Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Peter Gleick, an Oakland, Calif., climate scientist and activists confirmed late last night that, as suspected, he was the source of documents purporting to reveal the budget and strategy of the Heartland Institute, a conservative and libertarian public policy think tank. A few weeks ago, Glieck had anonymously sent to reporters some budget documents he'd obtained under false pretenses from the Chicago-based group along with a doctored document that someone else had created purporting to show the group's strategy. The latter was an obvious fake, having been written almost as a parody of those who critique climate alarmism (and personally going after people whose work didn't support Glieck's activism). But many media outlets reported on these documents. Andrew Revkin of the New York Times now writes:
Peter H. Gleick, a water and climate analyst who has been studying aspects of global warming for more than two decades, in recent years became an aggressive critic of organizations and individuals casting doubt on the seriousness of greenhouse-driven climate change. He used blogs, congressional testimony, group letters and other means to make his case.
Now, Gleick has admitted to an act that leaves his reputation in ruins and threatens to undercut the cause he spent so much time pursuing. ...
One way or the other, Gleick’s use of deception in pursuit of his cause after years of calling out climate deception has destroyed his credibility and harmed others. (Some of the released documents contain information about Heartland employees that has no bearing on the climate fight.) That is his personal tragedy and shame (and I’m sure devastating for his colleagues, friends and family).
The broader tragedy is that his decision to go to such extremes in his fight with Heartland has greatly set back any prospects of the country having the “rational public debate” that he wrote — correctly — is so desperately needed.
Coming just a few years after the leak of the East Anglia Cimate Research Unit emails, which showed climate scientists discussing how to manipulate information to the benefit of their activism, this is not a good thing for climate alarmists.
Now that Glieck has admitted at least part of his role in this deception and fabrication controversy, he won't be able to speak on the topic in the future. It's a good reminder of the temptation to lie on behalf of what you perceive is a good cause, as well as why you shouldn't succumb to that temptation.
For more, check out Politico, Judith Curry and Ross Kaminsky.
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Comments:
Jun '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
But . . . but . . . but . . . he lies in the name of saving the planet. The ends justify the means! Ummm . . . we are the 99%. Hope and change!
Mar '11
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
As far as reasonable people are concerned, the nails are already in the coffin of the entire silly notion of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming (CAGW).
The government has things to fund; I expect it will be wasting taxpayer dollars on promoting this agenda through the lifetime of my children.
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
So, another tip of this iceberg becomes visible.
Mar '11
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
BTW, my favorite explanations of what CAGW stands for (from comments on that link):
Crazy Al Gore’s Weather
Cash And Grants Weekly
Come And Get Wealthy!
Computer Aided Global Warming.
Can’t Allow Growing Wealth
Consequences?
Awful
Grants?
Without end…
Conning A Gullible World
Con Artists Going Wild
Computer Algorithmic Global Warming
Crazies against Growth Worldwide
Calamity! Argh! Gasp! Wail!
Corrupted Arithmetic Gives Warming
Climate Alarmism Generates Wealth!
and, for liberals everywhere....
Convinced Always Getting Worse
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Brian Watt also posted on this at the Member Feed.
Oct '11
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
Whoa, wait a minute! Al Gore et al. have been insisting forever that the science is settled and all rational scientist are in agreement concerning AGW and there is no room for debate. Where did this need for a “rational public debate” come from? Not allowed! Nien, nyet, nadda, NO! Fall in line and bleat people, as you get sheared and your wealth is transferred to more deserving intelligent alarmists.
May '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Break out the Dan Rather defense! False but... TRUE!
Oct '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Extremism in the defense of warmism is no vice. Just ask the Gruaniad:
Gleick's rehabilitation will be even faster than client number 9's, and this incident will be remembered in the MSM as something quite other than what it was (see, e.g. the Swiftboat vets).
Sep '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
Andrew Revkin of the New York Times now writes:
Oh what rich revisionist history. Sure, now global warming proponents want a "rational public debate" but when skeptics wanted to engage in that one they were dismissed as flat-earthers and holocaust deniers and the science "settled".
Aug '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
Andrew Revkin of the New York Times now writes:
Glieck might have written that "a rational public debate" is needed, but clearly he didn't believe that one is needed. Else he wouldn't've done what he did.
May '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
What does this have to do with tragedy?
Apr '11
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Brian has some good stuff in his post everyone should read it. This Glieck character may have his crimes papered over in the MSM but the courts will be another thing. He could do some real jail time not to mention financially ruined, and deservedly so.
Aug '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Mark Wilson
What does this have to do with tragedy? · 2 hours ago
Perhaps Revkin was thinking of hamartia, the hero's "fatal flaw" in a Greek tragedy?
You know, like Gliek was so heroically passionate about his cause that after years of being foiled by "misinformation" from the "enemy", he was provoked into stooping to the same tactic himself.
It wouldn't surprise me also if Revkin believes that ample evidence of climate deniers' deliberate perfidy is out there... somewhere. And so he finds it tragic that an effort to expose the lies was itself a lie, thus undermining the credibility of future attempts to expose the lie. But that may be more ironic than tragic.
May '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Revkin has been slightly more honest and open-minded over the past 3 years than most of the other MSM reporters. I think he was embarrassed by ClimateGate I. I think he also got put in his place a bit by Judith Curry.
Mar '11
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
At places like Slashdot.org, that's precisely the defense that's being used. He's not a criminal, he's a... a... hero! A freedom fighter! He should be applauded!
And his defenders have been reduced to sputtering bits of rage. "We're right! You're wrong! The science is settled! This thing means nothing! Nothing!"
I do so love seeing them like this, revealed for what they really are : religious fanatics after someone pulled back the curtain and showed that the Great Oz is a hack.
May '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Mark Wilson
What does this have to do with tragedy? · 2 hours ago
Perhaps Revkin was thinking of hamartia, the hero's "fatal flaw" in a Greek tragedy?
You know, like Gliek was so heroically passionate about his cause that after years of being foiled by "misinformation" from the "enemy", he was provoked into stooping to the same tactic himself.
It wouldn't surprise me also if Revkin believes that ample evidence of climate deniers' deliberate perfidy is out there... somewhere. And so he finds it tragic that an effort to expose the lies was itself a lie, thus undermining the credibility of future attempts to expose the lie. But that may be more ironic than tragic. · 42 minutes ago
Yeah, Midge, that's exactly what I had in mind when I asked the rhetorical question. They believe, without evidence, everything they accuse the Heartland Institute of, and then fabricate evidence to support their beliefs. When the evidence is proven false, they simply revert to belief without evidence.
Feb '12
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Climate scientists have frequently use the argument from authority. That has some merit, in most scientific fields. Now, though, it seems to me that if someone is a climate scientist, we should require him to document everything he says extra carefully, since our logical presumption should be that he is a liar and a scoundrel. I say this not based on the lies of prominent climate scientists, but the fact that hardly any of the others haven't repudiated those people.
Aug '10
Re: Just When ClimateGate Had Died Down
Mark Wilson
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Mark Wilson
What does this have to do with tragedy? · 2 hours ago
Perhaps... (yadda yadda yadda)
Yeah, Midge, that's exactly what I had in mind when I asked the rhetorical question.
Brevity is the soul of wit, so you beat me there ;-)