Ties that Blind 1 Ties That Blind: Case Studies of Corporate Influence on Climate Change Policy The 1996 campaign season, the recent publication of fie Buying of the President, and continuing efforts by watchdog groups to promote campaign finance reform highlight what has come to be recognLzed as a pemicious influence on American politics -- corporate and special interest money. Underlying this assumption is a belief that, either directly or indirectly, finds provided to candidates iriffuences their decision-making to the benefit of the donor. Increasingly, the public has demanded that candidates more filly disclosure their hnding sources. Similarly, spokespersons ranging from Vice President Al Gore to scientists testifying before the US Congress have alleged that the outcome of scientific inquiry is influenced by sources financing the research. Unlike campaign financing from political action committees to individual candidates, scientists are not required to disclose their finding prior to testifjring before Congress or offering comment before the media. Fortunately, in the majority of cases scientists clearly identify their sources of research hnding either by their organizational affiliation with a government agency or by electing to disclose their organizational and financial ties. The impact of undisclosed corporate money on climate change policy emerged in a series of hearings called by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Congressman Robert Walker (R-PA). In several instances, the House Science Committee has called upon witnesses to teste who have received substantial amounts of undisclosed corporate finding from coal or energy interests such as Dr. Robert Balling, Jr. (who identifies himself with Arizona State University) and Dr. Patrick Michaels (who identifies himself with the University of Virginia). More strikingly, the Committee pitted Balling and Michaels against scientists like Dr. Jerry Mahlman (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) who clearly identify the sources of their funding. Ozone Action believes that individuals or organizations representing themselves before the US Congress or the media should disclose their hnding sources so that the public may more clearly determine the credibility of the position advocated by the individudorganization. After all, the public is the best judge of what the motivations and pressures of US government versus corporate coal and energy hnding may be on the climate change debate. The following three case studies seek to provide the public with hnding information about Dr. Robert Balling, Dr. Patrick Michaels and a public relations experiment which they advised, the Information Council on the Environment (ICE). Case Study #1 Dr. Robert Balling, Jr., Arizona State University According to testimony offered before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on March 15, 1995, Dr. Robert Balling has received significant levels of hnding since 1989 from the Kuwait government, foreign coaVmining corporations and Cyprus Minerals Company (a frequent funder of the "wise usel' group People for the West). The attached chart contains all hnding sources to Dr. Balling which Ozone Action has verified to date. Ozone Action 162 1 Connecticut Ave, NW Washington, DC 20009 202-265-6738 Ties that Blind 2 Kuwait Government The Kuwait government has actively participated in negotiations under the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Due to the large oil reserves in that country, the Kuwait delegation along with other Middle Eastern delegates, have opposed findings made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the effects climate change may have on living systems. * In his spoken testimony, Dr. Balling- was cross-examined about fimding he has received from the Kuwait government. The following is an excerpt: Q: And the last one on this page is from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, can you suggest why Kuwait, or rather the Kuwait Foundation might have any interest in global warming? A: No, I can't. I know a Kuwaiti who did a Ph.D with our group and the Kuwaiti said that he is well connected in Kuwait to funding sources. You have to understand, I'm the director of a research laboratory and there's never ending pressure to find research money. And when you discover that the Kuwaiti government has a research pool that is being allocated to scientists in my field, you would be crazy not to run out and make some attempt to put a proposal in to obtain funding from that source. [Transcript page 1111 Dr. Balling was hrther questioned as to his links to the Kuwait government: Q: ith respect to your book, The Heated Debate, isn't it true, Dr. Balling that the Pacific Research4 Institute for Public Policy was in fact founded to oppose environmental regulations? A: I know nothing of their history. I'm aware that they have been a conservative public policy group. But I did not investigate who these people were that asked me to prepare a book for them. Q: Adthey're also publishing a Middle Eastern version of your book, is that correct? A: It has been published. Q: It has been published. Is it published by this organization? A: Yes Q: Is it funded by the Kuwaiti government? A: The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement in Science gave Dr. Nasrallah a grant and money from that grant went toward the publication of this book. [Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on March 15, 1995, Transcript page 1121 The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science is a "government establishment," according to Muneyclips, August 21 , 1994, "Private University Gets Initial OK; 'Practical Steps Taken to Implement Project"' and the Arab Times. Aside from fbnding received by the Kuwait government to reprint The Heated Debate, Dr. Balling also . has received grants from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science ($48,993) and the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (amount undisclosed). Ozone Action 162 1 Connecticut Ave, NW Washington, DC 20009 202-265 6738 Ties that Blind 3 BritisWGerman Coal Interests Dr. Balling has received three grants from the British Coal Corporation for a total of $103,544 and two grants from the German Coal Mining Association for a total of $81,780. Cvprus Minerals Company Dr. Balling has received five grants from Cyprus Minerals Company (totaling $72,554) and me grant from Cyprus Minerals Chief Executive Officer ($4,904). Cumulatively, Cyprus Minerals fimding to Dr. Balling totals $77,458. r- According to the Clearinghouse on Environmental Advocacy and Research (CLEAR), Cyprus Minerals was an early supporter of People for the West! giving the organization over $100,000 from 1991-1993. Jerome Bensing, Director of Governmental Af€airs at Cyprus Minerals, was a member, in 1995, of People for the West's! Board of Directors. Total Undisclosed Funding According to Harper's Magazine, Dr. Balling has received more than $200,000 from coal and oil interests over the past six years. [Harper's, "The Heat is On," Ross Gelbspan, December 1995, 351 Dr, Balling was confronted with Gelbspan's allegations by a reporter from The Arizona Republic, the following is an excerpt of that article: One of the nation's leading skeptics is Robert Balling, director of the Office of Climatology at Arizona State University. He's treated none too gently in an article in the December issue of Harper's magazine. The essay, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ross Gelbspan, makes the case that global warming poses a far greater threat than most people realize. The problem, he says, isn't that the .media are conspiring to downplay the threat but that we are being misused by people like Balling, whom he disparages as a kind of rent-a-scientist in the pocket of the energy companies. News reports on the subject, Gelbspan writes, usually 'lcorne qualified with the observation that the question of global warming can never be conclusively resolved. The confusion is intentional, expensively gift-wrapped by energy industries." He wrote that oil and coal associations spend millions to spread contrary opinions, calling on Balling and a few others who are "interchangeable ornaments on the hood of a high-powered engine of disinformation. 'I Gelbspan says Balling ''has received more than $200,000 from coal and oil interests." Balling, author of a 1992 book, The Heated Debate: Greenhouse Predictions Versus Climate Reality, says that number is way off. "Actually, I've received more like $700,000 over the past five years," he corrected. [Arizona Republic, November 24, 1995 9g. A2 "Can We Take the Chance Global Warming is a Sham?, Steve Wilson] At present, Ozone Action is only able to codirm that Dr. Balling has received $3 11,775 from coal and oil interests. [Please refer to attached chart, asterisks are placed next to the fimding sources included in this total] Case Study #2: Dr. Patrick Michaels, University of Virginia According to testimony offered before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on March 15, 1995, Dr. Michaels has received fbnding from Western Fuels Association (a consortium of coal interests), Ozone Action 1621 Connecticut Ave, NW Washington, DC 20009 202-265-6738 Ties that Blind 4 German and American coal interests and Cyprus Minerals Company. Please refer to the attached chart for a fbrther listing of funding sources. Western Fuels Association Ozone Action is currently unable to ascertain the amount of money Dr. Michaels has received to publish World Climate Review. The following is an excerpt of his testimony: c Q: That's fine. Do you publish a journal called the World Climate Review, a quarterly review of issues concerning global climate change? r- A: No longer. Q: No longer? You formerly did? A: Yes. Q: And how long did you publish that? A: A little less than three years. Q: Who funded it? A: Western Fuels Association. [Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on March 15, 1995, Transcript, page 891 Dr. Michaels' own web page, however, touts World Climate Report, ''a research review edited by Dr.