When the Sun Isn’t the Only Thing Giving Us Heat:
Challenging Greenpeace

Dear Greenpeace – Admit intimidation tactics!

Here at Friends of Science, we’re a small organization based out of Calgary that advocates for one main cause: evidence-based climate science. Good science makes good policy.

Our position, after a dozen years of expert review of climate science, is that the sun is the main driver of climate change – not you, and not CO2 – carbon dioxide.

Of course, we have reasons and evidence to support this position, well-summarized in our DOHA report of 2012.

More recent evidence, noted in the September 2013 IPCC report, shows global warming naturally stopped 16 years ago. In fact, from 2002 to May 2014, the earth surface temperatures appear to be cooling slightly. This is true for both HadCRUT4 surface and satellite temperatures. Despite rising CO2 emissions, there is no warming and no environmental damage from the 0.8 degree Celsius warming of the last 100 years.

Many people have forgotten their grade school science. CO2 is actually plant food; our CO2 emissions have increased crop yields, and help forests grow and flourish – creating additional new, natural carbon sinks.

friends of science billboard

Following our recent luncheon featuring Ross McKitrick’s presentation, we decided to run a digital billboard, shown above. Three weeks later, Greenpeace picked up on it and claimed ‘foul play.’ They said the outdoor sign company had been censoring an earlier Greenpeace billboard that supported renewable energy.

Censoring?

Suffice it to say, if anyone could censor Greenpeace’s unconventional tactics, we’d be surprised. Remember when Greenpeace literally rappelled off of the Calgary Tower to claim the government should “separate the oil from the state?” We certainly do. In case you’ve forgotten, you can see the court document here .

Now, Greenpeace is making headlines again – but mainly for their intimidation tactics that target the corporate officers, directors and CEOs of some 80 insurance and energy companies from around the globe. In Dear CEO, admit climate crimes,” writer Terence Corcoran asks, what right does Greenpeace have to bully corporations to support their cause? Isn’t that kind of, like… mafia tactics? @terencecorcoran, we agree with you – that, yes, Greenpeace is fueled by their skewed and overly passionate emotions.

While we’re definitely passionate about our own cause, we think it’s important to let our message be directed by evidence first, and not passion alone.

Greenpeace relies on one paper, written by a non-climate scientist, to make the claim of ‘climate crimes.’ To give an even further background, Greenpeace is demanding that corporations disclose their alleged anti-climate change funding activities and lobbying efforts. Greenpeace, an unaccountable, unelected organization labels anything outside the ‘consensus’ view on climate as criminal, punishable activity. In “Dear CEO, admit climate crimes,” Greenpeace faults CEOs and major companies for the devastating effects of natural disasters:

The Greenpeace letter claims climate catastrophes are personal, “It’s personal to the victims of super Typhoon Haiyan …” but 101 years ago a similar typhoon hit Tacloban, killing half the population of two cities.  Natural events like this have nothing to do with greenhouse gas emissions. Corporations are not responsible for natural weather events. A peak at James Marusek’s extensive list of 14,000 catastrophic weather events throughout time, long before fossil fuel use, will clarify this point.

Likewise, there is no correlation between hurricanes and global temperatures or emissions as underscored by the fact that global hurricane energy has declined 40% since 1998, see graph here. Meanwhile, the frequency of strong (F3+) tornadoes in the USA have declined significantly since the 1970s, see graph here. The severity of droughts globally and in North America have also been on the decline, see graph here.”

This evidence directly contradicts the claim against corporate officers, made by Carroll Muffett, Centre for International Environmental Law and Leanne Minshull, Greenpeace International’s Climate and Energy Campaigner who wrote “The responsibility – not just the devastating effects – should be personal.”

Let’s look at the flip side. Perhaps there should be personal responsibility and consequences to Greenpeace campaigners for threatening corporate officers and engaging in a game of public shaming?

After the Greenpeace accusations were made in the letter, Greenpeace then asks these accused corporate officers to fill out and return a questionnaire to them – essentially confessing to their alleged climate crimes.  Greenpeace state they will then post the answers – or lack of them – on their web-site! A public hanging with no judge, jury or trial – submit!  Or Greenpeace will shame you. According to the dictionary, that’s a form of extortion.

Why?

With all of this going on, and in light of Greenpeace’s ongoing bullying, we have to ask you, Greenpeace: is bullying the proper way to gain supporters? Is intimidation the right way to inform the public about your cause?

Answer this: Would you think kindly of our political leaders if that is how – through bullying and intimidation — they garnered your support?

We think not.

Friends of Science will continue on with our efforts, while we face baseless accusations from Greenpeace – such is life. At the end of the day, we refuse to rappel down towers, and we refuse to send letters to companies to frighten them. Greenpeace got early credibility for challenging environmental problems – now they are losing it for acting like caffeinated road-ragers.

So far in the West, Greenpeace has been left to explore its street theatre and often dangerous, life-threatening stunts.  But India has a much more serious take – they’ve declared Greenpeace a threat to national security.

And recent revelations show that senior Greenpeace officers are guilty of their own climate crimes – like flying 250 miles to work. In their defense, Greenpeace say ‘that’s a tough one.’ Really?

Doesn’t this make Greenpeace eco-HIPPO-crites?

Instead of threats and intimidation Greenpeace – live up to your name. Be environmental leaders, don’t make up lame excuses, and keep the peace. Dump the extortion tactics and face the facts.  You’re wrong about climate crimes. Global warming stopped 16+ years ago, despite a rise in CO2.  Our last billboard was so effective – we decided to do another.

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“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

 

For more information about Friends of Science and our scientific perspective, please visit www.friendsofscience.org.