CFACT Reports On 4th International Climate Conference In Munich

CFACT was one of the sponsors of the 4th International Climate Conference, which took place in Munich last weekend. What follows is a worthwhile interview with the Chairman of the European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE), Holger Thuss, presented by CFACT.

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On Friday and Saturday, November 25
& 26, 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.

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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