Recipients to be recognized at the 9th International Conference on Climate Change
for Speaking Truth to Power, Whistleblowing, and the Defense of Science
A total of nine awards will be handed out during plenary sessions at the conference, the largest gathering of scientists and policy experts who are skeptical of man-caused global warming.
Three distinguished global warming skeptics – Patrick Moore, Alan Carlin, and Willie Soon – will receive special recognition at the 9th International Conference on Climate Change July 7–9 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (ICCC9).
The conference is organized by The Heartland Institute and co-sponsored by 31 additional think tanks and other organizations. You can see the list of ICCC9 co-sponsors here. An updated list of award recipients can be found here.
“We’ve hosted eight successful conferences on climate change, and it’s long past time to publicly recognize some of the most important figures in the ongoing fight against climate alarmism,” said Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute. “These are individuals who have put their careers at risk to speak their minds and report what the data actually show, not what computer models and politicians order them to show.”
“Such courage is worthy of praise,” Bast said.
The award winners:
Speaks Truth to Power Award: Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace
Presented by the EarthFree Institute
Patrick Moore, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned ecologist and environmentalist. Beginning his career as an activist/leader in the Greenpeace movement, he now concentrates on collaborative efforts aimed at finding environmental solutions. He speaks and lectures frequently at universities, community meetings, and conferences.
Through books such as Green Spirit – Trees Are the Answer and Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout, Dr. Moore is known around the world as an eloquent voice for sensible environmentalism.
Climate Science Whistleblower Award: Alan Carlin, EPA economist (retired)
Presented by the Don’t Tread on My Business Foundation
Alan Carlin, Ph.D., now retired, was a career environmental economist at EPA when the Competitive Enterprise Institute broke the story of his negative report on the agency’s proposal to regulate greenhouse gases in June 2009. Dr. Carlin’s supervisor had ordered him to keep quiet about the report and stop working on the global warming issue.
EPA’s attempt to silence Dr. Carlin became a highly publicized embarrassment to the agency, especially given Administrator Lisa Jackson’s and President Obama’s announced commitment to transparency and scientific integrity. Since 2009, Dr. Carlin has been an active and influential writer and speaker on the climate change issue.
In response to the award, Dr. Carlin expressed his great appreciation and said how important it is to oppose EPA’s new proposed power plant regulations resulting from the 2009 Endangerment Finding since they would have adverse economic and environmental effects and are based on invalid science and an attempt by EPA to rewrite the Clean Air Act itself.
Courage in Defense of Science Award: Willie Soon
Presented by the George C. Marshall Institute
Willie Soon, Ph.D., an astrophysicist and geoscientist, is a leading authority on the relationship between solar phenomena and global climate. His discoveries challenge computer modelers and advocates who consistently underestimate solar influences on cloud formation, ocean currents, and wind that cause climate to change.
Dr. Soon has faced and risen above unethical and often libelous attacks on his research and his character, becoming one of the world’s most respected and influential voices for climate realism.
“Science and its practice are no longer free and willing today but instead are constantly terrorized by research funding gravy trains and group thinking,” Soon said. “This is why science needs defending and it takes courage to cleanse science from those cancerous elements and to bring her forward in its rightful place again. I am humbled and honored by this recognition.”
Visit the Web site for the conference for more information about the 9th International Conference on Climate Change, including a list of speakers and a preliminary schedule.
I respect anybody who is brave enough to come out and speak the truth in the face of such vehement opposition.
Good for them,
Unlike others, they have a conscience.
True defenders of science!
I would rather see Anth***’s name on the award list. He forms the bedrock ground in which true purified by fire climate discussions take place and that allows scientists wishing to more critically explore the CO2 AND/OR ENSO AND/OR SENSOR ISSUES AND/OR SOLAR hypothesis the public space to do so or be directed to. Further, when these scientists are wrongly vilified, Wattsupwiththat is there to inform the public about such discriminatory practice. Let’s be honoring the vehicle undergirding these folks rising to honor status.
They are all impressive and inspirational.
Stay tuned, WUWT fans. As the release notes, more distinguished awards winners will be announced in the coming days. Hope to see you at the conference!
Jim Lakely
Director of Communications
The Heartland Institute
Jim Lakely:
At June 19, 2014 at 3:12 pm you say
I take the liberty of suggesting persons you may wish to consider for honours.
Fred Singer for starting organised opposition to AGW propaganda in the West.
Helmut Metzner (posthumous award) for starting organised opposition to AGW propaganda in the East.
John Daly (posthumous award) for providing the world’s first internationally popular blog opposing AGW propaganda.
Anth0ny W*tts for providing the world’s most popular blog opposing AGW propaganda.
Richard
Pamela Gray said:
June 19, 2014 at 2:13 pm
I would rather see Anth***’s name on the award list.
————
I also would like to see Mr WUWT lauded for his continuing efforts in support of science/climate truth!
Good news for the recognition.
But, yes, Anthony should be recognized on his own right.
I’d add David Legates of the U. of Delaware — recent victim of a smear campaign by the Union of Compromised Scientists — to the list of truth-to-power talkers.
sure beats this! LOL.
18 June: The Wrap: Dan Bloom: ‘Cliffies’ Award to Honor Films About Climate Change and Global Warming (Guest Blog)
Preliminary planning is underway for “Cli-Fi Movie Awards”
After creating and popularizing the rising new genre of ”cli-fi” (novels and movies about climate change and global warming) and pushing the meme into the pages of the New York Times, Time magazine and NPR, I am now in the process of setting up a new Hollywood film awards event I call the ”Cliffies” for now: ”Cli-Fi movies that matter.”
The informal name of the awards event, to be held annually pre-Oscars, and televised or video-streamed from a Los Angeles venue, is “The Cli-Fi Movie Awards.”…
I envision climate-themed movie award categories for director, film, photography, music, sound editing, film editing, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, costumes, and screenplay, adapted or original. What I need now are some sponsors, some funding, an administrative team, a PR consultant and a venue and a date. I hope to get the Cliffies off the ground in early 2016, pre-Oscars, and with news coverage of the awards ceremony and the presenters carried in the major newspapers and wire services of the world…
I am hoping that the media attention and publicity surrounding this new Hollywood film awards event will bring people to me who can help make it happen, philanthropists like Pierre Omidyar and Steve Tisch, both fellow alums of Tufts, and political donors like Tom Steyer or Larry Page of Google.
I am now scouting for a jury of academics, scholars and film critics, and a venue to host the awards program.
Do you know anyone who wants to join this dreamer with a dream?…
http://www.thewrap.com/cliffies-award-to-honor-films-about-climate-change-and-global-warming-guest-blog/
linked from above: Also read: New York Times Rides Growing Wave of Climate Fiction (Guest Blog)
sure beats this. LOL:
18 June: The Wrap: Dan Bloom: ‘Cliffies’ Award to Honor Films About Climate Change and Global Warming (Guest Blog)
Preliminary planning is underway for “Cli-Fi Movie Awards”
After creating and popularizing the rising new genre of ”cli-fi” (novels and movies about climate change and global warming) and pushing the meme into the pages of the New York Times, Time magazine and NPR, I am now in the process of setting up a new Hollywood film awards event I call the ”Cliffies” for now: ”Cli-Fi movies that matter.”…
I hope to get the Cliffies off the ground in early 2016, pre-Oscars, and with news coverage of the awards ceremony and the presenters carried in the major newspapers and wire services of the world…
I call myself a deep-green climate activist and literary theorist who woke up to the existential threat of a future Climapocalypse in 2006. Before then I wasn’t really paying attention. Now I am, seven days a week. I live, sleep and dream cli fi issues and ideas…
It is my hope that these Cli-Fi Film Awards will serve as important wake up calls every year, not just to the Hollywood film world but also for audiences worldwide. And news reports of the annual event will also play an important role, in addition to the film producers themselves using the PR value of the awards ceremony for their own marketing and an distribution needs.
The funding? Everybody asks me. I don’t know from funding and I don’t know from money. But I am going by the line from “Field of Dreams” that “if you build it, he will come”…
I am hoping that the media attention and publicity surrounding this new Hollywood film awards event will bring people to me who can help make it happen, philanthropists like Pierre Omidyar and Steve Tisch, both fellow alums of Tufts, and political donors like Tom Steyer or Larry Page of Google.
I am now scouting for a jury of academics, scholars and film critics, and a venue to host the awards program.
Do you know anyone who wants to join this dreamer with a dream?…
http://www.thewrap.com/cliffies-award-to-honor-films-about-climate-change-and-global-warming-guest-blog/
linked from the above: Also read: New York Times Rides Growing Wave of Climate Fiction (Guest Blog)
This is an interesting list. All three well deserve the recognition. If I had to choose, I’d start by looking at the crap people been thrown and then at how well they’ve risen above it. Richard Lindzen might have come out on top but having tenure helps. Picking people who have soldiered on despite the damage to their careers and family would be interesting, and some of that is involved here. I’m not sure how best to honor them, nor am I sure how best to help them, except that help would be the best honor.
I second Shawn’s sentiments.
Cliffies? Cli-fi? Sounds dirty! ROTFLMAO!!!!
I think there are awards already for giant lizard grade B movies. No? The faking of giant bugs and lizards, large tornadoes, hurricanes, and suddenly rising sea levels have won several academy’s for special effects. And since those awards are all about faking stuff to make it look real, I could nominate a bunch of people right now for Cliffies!!! And they aren’t even in the film industry!
I second the nomination of Mr. Watts. By providing a forum for intelligent discussion and dissent, he has done more to further the cause of sanity than Bellevue. He deserves recognition.
richardscourtney says:
June 19, 2014 at 3:23 pm
> I take the liberty of suggesting persons you may wish to consider for honours.
Good choices. I’d add
Joe D’Aleo, another very long term skeptic back when it wasn’t popular to be a skeptic. Joe has also been active in New Hampshire efforts to get us out of RGGI and has been a big help talking to the state legislature about the shortcomings of wind turbines and critiquing the claims of our local alarmists.
Bob Carter in Australia who most recently has been shabbily treated by James Cook University.
Special thanks to Joe for informing me in 2008 that SC23 was all but over and that the PDO had flipped to is negative mode. I had been waiting for both events before getting involved in this sordid field. As a result of my delay, I missed seeing John Daly’s involvement except in review. Ditto Bob – when I was looking for where to start, a video of Bob’s defending the scientific method resonated with me and my first web page was a combination of climate and scientific method.
I think it is wonderful that these three have won these award because they have shown backbone in the face of very aggressive hostility and stood up for the values of science. Anthony’s work is so famous and so well acknowledged, he is already in the pantheon, and he is always modest, so he will be pleased to see these three first in line to be given these awards.
REPLY: Absolutely. These people have done the world a service, they are courageous examples to us all. – Anthony
The layman turned to the preacher and asked “Why are you preaching to the choir?” After a moment of reflection the response came back. “I preach to the choir so that they will sing” Who better to sing than the choir? They will not sing with out a clear understanding of the message and thus I preach.”
I pray that these gifted courageous men who are being honored will inspire all of us to “sing”, to put our voices together and raise a trumpet and crescendo which can not be ignored and which seeks and insists on not perfection but honesty in the search for serious answers to matters of grave import to our species. Silence through intimidation can also be the same effect as a lie but is only effective if individuals feel isolated. Stand up! Sing! Rejoice!
Julian Williams in Wales says:
June 19, 2014 at 6:08 pm
Good point. Anthony is hated by many more people than hate Moore, Carlin, and Soon combined. A pity, but neither science(*) nor politics have been good at tolerating people rocking the boat.
*: astronomy and nuclear physics seem more tolerant. Some of that may come from the protagonists being less certain of that their ideas will prove to be right.
I nominate Steve McIntyre and Ross McKitrick for debunking the infamous Mann’s hockey stick.
I second Richard Courtney and Ric Werme. And I hope Jim Lakely has a surprise in store!
Also second Dr. Strangelove:
I nominate Steve McIntyre and Ross McKitrick for debunking the infamous Mann’s hockey stick.
John Daly’s Still Waiting for Greenhouse and John Brignell’s Numberwatch were the two islands of sanity and reason 12 years ago, and with Brignell in particular being especially precient about the economic damage green policies would cause.
Brignell’s prophecies were especially unpopular at the time because Western economies were racing ahead and he really does deserve more recognition for that, not just his list of everything that’s caused by global warming.
Well done! More is to be hoped soon.
Umm I hate to be the objective party pooper but honestly 3 skeptics winning awards at a skeptics conference isn’t exactly newsworthy. Just saying.
Neither is the Nobel Peace Prize. Just sayin.
“””””…..Steven Burnett says:
June 19, 2014 at 10:51 pm …..”””””
What idiocy; every year, the Optical society of America; a founding branch of the American Institute of Physics, presents at least a dozen prized awards, most named after major figures from the history of optics; and almost all of those awards go to members of the OSA, since oddly enough those people seem to be doing meritorious research, and other contributory services in the field of optics.
So far as I can determine, none of these medals and other awards has ever been presented to any member of the World Wrestling Federation; nor even to the World Wildlife Fund; neither of which discipline, has anything at all, to do with advanced optics research.
Funny thing that; recognizing people actually in the field for which the award is made.
So far, none of those medals for me; I watch too much of the World Wrestling Federation experiments.
I do have one medal, for doing what I do. I’m proud of that.
All three are worthy recipients of the awards but there are many, many more equally deserving of recognition.
Dr Carlin’s criticisms of some EPA and US Govt policy , especially on the closure of coal fed power stations, seem to be justified by a 2012 paper that I stumbled upon whilst pottering around the literature :
• Regional warming from aerosol removal over the United States: Results from a transient 2010–2050 climate simulation
Mickley et al (Harvard and NASA Goddard)
Atmospheric Environment
Volume 46, January 2012, Pages 545–553,( DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.07.030)
► We perform two 2010–2050 climate simulations to examine the climate response to US aerosol removal. ► Removing US aerosols causes surface temperatures to increase by 0.4–0.6 K in the eastern US. ► Temperatures during summertime heat waves in the Northeast rise by as much as 1–2 K. ► The warming in the Northeast is amplified by feedbacks involving cloud cover and soil moisture. ► Reducing US aerosol sources to achieve air quality goals may lead to unintended regional warming
The authors are from Harvard and the NASA Goddard Institute , neither establishments being in the forefront of climate scepticism I believe.
More WUWT coverage about Carlin’s paper that led to him leaving the EPA is at
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/09/30/congratulations-to-alan-carlin-on-vindication/
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/04/03/former-skeptic-epa-researcher-alan-carlin-publishes-paper/
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/06/24/the-epa-suppresses-dissent-and-opinion-and-apparently-decides-issues-in-advance-of-public-comment/
ullr1998 says:
June 19, 2014 at 11:05 pm
> Neither is the Nobel Peace Prize. Just sayin.
Very good!
The awards are a good strategic move to highlight both the substance of skeptics and the bias of alarmists and related profiteers.
There has to be a sort of raspberry award for making/saying/doing something that is an example of how far beyond the pale exploiters of human misery are willing to go to promote climate alarmism. I note a possible candidate which is some guy on BBC TV yesterday talking about the unbearable condition of the multitudes, numbering in the millions, who are displaced by the fighting in Syria and Iraq. He included the words ‘climate refugees’ in his discussion of the unfolding horrors he anticipated.
As WUWT has often sought the ‘first climate refugees’ we know there are none (yet). If there ever was something lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut it is the BBC trying to exploit the pitiful position of war refugees to promote climate alarm about a non-existent problem. Their name should be changed to “BBC [spit]”.
The Speaking Truth award should go to the person who manages to get this sort of callous behavior off that public broadcaster’s agenda.
An award ceremony whose only equal is The Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence.