EnviroSpin Watch

On prizing my role as an independent academic.....

The following story in yesterday's The Observer highlights one of the prime reasons why I value so highly my complete independence as a free academic: '"Denial lobby" turns up the heat' (The Observer, March 6). Just examine for a moment this passage taken from the piece:

"Connections have already been established between some British sceptical organisations and their US cousins. The UK-based Scientific Alliance, which organised the meeting of sceptics in London last month, recently published a joint report with America's George C Marshall Institute, a think-tank which has received donations from Exxon."

You will notice that this employs the standard activist (and journalistic) conceit of trying to besmirch one group of people by asserting a long-distance association with another (more hated) organisation: thus, the very thoughtful UK-based Scientific Alliance is linked by just one report to America's George C. Marshall Institute, and then, by a wonderful sleight of hand, to, of course, who else, but Exxon.

I should thus be most grateful if readers would note that I am no longer a member of any organisation, from Greenpeace to Exxon (and not even of the Scientific Alliance), precisely so that I can maintain an absolute independence of opinion and a necessary freedom from all such attenuated journalistic slights. Thus, if you ever see, or hear, of attempts to link me with any group whatsoever, I should be most grateful if you would try to correct the error for me. Thank you so much.

Moreover, I have written for The Guardian, for The Times and for The Wall Street Journal. Indeed, I will write for any reasonable outlet, so long as it permits me to express my own views without editorial distortion. Only last year, however, I had to withdraw a piece from a magazine because the editor wished to alter the meaning of what I wanted to say.

If, therefore, my comments have any value at all, it is because I receive no payments or support from any vested interests. I very much hope that folk will remember this when I am in discussion on the radio or on television with a representative of a Green pressure group or with someone from industry, both of whom have vested interests. In such situations, I am, for good or ill, the only independent person under interview, and I can assure you that, right or wrong, I make up my own mind on all the evidence available. And, if that happens to make me a 'global warming' sceptic, so be it. But, at least, I trust people will do me the honour of accepting that I have arrived at my position through my own, honest endeavours.

Philip, all too well aware that the politics of science has become a very dirty game. But remember, truth is what matters, however much we only perceive it through a glass darkly. And what we do not know is so often the greater truth. Off to London to broadcast - independently.