Natural Resources Stewardship Project

The Natural Resources Stewardship Project (NRSP), a Canadian non-profit group, including a number of leading climate change sceptics, was launched October 12, 2006. [1]

The NRSP has been exposed recently as being controlled by energy industry lobbyists. [2]

NRSP describes itself as a group that "will promote responsible environmental stewardship through:

• broad-based media, government and public relations;
• consumer education and advocacy;
• private initiative and the promotion of private property rights;
• market-based approaches; and
• sensible and efficient legislative and regulatory frameworks, particularly at the federal level." [3]

NRSP lists as "allied experts" a number of climate change sceptics from North America, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany, England and Sweden. [4]

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Heat Deniers

In his 2006 book "Heat: How to Stop the Planet From Burning", George Monbiot writes that "the heat deniers have done a remarkable job of minimizing the real threat." Monbiot begins by "deconstructing their immoral campaign," Andrew Nikiforuk wrote in a November 11, 2006, The Globe and Mail book review.

"To Monbiot, climate deniers are no better than Holocaust deniers," Nikiforuk writes. "(In Canada, the deniers have an Orwellian sense of humour, and spew confusion as the Friends of Science or the Natural Resources Stewardship Project.) Monbiot diligently traces one bit of poppycock (the glaciers aren't melting) through various websites, only to find U.S. millionaire and Holocaust-denying kook Lyndon Larouche as the original source. [Monbiot] also shows how the petro-funded campaign to minimize the threat originated with the tobacco company Philip Morris. Steve Milloy, the junk science guy for Fox News and an inveterate climate-change denier, worked first as a Philip Morris consultant. Exxon, of course, has largely funded assorted friends and projects in an effort to thank people for making lots of carbon."

NRSP's Genealogy

The NRSP maintains it has no direct connection with the Calgary-based group of climate change sceptics the "Friends of Science" [5] (FoS), even though the FoS's most outspoken member, Tim Ball, is now the Chairman of the NRSP. With the exact same purpose and goals, and most of the same scientific allies and members as the Friends of Science, the NRSP is viewed by many as a reincarnation of the FoS, after the FoS was "outed" by The Globe and Mail newspaper in August 2006 as being partly funded by the oil and gas industry. [6].

The NRSP project is led by Executive Director, Tom Harris, who, in November 2002, while in the employ of the PR firm APCO Worldwide, organized a press conference titled "International Climate Experts Speak Out Against Climate Change Myths." [7]. The press conference was sponsored by Talisman Energy Inc. and Imperial Oil (ExxonMobil's Canadian subsidiary). [8] Many of the same scientists and advisors now linked to the NRSP were present, including Tim Ball.

NRSP describes its "first priority project" as being "Understanding Climate Change: A proactive grassroots campaign to counter the Kyoto Protocol and other greenhouse gas reduction schemes while promoting sensible climate change policy." [9]

Canadian "Letters Patent"

According to the Department of Industry, Canada Corporations Act, the Natural Resources Stewardship Project of "Toronto, Ont." was granted letters patent number 432674-1 on "21/10/2005".—Government Notices published December 3, 2005, in the Canada Gazette [10]

Personnel

• Tom Harris, Executive Director, NRSP, is the former Ottawa Director of a public affairs and public policy consulting firm High Park Group (HPG). Harris has written several articles that dispute the science backing the Kyoto Protocol and other schemes to "stop climate change" through the reduction of human emissions of carbon dioxide. Prior to HPG, Harris was employed by APCO Worldwide and organized a press conference [11] in Ottawa that included Professor Tim Patterson [12], Professor Fred Michel [13], Dr. Tim Ball [14], Dr. S. Fred Singer [15], Professor Patrick Michaels [16], Dr. Madhav Khandekar [17], Professor Howard Hayden [18], and Professor J.T. Rogers. [19]

• Dr. Tim Ball, Chairman, has resigned from the Science Advisory Board of FoS to head up NRSP. His credentials as a climatologist were challenged in an April 23, 2006, letter to the editor of the Calgary Herald by a Professor at the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Dan Johnson. Ball has filed a statement of claim against Dr. Johnson, the University of Lethbridge and the Calgary Herald.

• Dr. Sallie Baliunas [20]sits on the NRSP "Scientific Advisory Committee." Baliunas sat on the board of advisors for the Greening Earth Society, a now-defunct organization that argued that increased CO2 emissions and the subsequent warming of the earth would green the earth and make our lives better. The Greening Earth Society was an industry front group funded and controlled by the Western Fuels Association. Baliunas is also listed as an "expert" with the George C. Marshall Institute [21], a think tank that has recieved millions from ExxonMobil and oil industry-linked foundations.

Science Advisory Committee

According to NRSP's October 12, 2006, launching announcement, the following are members of the group's Science Advisory Committee. It should be noted that, with few exceptions, the Committee is comprised of many of the same members as the Friends of Science's Science Advisory Committee.

• Dr. Ian Clark, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Ottawa
• Dr. Tad Murty, Adjunct Professor of Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa
• Dr. Tim Patterson, Professor of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa
• Dr. Vincent Gray, Expert Reviewer for the IPCC and author of The Greenhouse Delusion: A Critique of 'Climate Change 2001, Wellington, New Zealand
• Dr. Sallie Baliunas, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and deputy directory of Mount Wilson Observatory [22]
• Dr. Fred Michel, Director, Institute of Environmental Science and Associate Professor of Earth Sciences, Carleton University

Funding

According to an October 16, 2006, CanWest News article, journalist Peter O'Neill asked Harris about who financially backs the NRSP. O'Neill reported that, according to Harris, "a confidentiality agreement doesn't allow him to say whether energy companies are funding his [the NRSP] group." [23] Subsequently, Harris stated that there was no "confidentiality agreement". He also insisted that "it is normal for non-profit entities like NRSP to protect the privacy of supporters by not publicizing contributions." [24]

"This is necessary given the nature of the issues we address and the fact that most people do not want to be harassed by lobbyists for support of our activities," he wrote in an edit to an earlier version of this article. [25]

However, Harris declined to indicate any instance of where disclosure of funders had led to harassment or why secrecy of corporate contributions was appropriate.

Contact Details

Current

Dr. Timothy F. Ball, PhD, Environmental Consultant
Professor of Climatology (Ret'd)
Chairman, NRSP
205-27 Songhees Road
Victoria, British Columbia, V9A 7M6
Web: http://www.nrsp.com/

Previously stated

P.O. Box 23013
Ottawa, Ontario K2A 4E2
Phone: 613 234-4487
FAX: 613 234-3325
Email: tom.harris AT nrsp.com

Related SourceWatch Resources

• An Inconvenient Truth
• climate change
• climate change skeptics
• global warming
• Kyoto Protocol
• sustainable development

External Links

Profiles

• Natural Resources Stewardship Project in the Wikipedia.
• Bob McKeown, "The Denial Machine," CBC News: the fifth estate (Canada), aired November 16, 2006. See comment by Tom Harris on LiveJournal.com.

NRSP News Releases and Correspondence

• "Science-based Environment Group Preparing for Launch. Scientists Ready to Speak about Climate Change Realities," NRSP, October 12, 2006.
• "Clean Air Act an improvement on what we had before, but problems remain, says new environment group NRSP," CNW Telbec, October 19, 2006.
• "AMS Council, Amend Draft Statement on Climate Change" dated December 10, 2006; posted by Andrea Saul at NH Insider.

Articles by NRSP Staff & Members

• Fred Michel, "Open Kyoto to debate Sixty scientists call on Harper to revisit the science of global warming," National Post (Canada), April 6, 2006.
• Tom Harris, "Scientists Throwing Cold Water on Theories of Climate Catastrophe," Canadian Free Press, June 4, 2006.
• Tom Harris, "Scientists call for 'reality check' on climate change," The Windsor Star (Canada), June 5, 2006.
• Tom Harris, Editorial: "Environmental Heresy. Failing to question the scientific assumptions underlying Kyoto isn't fair to citizens concerned about climate change," Vancouver Sun (Canada) (FF.org), June 8, 2006.
• Tom Harris, "Scientists respond to Gore's warnings of climate catastrophe. 'The Inconvenient Truth' is indeed inconvenient to alarmists," Canada Free Press, June 12, 2006.
• Dr. Tim Ball and Tom Harris, "Environment Commissioner Should Stick to Auditing. Gélinas’ environmental evangelism based on a misunderstanding of her role and the fundamentals of climate science," Frontier Centre for Public Policy, October 20, 2006; Canada Free Press, October 21, 2006.
• Tom Harris, "Al Gore, Global warming, Inconvenient Truth. The gods must be laughing," Canada Free Press, November 7, 2006: "Al Gore's 'truth' has little to do with science, yet his influence continues to grow - we need to more closely assess what he is actually saying."
• Tom Harris, "Al Gore, Global warming, Inconvenient Truth. A sample of experts' comments about the science of 'An Inconvenient Truth'," Canada Free Press, November 7, 2006.
• Fred Michel, "Climatic hubris: The Ellesmere Island ice shelves have been disappearing since they were first mapped in 1906," National Post (Canada), January 16, 2007.
• Tim Ball, Opinions: "Climate Change: Politics and Science," Energy Tribune, January 22, 2007.
• Tom Harris, "Asking the right questions about climate change," NRSP and Dr. Ian Clark (Canada Free Press), January 31, 2007.
• Tom Harris and Tim Ball, "NRSP cautions against relying on February 2 UN climate report. IPCC documents have a history of bias and misrepresentation of actual science findings," NRSP (Canada Free Press), February 2, 2007.
• Tom Harris and Tim Ball, "Auditor General right to remove Environment Commissioner. Gélinas' environmental evangelism conflicted with her role as auditor," NRSP (Canada Free Press), February 4, 2007.
• Timothy Ball, "Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts?" Canada Free Press, February 5, 2007.

Articles & Commentary on the NRSP

2005

• Archived links on Tim Ball posted by DeSmogBlog.
• "Global Warming Skeptics: A Primer. Guess Who's Funding the Global Warming Doubt Shops?" Environmental Defense, October 25, 2005. Relates to staff and Science Advisory Board members.

2006

• Richard Littlemore, "Discredited Friends of Science Re-emerge as the Natural Resources Stewardship Project," DeSmogBlog, October 12, 2006.
• Jim Hoggan, "NRSP: Not Really Science People," DeSmogBlog, October 13, 2006.
• Tyler Hamilton, "Insight into climate change PR spin," Clean Break Blog, October 13, 2006.
• Tim Lambert, "New Canadian Astroturf Group," Deltoid (ScienceBlogs.com), October 13, 2006.
• Richard Littlemore, "NRSP: Not Really Serious People," DeSmogBlog, October 14, 2006.
• Richard Littlemore, "NRSP: 'Scientists' Who Hate Science Journals," DeSmogBlog, October 15, 2006.
• Peter O'Neill, "Climate-change 'skeptics' hopeful Harper accepts their view," CanWest News Service (The Vancouver Sun), October 16, 2006.
• "Clean Air Act an improvement on what we had before, but problems remain, says new environment group NRSP," CNW Telbec (Canada), October 19, 2006.
• Lorne Gunter, "Climate consultations will seem endless. But when the time comes for choices, will the Tories have the courage to act?" The Edmonton Journal (Canada), October 20, 2006.
• Bryan Zandberg, "Coping with Climate Dread. Enviro experts battle despair as doom scenarios roll in," The Tyee (Canada), October 20, 2006.
• Richard Littlemore, "NRSP Team Finally Earns Publishing Credit," DeSmogBlog, October 23, 2006.
• Brooke Hogemann, "Science group studies climate change," Airdrie Echo (Canada), October 25, 2006.
• Richard Littlemore, "NRSP's Tom Harris Sucker Punches a Rookie," DeSmogBlog, October 25, 2006.
• Cato, "In reply to CO2 - dangerous or not? by Tom Harris. Subject The agenda of NRSP," forums.macleans.ca, October 26, 2006.
• Richard Littlemore, DeSmogBlog, November 4, 2006: "NRSP Makes it on the Sourcewatch List"; "NRSP 'Expert' a Half-Hearted Denier"; and "NRSP: Climate Change Deniers-Are-Us."
• Kevin Grandia, "Are the Estonians funding the NRSP?" DeSmogBlog, November 6, 2006.
• Tim Lambert, "Now Really Secret Payments," Deltoid (ScienceBlogs.com), November 7, 2006.
• Richard Littlemore, "NRSP: Climate Change Denial Wrapped Up as Science," DeSmogBlog, November 7, 2006.
• Andrew Nikiforuk, "If You Can't Stand the Heat . . .," The Globe and Mail, November 11, 2006.
• Licia Corbella, "Canada should breathe easy. An inconvenient truth for the pro-Kyoto crowd," The Calgary Sun (Canada), November 14, 2006.
• "The denial machine," Danforth Greens (Canada), November 20, 2006. See comments by Tom Harris.
• "tom harris and tim ball: spinning black gold," where'd that bug go? Blogspot, November 21, 2006.

2007

• Mike Byfield, "The Greening Of Stephen Harper," DOB Magazine, January 8, 2007.
• M.J. Murphy, "Climate Change Deniers Get Political," BigCityLib Strikes Back Blogspot, January 10, 2007.
• M.J. Murphy, "Natural Resources Stewardship Project Is The Friends Of Science Resurrected," BigCityLib Strikes Back Blogspot, January 11, 2007.
• Alison, "They call it science. We call it bullshit," Creekside Blogspot, January 11, 2007.
• Saskboy, "Climate what? We don’t have one of those; Lots of environment news like SWEEP," Abandoned Stuff Blog, January 17, 2007.
• Jim Hoggan, "NRSP Controlled by Energy Lobbyists," DeSmogBlog, January 18, 2007.
• Peter Gorrie, "Who's still cool on global warming?" The Toronto Star, January 28, 2007: "Naysayers: From conservative bunkers, they plan on sowing enough doubt to derail action against drastic planetary damage done by human activity."
• Tim Collie, "Warming may swamp state? Worries rise. But some scientists doubt inferences from U.N. report" and "Global warming could swamp Florida within 50 years, U.N. report suggests," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, February 2, 2007.
• Desmogblog, "NRSP: Lobbying Without Accountability," Daily Kos, February 2, 2007.
• Richard Littlemore, "NRSP Steps up the IPCC Bashing," DeSmogBlog, February 3, 2007.
• "DeSmogBlog: IPCC Criticism Fits into Canadian Climate Change Denial Campaign. Big-Oil Funded Fraser Institute Not Credible on the Science of Global Warming, IPCC Author says," CCNMatthews, February 5, 2007.
• Richard Littlemore, "Dr. Tim Ball: The Lie that Just Won't Die," DeSmogBlog, February 5, 2007.
• Eugene Plawiuk, "Fraser Institutes Flat Earth Report," LE REVUE GAUCHE Blogspot, February 5, 2007.