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Revision as of 02:14, 12 January 2008

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This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin.

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]

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 skeptics 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 public relations 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]

Incorporation and Canadian "Letters Patent" and Energy Lobbyists

The Canadian Federal Corporations (CFC) Data Online for the Natural Resources Stewardship Project, Corporation #4326741 BN #818837072RC0001, reports that the Natural Resources Stewardship Project was registered effective "2005/10/21" under the Canada Corporations Act - Part II.

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]

NRSP's original address was 263 Roncesvalles Avenue Suite 2, Toronto, Ontario M6R2L9. [11] This is the same address as that for the High Park Advocacy Group, which is located at Suite 4.

As of "March 31 of the year of filing", the three directors were Timothy Egan, Julio Lagos, and Rohit Gupta. However, a "Notice to Clients" on CFC's webpage for the NRSP states: "Please note that directors residential addresses are no longer available online. The request for this information can be made in writing directly to Corporations Canada by: E-mail: corporationscanada AT ic.gc.ca or Fax: (613) 941-0601 or 941-5789. [12]

According to research conducted by Jim Hoggan for DeSmogBlog:

  • Timothy Egan is "the president of the High Park Advocacy Group, and a registered lobbyist for the Canadian Gas Association and the Canadian Electricity Association."
  • Julio Legos is "the High Park Group’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, whose biography says, 'Julio’s practice at HPG is focused on federal and provincial energy and environmental law and policy, particularly as they affect Canadian industry.'"

Personnel

  • 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.

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 L. Baliunas, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and deputy directory of Mount Wilson Observatory [24]
  • 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." [25] 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." [26]

"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. [27]

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

External Links

Profiles

NRSP News Releases and Correspondence

Articles by NRSP Staff & Members

Articles & Commentary on the NRSP

2005

2006

2007

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