This Global Climate Coalition (GCC) document is a letter from GCC Executive Director John Shlaes to journalists in response to a Washington Post article, in which climate denier Patrick Michaels and climate scientist James Hansen were interviewed about their views regarding natural warming and computer modeling.
The industry-funded GCC opposed greenhouse gas regulations through direct engagement and collaboration with affiliated climate deniers from 1989 to 2002. Its membership spanned across the automotive, utility, manufacturing, petroleum, and mining industries.
The article referred to in this document is a piece by Boyce Rensberger published on June 1, 1993 titled “‘Greenhouse Effect’ Seems Benign So Far.” Rensberger, a science reporter for the Washington Post, spoke on a panel for a conference titled “Scientific Integrity in the Public Policy Process” organized by climate denier Fred Singer in May, 1993. Rensberger appeared at the conference in his capacity as a science reporter, but was not allied with Singer or his organization. Rensberger has said that he disagrees with Singer’s denialist opinion on climate change.
In this document, Shlaes promotes the content of the Washington Post article, agreeing with Michaels’ analysis as reported by Rensberger. Shlaes offers to provide journalists with further research from Michaels: “I thought you might be interested in the latest scientific analysis so I am enclosing a copy of Dr. Michaels’ article from Research and Exploration, “Benign Greenhouse.” Upon receiving permission of other authors, the Coalition hopes to forward to you additional articles from this important issue of Research and Exploration.”
In addition to performing this outreach to further promote Rensberger’s article and the research of Patrick Michaels, the GCC also featured this article in its Climate Watch Bulletin for September 1993, titled, “Post Reporter Finds Threat Uncertain.”
This document is part of the private collection of Nicky Sundt, a Washington-based climate change science, policy and communications expert.
Interested in more GCC documents? See more in the full Global Climate Coalition collection.