HomeMy WebLinkAbout5ALateDocument30Climate Change Reconsidered 740 or settled science exists. As indicated by the petition text and signatory list, a very large number of American scientists reject this hypothesis. From
the clear and strong petition statement that they have signed, it is evident that these 31,478 American scientists are not “skeptics.” These scientists are instead convinced that the
humancaused global warming hypothesis is without scientific validity and that government action on the basis of this hypothesis would unnecessarily and counterproductively damage both
human prosperity and the natural environment of the Earth. This petition is primarily circulated by U.S. Postal Service mailings to scientists. Included in the mailings are the petition
card, a letter from Frederick Seitz (reproduced on the following page), a scientific review article (reproduced on the pages following the directory of petition signers), and a return
envelope. If a scientist wishes to sign, he or she completes the petition and mails it to the project? by first-class mail. Additionally, many petition signers obtain petition cards
from their colleagues, who request these cards from the project. A scientist can also obtain a copy of the petition from www.PetitionProject.org, sign, and mail it. Fewer than 5 percent
of the current signatories obtained their petition in this way. The letter on the following page, from Professor Frederick Seitz, is circulated with the petition. Dr. Seitz, a physicist,
was president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and of Rockefeller University. He received the National Medal of Science, the Compton Award, the Franklin Medal, and numerous other
awards, including honorary doctorates from 32 universities around the world. In August 2007, Dr. Seitz reviewed and approved the article by Dr. Arthur B. Robinson, Dr. Noah E. Robinson,
and Dr. Willie Soon that is circulated with the petition and gave his enthusiastic approval to the continuation of the Petition Project. A vigorous supporter of the Petition Project
since its inception in 1998, Professor Seitz died on March 2, 2008. 1.2. Qualifications of Signers Petition project volunteers evaluate each signer’s credentials, verify signer identities,
and, if appropriate, add the signer’s name to the petition list. Signatories are approved for inclusion in the Petition Project list if they have obtained formal educational degrees
at the level of Bachelor of Science or higher in appropriate scientific fields. The petition has been circulated only in the United States. The current list of petition signers includes
9,029 persons who hold Ph.D.s, 7,153 who hold an MS, 2,585 who hold MDs or DVMs, and 12,711 who hold a BS or equivalent academic degrees. Most of the MD and DVM signers also have underlying
degrees in basic science. All of the listed signers have formal educations in fields of specialization that suitably qualify them to evaluate the research data related to the petition
statement. Many of the signers currently work in climatological, meteorological, atmospheric, environmental, geophysical, astronomical, and biological fields directly involved in the
climate change controversy. The Petition Project classifies petition signers on the basis of their formal academic training, as summarized below. Scientists often pursue specialized
fields of endeavor that are different from their formal education, but their underlying training can be applied to any scientific field in which they become interested. Outlined below
are the numbers of Petition Project signatories, subdivided by educational specialties. These have been combined, as indicated, into seven categories. 1. Atmospheric, environmental,
and Earth sciences includes 3,803 scientists trained in specialties directly related to the physical environment of the Earth and the past and current phenomena that affect that environment.
2. Computer and mathematical sciences includes 935 scientists trained in computer and mathematical methods. Since the human-caused global warming hypothesis rests entirely upon mathematical
computer projections and not upon experimental observations, these sciences are especially important in evaluating this hypothesis. 3. Physics and aerospace sciences include 5,810 scientists
trained in the fundamental physical and molecular properties of gases, liquids, and solids, which are essential to understanding the physical properties of the atmosphere and Earth.
4. Chemistry includes 4,818 scientists trained in the molecular interactions and behaviors of the substances of which the atmosphere and Earth are composed. 5. Biology and agriculture
includes 2,964 scientists trained in the functional and environmental requirements of living things on the Earth.
Appendix 4: The Petition Project 741 6. Medicine includes 3,046 scientists trained in the functional and environmental requirements of human beings on the Earth. 7. Engineering and general
science includes 10,102 scientists trained primarily in the many engineering specialties required to maintain modern civilization and the prosperity required for all human actions, including
environmental programs. The outline below gives a more detailed analysis of the signers’ educations.
Climate Change Reconsidered 742 Qualifications of Petition Signers Atmosphere, Earth, and Environment (3,803) 1. Atmosphere (578) a) Atmospheric Science (113) b) Climatology (39) c)
Meteorology (341) d) Astronomy (59) e) Astrophysics (26) 2. Earth (2,240) a) Earth Science (94) b) Geochemistry (63) c) Geology (1,684) d) Geophysics (341) e) Geoscience (36) f) Hydrology
(22) 3. Environment (985) a) Environmental Engineering (486) b) Environmental Science (253) c) Forestry (163) d) Oceanography (83) Computers and Math (935) 1. Computer Science (242)
2. Math (693) a) Mathematics (581) b) Statistics (112) Physics and Aerospace (5,810) 1. Physics (5,223) a) Physics (2,365) b) Nuclear Engineering (223) c) Mechanical Engineering (2,635)
2. Aerospace Engineering (587) Chemistry (4,818) 1. Chemistry (3,126) 2. Chemical Engineering (1,692) Biochemistry, Biology, and Agriculture (2,964) 1. Biochemistry (744) a) Biochemistry
(676) b) Biophysics (68) 2. Biology (1,437) a) Biology (1,048) b) Ecology (76) c) Entomology (59) 59) d) Zoology (149) e) Animal Science (105) 3. Agriculture (783) a) Agricultural Science
(296) b) Agricultural Engineering (114) c) Plant Science (292) d) Food Science (81) Medicine (3,046) 1. Medical Science (719) 2. Medicine (2,327) General Engineering and General Science
(10,102) 1. General Engineering (9,833) a) Engineering (7,280) b) Electrical Engineering (2,169) c) Metallurgy (384) 2. General Science (269)
Appendix 4: The Petition Project 743 1.3. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Is the Petition Project fulfilling the expectations of its organizers? Yes. In Ph.D. scientist signers alone,
the project already includes 15 times more scientists than are seriously involved in the United Nations’ IPCC process. The very large number of petition signers demonstrates that, if
there is a consensus among American scientists, it is in opposition to the humancaused global warming hypothesis rather than in favor of it. Moreover, the current totals of 31,478 signers,
including 9,029 PhDs, are limited only by Petition Project resources. With more funds for printing and postage, those numbers would be much higher. 2. Has the petition project helped
to diminish the threat of energy and technology rationing? The accomplishments of science and engineering have transformed the world. They have markedly increased the quality, quantity,
and length of human life and have enabled human beings to make many improvements in the natural environment of the Earth. Today, scientists are seeing the accomplishments of science
demonized and one of the three most important molecular substances that make life possible—atmospheric carbon dioxide (the other two being oxygen and water)—denigrated as an atmospheric
“pollutant” in a widely circulated movie. Scientists who have carefully examined the facts know this movie contains numerous falsehoods. This and many other similar misguided propaganda
efforts in the media naturally repel men and women who know the truth. The search for truth is the essence of science. When science is misrepresented, scientists are naturally incensed.
There is, therefore, a rapidly growing backlash of opposition among American scientists to this egregious misuse of the reputation and procedures of science. The Petition Project is
helping to demonstrate this opposition and, therefore, to reduce the chances of misguided political reductions in science-based technology. 3. Who organized the Petition Project? The
Petition Project was organized by a group of physicists and physical chemists who conduct scientific research at several American scientific institutions. The petition statement and
the signatures of its 31,478 signers, however, speak for themselves. The primary relevant role of the organizers is that they are among the 9,029 PhD signers of the petition. 4. Who
pays for the Petition Project? The Petition Project is financed by non-tax deductible donations to the Petition Project from private individuals, many of whom are signers of the petition.
The project has no financing whatever from industrial sources. No funds or resources of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine are used for the Petition Project. The Oregon Institute
of Science and Medicine has never received funds or resources from energy industries, and none of the scientists at the Institute have any funding whatever from corporations or institutions
involved in hydrocarbon technology or energy production. Donations to the project are primarily used for printing and postage. Most of the labor for the project has been provided by
scientist volunteers. 5. Does the petition list contain names other than those of scientist signers? Opponents of the Petition Project sometimes submit forged signatures in efforts to
discredit the project. Usually, these efforts are eliminated by our verification procedures. On one occasion, a forged signature appeared briefly on the signatory list. It was removed
as soon as discovered. In a group of more than 30,000 people, there are many individuals with names similar or identical to other signatories, or to non-signatories—real or fictional.
Opponents of the petition project sometimes use this statistical fact in efforts to discredit the project. For example, Perry Mason and Michael Fox are real scientists who have signed
the petition and happen also to have names identical to fictional or real non-scientists. 6. Does the petition project list contain duplicate names? Thousands of scientists have signed
the petition more than once. These duplicates have been carefully removed from the petition list. The list contains many instances of scientists with closely similar and sometimes identical
names, as is statistically expected in a list of this size, but these signers are different people, who live at different addresses, and usually have different fields of specialization.
Primarily as a result of name and address variants, occasional duplicate names are found in the list. These are immediately removed. 7. Are any of the listed signers dead? In a group
of more than 30,000 people, deaths are a frequent occurrence. The Petition Project has no comprehensive method by which it is notified about