Gathering of global warming non-believers

Yesterday saw the opening in New York of a convention called Global Warming: Was It Ever Really a Crisis?

It is claimed to bring together the greatest ever number of people in denial over global warming.

Amongst the attendees are an ex astronaut, the President of a European country and a forecaster of hurricanes.

It intends to increase its challenge to scientists who believe that mankind is the major cause of global warming.

The Conference is hosted by The Heartland Institute, a think tank in Chicago.

Dan Miller, director of public relations, said that realistic science proves that the planet is not warming.

There has been some warming since the earth is emerging from the ice age; nonetheless, it is a lot cooler than it was a thousand years ago.

Over 650 scientists worldwide doubt global warming is caused by mankind.

The organisers believe they have pulled off a great success by bringing in Czech and current EU president and Eurosceptic, Václav Klaus.

Klaus maintains that moves to reduce climate change are an attack on individual liberties.

Last night he said European governments are scaremongering and addicted to extreme environmentalists who want to set the human race backwards by some centuries.

He admitted that he was alone in this view but he received prolonged applause.

He said that the global warming debate has not moved forward and he is reminded of the dissatisfaction people experienced under communism.

Jack Schmitt, the retired astronaut, now teaching engineering physics; Fred Singer, the physicist specialising in the atmosphere, who believes that a reduction in the size of the Arctic would reveal the north-west passage; and William Gray, a leading hurricane forecaster, are among the 70 attendees.

Christopher Monckton and Christopher Booker from Britain are there also.

The Centre for Public Integrity reported last month that the denial group employed 2,430 lobbyists in Washington last year.

The Centre believes that around 15% of the capital’s lobbyists are trying to prevent Congress from passing a carbon cap law.

The manager of DeSmogBlog, Kevin Grandia, said that the opinions of governments, scientists and the public are not synchronised with these people.

DeSmogBlog tries to discount misleading information about climate change.

These people have embedded their message so thoroughly so it can be used against new laws, Grandia said.

Opinion polls show that nearly sixty percent of Americans believe humans are responsible for global warming but many do not believe that fast action is necessary.

The Pew Research Centre found that global warming was the last thing worrying Americans.