Good sense on climate on the eve of COP17, the UN climate conference in Durban, South Africa
On Friday and Saturday, November 25th & 26th, as the UN prepared to kick off COP17, the UN Conference on Climate Change, in Durban, South Africa, CFACT, the European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE) and others co-sponsored a climate conference of our own in beautiful Munich, Germany. EIKE was launched in 2007 in Berlin. CFACT is a proud founding member.
Interview with
EIKE President Dr. Holger Thuss
CFACT: What has been the public mood in Germany about global warming?
For years, large parts of the population were buying into the IPCC’s position without question. Others had some doubt, but could not find any reliable source in their own language to educate themselves about anything about climate that did not favor the Green’s narrative. It was terribly one-sided.
Are things changing?
The media, while still often hostile, now takes serious interest in our activities and today is willing to openly question whether the IPCC and climate campaigners are always right. Today, more and more people in Germany realize they have been misinformed and I can say without exaggerating that our work played an important part in this. We see a real change, not just among ordinary citizens, but also business leaders, lawmakers, media executives and the consulting industry (which is very influential in Germany). People from every sector of society are giving positive feedback, attending events, buying our publications and are now not shy about giving us advice. People read the newspaper and decided for themselves that something didn’t smell right. EIKE with the help from CFACT gave them the facts and a way to meet one another, organize and communicate.
What was it like organizing the first real organization in Germany to question climate orthodoxy?
We had resistance from all sides. We needed 1 1/2 years to register and organize – it took that long to overcome bureaucratic resistance. It was even worse to deal with the hostile media which didn’t hesitate to tell outright lies about our funding, research and the qualifications of our experts – who are distinguished academics from prestigious universities! Some climate radicals tried to make a big deal about the relationship between EIKE and CFACT and just can’t seem to grasp that organizations can be friends too and cooperate together to do great work. Today EIKE is proud to welcome cooperation and support from many diverse and talented people and organizations. The momentum is on our side.
Tell us about the climate conference program.
We have now conducted two workshops and four major conferences. Every one has been a success and each was larger than the one before. There is real excitement. We just completed our first conference in Munich, which was timed to take place at the start of the UN climate conference in Durban. I was very pleased to realize that 90 percent of the people attending were new. They heard we were going to be in their region, wanted to be with us and were willing to reach into their own pockets to support the conference financially. They came not only from Southern Germany, but from Austria, Switzerland and even South Korea and Paraguay. We are rather proud to be able to offer attendees simultaneous German and English translations throughout the conference.
What were some highlights of this weekend’s conference?
Almost every presentation was a highlight because we heard state of the art science from such distinguished researchers as Henrik Svensmark from Denmark, Nir Shaiviv from Israel, Gernot Patzelt from Austria and Jan Veizer from Canada. We also covered policy and legal aspects related to the downsides of renewable energy and of course the Climategate scandal parts one and two from fascinating speakers such as Donna Lafromboise from Canada and Chris Horner from the U.S. We had so many more truly brilliant presenters that I hesitate to mention any names at all, because each is worthy and we are extremely grateful to them all.
What message can CFACT carry from Munich to the UN’s COP17 in Durban?
We want the UN and everyone reading this to know that the IPCC reports have been proclaiming their conclusions as unquestionable scientific facts, when actually their science is faulty and Climategate shows the UN has placed its trust in the wrong people. We call for open minds and vigorous debate without fear. The IPCC should be replaced by a more credible institution, perhaps one uniting research institutions from around the world, free from bias and advocacy.
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Clarification: CFACT encouraged the formation of EIKE, but was not part of the legal and organizational structure of EIKE. EIKE was independent and remains independent to this day.