Globalisation:Science and Environmental Policy Project
Contents
Background
Founded by atmospheric scientist S Fred Singer in 1990, the Science and Environmental Policy Project, (SEPP), promotes the need for credible science to form the foundation of health and environmental decisions, “its mission was to clarify the diverse problems facing the planet and, where necessary, arrive at effective, cost conscious solutions.”[1] The project believes the cost of overregulated environmental policy will not be borne by corporations rather affect the poorest members of society through the impact of these costs on inflated prices, high service costs, lost jobs and decreased living standards.
SEPP does not lobby for individual political candidates or legislation, rather provides scientific information on request. SEPP publishes a weekly bulletin, ‘The Week That Was’, which has 2000 subscribers and is often cited by the media and politicians, providing science based information on a range of issues including; global warming, ozone depletion, chemical risk and clean air standards. Articles and contributions have appeared in journals and newspapers including The Wall Street Journal, Detroit News, The Miami Herald and other media sourced including CNN News, Fox News and BBC News. The project’s members also frequently hold public and academic lectures and seminars including those at Oxford University, The University of Michigan, New York University and Washington College.
People
The project is comprised of an international network of scientists working pro bono. S. Fred Singer: the founder and president of SEPP. Former Professor of environmental science at the University of Virginia and a pioneer in the development of rocket and satellite technology Fred Singer received commendation from the White House for his achievements in earth satellites. [2]
Board of Directors
S. Fred Singer
Dr Federick Seitz (PHD)
Charles Gelman
David Hill (PHD)
Board of Advisors
Bruce Ames (PHD) Professor of biotechnology and molecular biology at the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the most prestigious award for cancer research, the GM Cancer Research Foundation Prize, and the highest award in environmental achievement, The Tyler Prize.
C Bottcher (PHD) director of the Global Institute for Studying Natural Resources in The Hauge
Tor Ragnar Gerholm, (PHD) Professor of Physics at Stockholm University.
Michael J Higastberger (PHD) taking a leading role in European nuclear reactor projects
Henry R Linden (PHD) Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
Sir William Mitchell (PHD) Oxford Universtiy
William Nierenberg (PHD) former science advisor to NATO and the US State Department
Michael Saloman (MD) International Centre for Scientific Ecology, Paris.
Funding
The project does not receive support from governments or industry rather charitable foundations and individuals, with donations reaching up to $10,000.
Controversies
The SEPP has become an authoritative voice in the critique of many environmental and health publications beginning with the Un document used as the foundation for the Climate Treaty at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
The project has become particularly critical of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, a scientific group that advises the UN. Dr Federick Seitz, SEPP Chairman of the Board of Directors, sparked debate through an article in the Wall Street Journal that attacked the IPPC report, ‘Climate Change 1995: The Science of Climate Change’, highlighting the deletions and changes to the crucial chapter 8 of the report. Although hundreds of scientists had worked on and contributed to the report a few individuals, in Seitz’s view, had misused and distorted the report altering the information provided to policy makers, climate scientists and the public. In 2004 the SEPP published two papers in the Geophysical Research Letters that disproved IPCC arguments surrounding human contribution to global warming.
