" Coup d'etat

Let's trash the junkman A lot of public relations technique rests in language. It is built in the nuanced choice and combination of
words that are developed and tested through public opinion research - through polling and focus groups.

For example, Republican pollster Frank Luntz has made a career of massaging language to his clients advantage. In Luntz's now infamous enviro-speak memo (pdf) to the republican party, he advises the following:



Read more: The "JunkScience" Coup d'etat

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Astroturf: The Only Grass That Withstands Toxic Friends of Science

There are few parties in the public realm that are more credible than a "grassroots organization" - a group of citizens who rise up with no agenda other than to speak frankly about a public issue. Politicians are inevitably suspect and businesses are clearly self-interested, so reporters are always searching for the "common man" - the "person on the street" - or from impartial experts. No news source wraps up those characteristics more efficiently than the true grass roots organization.


Read more: Astroturf: The Only Grass That Withstands Toxic Friends of Science

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About the climate cover-up

About the climate cover-up

Democracy is utterly dependent 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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