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GreenFacts Foundation

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== '''GreenFacts''' (formerly '''GreenFacts Foundation ==''', sometimes misspelled "Green Facts") is a Brussels-based non-profit organization that was founded in 2001 with funding from the Belgian chemical and pharmaceutical company [[Solvay]]. It also claims to be "an independent, non-advocacy, multi-stakeholder non-profit organization based in Brussels. Its mission is to provide non-specialists with unbiased and accessible scientific information on environment and health matters."<ref> [http://about.greenfacts.org/pressroom/press-releases/2005/050330-QnA-ecosystems.doc Q&As about the GreenFacts study on Ecosystem Change], appendix to a 30 March 2005 press release</ref>
Early on in its history, GreenFacts stated that one of its goals "is to ensure that science can serve as a common ground between the different actors in the debate. If stakeholders from civil society, green NGOs and industry can agree on basic scientific facts, then debates on environment and health issues can be more rational, leading to sounder policies. This requires that Green-Facts can embrace all stakeholders in its organization, without its [industry] funding being an obstacle." <ref name="2003 Annual Report"/> Diversification of its funding source, the organization later stated, was "needed to consolidate our credibility."<ref name="2005 Annual Report"/> ==Genesis== The concept of GreenFacts was developed in 2000 by [[Jacques de Selliers]] and [[Jacques de Gerlache]]. At the time de Selliers worked as a research engineer in [[Solvay]]'s plastics process division<ref>Email to Bob Burton, December 7, 2007.</ref> while de Gerlache, who had worked as a toxicologist for the company, is now responsible for its Health, Safety and Environment Corporate Communications.<ref>Solvay, [http://www.solvay.com/services/contacts/communications/0,,10687-2-0,00.htm "Communications"], accessed December 14, 2007.</ref> The pair put a proposal to the company for three year funding of the proposed foundation. "Such a commitment was necessary to ensure that Green-Facts could develop properly without any financial risks or insecurity," the group later stated.<ref name="2002 Annual Report"/> GreenFacts was officially created in December 2001.<ref name="funding figures">[http://about.greenfacts.org/funding/figures.htm "GreenFacts''Funding Figures and History"] accessed September 2007.</ref> "SOLVAY committed to support us for three years, a period after which we would have acquired sufficient recognition to diversify our income sources", GreenFacts states on its website.<ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/genesis.htm "Genesis - How and why GreenFacts was created"], accessed October 2007.</ref> "After establishing the management board structures at the end of 2001, work began on constructing the means for communicating science to non-specialists," it stated in its 2002 Annual Report.<ref name="2002 Annual Report">[http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/reports/annual/2002-Annual-Report.pdf "GreenFacts Foundationasbl Report 2002"], 2003.</ref> Aside for establishing the organisation, the initial focus was publishing an online summary of the [[IPCC]] Third Assessment Report on [[climate change]]<ref name="TAR Digest">[http://www.greenfacts.org/studies/climate_change/index.htm "GreenFacts'summary of the IPCC Third Assessment Report"]</ref> in October 2002. It also decided that subsequent reports would be on "power lines, endocrine disruptors, forestry, lead and cadmium." It's hope was that, in conjunction with the implementation of its web communications strategy, it would by the end of 2003 "be identified as a valuable reference point for non-specialists looking for reliable information on environmental and health issues."<ref name="2002 Annual Report"/> While Solvay had provided a commitment to three-year funding, GreenFacts aimed to diversify its funding to "protect from the risk" of "misleading allegations that our financial contributors may influence our publications or bind us to defend specific interests."<ref name="funding rules">[http://about.greenfacts.org/funding/rules.htm GreenFacts' funding rules], accessed October 2007.</ref> Its strategy was to "structure a multi-sectored range of corporate members (with a larger number paying a more modest membership fee to create financial stability and remove the impression that the organization is a Brusselsrepresentative of any particular industry or company)." The group's "long-basedterm goal", it stated in its 2002 annual report, "to have corporate membership meeting 50% of the operational costs" with the remainder from other sources.<ref name="2002 Annual Report"/> From the outset, industry funded NGOGreenFacts determined that all partner organizations - including sponsors and NGOs - were entitled to suggest topics to be summarized by GreenFacts and allowed to be involved in the "pre-reviewing of the first draft" of a summary of a report.<ref name="benefits to partners">[http://about.greenfacts.org/partners/benefits.htm "Benefits offered to all GreenFacts' Partners"]</ref>
== Funding ==
As Solvay provided the initial three-years funding for GreenFacts.<ref name="funding">[http://about.greenfacts.org/funding/index.htm "GreenFacts funding"], accessed October 2007.</ref> The organization's 2002 annual return, which covered its first year and a half of operation, indicates that it received €137,646, all from Solvay. (This is approximately $US194,279 at October 2007 exchange rates.)<ref name="2002 Annual Report"/> In 2003 Solvay poured a further €210,000 into establishing the organisation and €231,000 in 2004.<ref name="2005 Annual Report"> GreenFacts, [http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/reports/annual/2005-Annual-Report.pdf "Annual Report 2005"], page 7.</ref> It continued to fund the organisation beyond its initial three-year start-up grant too. In 2005 the company contributed €64,000 and a further €51,000 in 2006.<ref name="2006 Annual Report">GreenFacts' [http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/reports/annual/2006-Annual-Report.pdf "2006 Annual Report"],2007, page 7.</ref> In the first four years of GreenFacts existence, Solvay contributed over €693,000 (just over $US1 million, without adjusting for inflation, at November 2007 exchange rate).<ref name="2006 Annual Report"/> In 2003 GreenFacts rather optimistically suggested that it might be able to diversify its income so that eventually it all come "from outside of industry funding." <ref name="2002 Annual Report"/> The organisation felt that a heavy reliance on industry funding had the potential to cripple the organisation's credibility and effectiveness. This was, it wrote in its 2003 annual report, "an important problem." "It is sometimes seen that critics of scientific information on health and environment issues turn their focus on the source of the funding when other arguments fail ... GreenFacts must ensure that the industrial part of its funding does not become an obstacle to the recognition of its publications and to the development of partnerships," GreenFacts stated . <ref name="2003 Annual Report"/> Despite concern about reliance on industry funding, GreenFacts remained essentially funded by Solvay and other industrial companies until 2004, because it was "not yet eligible for most government and institutions subsidies or foundation grants, and could generally not apply for calls and tenders issued by Public Authorities".<ref name="funding figures"/> In 2005, it diversified its funding sources and reduced its funding from the private sector to just less than 50% of its income. In 2006, GreenFacts' income was €509,922 (approximately $US714,000 at October 2007 exchange rates). <ref name="2006 Annual Report">[http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/reports/annual/2006-Annual-Report.pdf "GreenFacts asbl Annual Report 2006"], 2007.</ref> In 2007, GreenFacts' income was €590,591.]].<ref name="2007 Annual Report">GreenFacts' [http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/reports/annual/2007-Annual-Report.pdf 2007 Annual Report], 2008</ref>  In 2003 GreenFacts attracted additional funding from [[Ferrari Textiles Group]], specifically thanking the company's CEO [[Romain Ferrari]].<ref name="2003 Annual Report">GreenFacts' [http://wwwabout.greenfactsfoundationgreenfacts.org website/organization/reports/annual/2003-Annual-Report.pdf 2003 Annual Report], page 4.</ref>(While the amount is not specifically stated in the organization's annual report, it appears that Ferrari Textiles contribution was started in the order of €5,000.)<ref name="funding figure"/> By 2005 the organization had attracted additional funding from [[Carrefour]](a supermarket group), [[CEFIC]] (the [[European Chemical Industry Council]], "jointly with [[Euro Chlor]] and [[PlasticsEurope]]", the [[European Crop Protection Association]], [[GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals]], [[Proctor & Gamble]], [[Raffinerie Tirlemontoise]] (a sugar company), [[Suez]] and [[Total Petrochemicals]]. (Solvay and Ferrari Textiles continued to support the organization as well).<ref name="2005 Annual Report"/> The following year, further corporate sponsors provided support - [[Cumerio]], [[DSM]], [[Floridienne]] and [[Umicore]].<ref name="2006 Annual Report"/>  GreenFacts' strategy of aiming to gain income from public agencies is progressively yielding results. In 2005 only approximately €28,000 came from public agencies, with the organization listing IRSIB-IWOIB, "the Scientific Research and Innovation Institute of the Brussels-Capital region" and the Swiss government's [[Agency for Development and Co-operation]] (which contributed €18,986, €27,176 and €96,187 in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively). In 2006, GreenFacts attracted support from several additional public agencies - BELSPO (Belgian Science Policy), CBD (the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity), the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD (UN Convention to Combat Desertification), WHO ([[World Health Organization]]), FAO (UN [[Food and Agriculture Organization]]), UNEP-WCMC (World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the [[United Nations Environment Program]]), the Environment Directorate General of the [[European Commission]], and the [[World Bank]]. Despite the new supporters, public agencies contributed just over €40,000 in 2006, which represented just 8% of the organization's budget.<ref name="2006 Annual Report"/> In 2007, 46% of GreenFacts' €591,000 income came from the public sector, including €96,000 from the [[Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation]] and nearly €164,000 from contracts for various public agencies (including the Health and Consumer Safety Directorate General of the [[European Commission]]).<ref name="2007 Annual Report"/> GreenFacts also had limited success in gaining funding from foundations, with the Swiss foundation [[Harafi]] supporting the organization in 2005, 2006 and 2007. <ref name="2005 Annual Report"/><ref name="2006 Annual Report"/><ref name="2007 Annual Report"/> GreenFacts claims it fully complied in 2006 and 2007 with its "funding rules", which include "we limit each corporate partner's contribution to a maximum of €50,000 per year, so that it does not form a too significant fraction of our annual income".<ref name="funding rules"/> While corporate funding of GreenFacts had declined as a ''percentage'' of the organization's income (from 100% in 2002 to 42% in 2006 and 41% in 2007), the total amount of corporate funding has grown substantially: it amounted to €213,000 in 2006 and €243,000 in 2007 (well up on Solvay's opening year grant of €137,000 and slightly larger than the chemical company Solvay's second year grant of €210,000 and third year grant of €231,000).<ref name="funding figures"/> ==Activities== GreenFacts states that its mission is "to bring complex scientific consensus reports on health and the environment to the reach of non-specialists."<ref name="mission statement">[http://about.greenfacts.org/organization/mission.htm "GreenFacts' "Mission Statement"], accessed October 2007.</ref>  ===Publications=== The main activity of GreenFacts is the publication of [http://www.greenfacts.org/en/index.htm "GreenFacts Digests"], which it describes as "clear and faithful summaries of existing scientific reports on environmental and health topics". <ref>GreenFacts, [http://about.greenfacts.org/index.htm "About GreenFacts"], accessed December 2007.</ref> Some of the leading scientific assessments summarized by GreenFacts are: * the 2001 and 2007 [[IPCC]] assessment reports on climate change<ref name="TAR Digest"/> <ref>[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/climate-change-ar4/index.htm "GreenFacts' summary of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report"]</ref>, * the [[WHO]]-[[IPCS]] reports on endocrine disruptors<ref>[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/endocrine-disruptors/endocrine-disruptors.htm "GreenFacts' summary of the WHO-IPCS Assessment on Endocrine Disruptors"]</ref> and on dioxins<ref>[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/dioxins/index.htm "GreenFacts' summary of the WHO-IPCS Assessment on Dioxins"]</ref>, and * the [[Millennium Assessment]] synthesis reports on Ecosystems<ref>[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/ecosystems/index.htm "GreenFacts' summary of the Millennium Assessment synthesis report on Ecosystems"]</ref>, Biodiversity<ref>[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/biodiversity/index.htm "GreenFacts' summary of the Millennium Assessment synthesis report on Biodiversity"]</ref> and Desertification<ref>[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/desertification/index.htm "GreenFacts' summary of the Millennium Assessment synthesis report on Desertification"]</ref>.  For each scientific assessment it summarizes, GreenFacts actually prepares two summaries, a long one and a short one, which are published together with the source report on the [http://www.greenfacts.org/en/index.htm "Digests" section of its website] under GreenFacts' copyrighted Three-Level Structure of increasing detail<ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/publications/features.htm "GreenFacts Digests unique Features"]</ref>; this original web structure allows readers to easily navigate back and forth between the summaries and the source report. The Digest are originally published in English, most are translated into French and Spanish, and a growing number in German and/or Dutch. In 2006, GreenFacts also started publishing and widely distributing paper versions of some of its shorter summaries in several languages <ref name="print publications">[http://www.greenfacts.org/en/digests/leaflets/index.htm GreenFacts' Paper Summaries]</ref>. Some of these paper summaries were also translated into Chinese, Russian or Arabic. In 2006, GreenFacts started producing, for the [[European Commission]], summaries of scientific reports of the Scientific Committees of the [http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection], which are published on the European Commission's website <ref> [http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/popularizing/popularizing_results_en.htm "Bringing the results of the Scientific Committees closer to the public"], [[European Commission]]'s Website</ref> using GreenFacts' Three-Level Structure as well as on the [http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/index.htm "Co-Publications" section of GreenFacts website].
According In 2008, GreenFacts was contracted by [[Com+ alliance]]<ref>[http://www.complusalliance.org/ Com+ alliance website]</ref> to produce the GreenFacts foundation official summary of the [[United Nations]]' [[International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development]] (IAASTD).<ref name="Com+">[http://www.agassessment.org/ IAASTD website in December 2004, it is now funded by:]</ref>
"Carrefour, CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Council, jointly with Euro Chlor and PlasticsEurope), Ferrari Textiles, P&G, Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, Solvay, Suez, Total and several individual donors."===Publication process===
The main stated activity of Once the topic for a Digest has been agreed on, a source report is selected by the GreenFacts Scientific Board amongst the recent available assessment reports.<ref>GreenFacts, [http://about.greenfacts.org/publications/digests.htm "GreenFacts is Digests"], accessed December 2007.</ref> For each Digest, the production President of summaries the [http://about.greenfacts.org/whos-who/scientific-board.htm Scientific Board] appoints a "Review Coordinator" from amongst the Scientific Board members, in charge of important studiessupervising the "peer-review" process for this Digest. HoweverThe Review Coordinator first selects at least three peer-reviewers, described as outlined below"among the impartial scientific experts in the field". Each "peer-reviewer" is asked to evaluate the summaries and propose corrections on a peer-review form. <ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/news/r-sb/sb-docs/peer_review_form.doc "GreenFacts Digest Peer Review Form"].</ref> The GreenFacts editorial staff incorporates the peer-reviewers' corrections in a "final draft", they are now also active in which is submitted to the Review Coordinator for comments. When the Review Coordinator is satisfied with the final draft, he then submits it to the President of the policy debateScientific Board for final approval prior to publication.
==Who The "peer-reviewers" are usually listed in the organization's "panel of experts",<ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/whos-who/panel-of-experts.htm "GreenFacts?==' Panel of Experts"].</ref> which also includes experts from both industry and non-government organizations that are sometimes consulted in a "pre-review" process. Since 2005, the "peer-reviewers" are usually also listed in the "About" section of the corresponding Digest.
==GreenFacts claims to be:"a multi-stakeholder, non-profit organization, based in Brussels, dedicated to providing non-specialists with unbiased scientific information on environment and health matters."web strategy==
It also claims To boost the number of visitors on its website, GreenFacts has been actively calling and emailing many organizations and individuals, including environmental groups, universities, governments and [[United Nations]] agencies around the world, in order to be establish website link exchanges. GreenFacts publishes a "nonprofit, nonlist of [http://www.greenfacts.org/links/links-advocacy organization based in Brussels, Belgium, composed exchanges.htm some of stakeholders in the environment and health debates (scientific institutions, NGOs and industrial groups)sites linking to its website] with the disclaimer that "these web sites are NOT necessarily endorsed by the GreenFacts Scientific Board".
However, the only actual link to environmental NGOs within the governance structure is the presence of an ex-CEO of WWF Belgium on the staff, and the current CEO of WWF France as one of the 'Active Members'. However, as the web site points out, "All members of GreenFacts commit themselves on a purely personal basis. Their involvement does not constitute an official position of their other affiliations".==Criticism==
The use ===Handling conflicts of the phrase 'stakeholders in ...NGOs' manages to imply the engagement of NGOs, whilst in fact it is only a couple of individuals from NGOs. A similar phraseology is also used on press releases and other materials, to imply (incorrectly) that environmental NGOs were involved in setting up GreenFacts, for example:interest===
On its website GreenFacts states that "GreenFacts was formed the scientists involved in December 2001 by stakeholders from the academe, industrial groups drafting or the review of the Digests must inform the Board of Directors and environmental NGOs concerned about the difficulties SB [Scientific Board] of possible conflicts of communicating scientific information on environment and health issuesinterests." in <ref>GreenFacts Foundation[http://wwwabout.greenfactsfoundationgreenfacts.org/newspublications/press-releases/191209-pr-scalepeer-enreview.htm this press release"The Digests' Peer-review process"], accessed December 2007.</ref>
In additionHowever, Greenfacts appears there is limited disclosure of information to have a rather dismissive view the public which would enable those outside the organization to determine whether actual or potential conflicts of environmental NGO activitiesinterests exist. Under part 12 The authors of digests are disclosed in the climate change page"About" section of each Digest, it states that but the "peer-reviewers"some are only disclosed for Digests published since 2005. The biographical details posted on the organization's website on members of their publications tend to minimise some uncertainties or overstate the human influence on climate change or Scientific Board - who select the likelihood source documents - are cursory and do not provide any details of some adverse consequences"current or past consultancy affiliations. <ref>[http://wwwabout.greenfacts.org/studieswhos-who/climate_change/level_1scientific-board.htm#90"GreenFacts' Scientific Board"] , accessed December 2007. </ref> The individual digests list who was involved in the preparation of the report and its "peer review". However, it is unclear what disclosure standards are required of reviewers.
In the same section, Greenfacts redirects readers to climate-sceptic front groups such as the [[European Science and Environment Forum]] and studies produced by Dr. [[Fred Singer]], [[Richard S. Lindzen]], Dr [[Sallie Louise Baliunas]] and [[Willie Soon]], in addition to four other climate-sceptics websites and the [[Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine]]. ===Exaggerating origins===
Another criticism of GreenFacts has been that it has exaggerating the driving force behind the groups establishment. In one media release, GreenFacts stated that it "was formed in December 2001 by stakeholders from the academe, industrial groups and environmental NGOs concerned about the difficulties of communicating scientific information on environment and health issues."<ref name==Summarising documents=="SCALE PR"/>. This description appeared in GreenFacts' communications up until 2004 and implied the engagement of NGOs in the creation of the organisation, whilst in fact it was only a couple of individuals from NGOs. It also understated the initial role of Solvay staff and funding in getting the group established.
The main activity of GreenFacts appears - at first sight - to be the publication of 'Green Facts', in the form of summaries of important reports such as the IPCC report on climate change, and the IPCS report on endocrine disrupters. These summaries are then published on the [http://www.greenfacts.org GreenFacts website].===Global warming===
As part In the "Other Views" section of the summarising processits 2002 climate change Digest, GreenFacts approaches experts in it previously stated that the field websites of a few specific NGOs "tend to review minimise some uncertainties or overstate the summaries they are producing. Many experts have accepted these invitations, as this seems to be an entirely reasonable request. The names of these experts are then listed human influence on climate change or the likelihood of some adverse consequences"<ref>[http://www.greenfactsfoundationgreenfacts.org/mainstudies/whoswhoclimate_change/panel-of-expertslevel_1.htm GreenFacts website#90 "Scientific Facts on Climate Change" - "Other views"], adding credibility to the organisation</ref>. This sentence was removed in 2005.
==Policy engagement==In the same section, the Digest states that "however, some people and organizations disagree with certain IPCC conclusions - click here for some links". The link opens a page containing links to a number of websites, including those of to climate-sceptic front groups such as the [[European Science and Environment Forum]] and publications by Dr. [[Fred Singer]], Prof. [[Richard S. Lindzen]], Dr [[Sallie L. Baliunas]] and [[Willie Soon]], in addition to four other climate-sceptics websites and the [[Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine]], the [[George C. Marshall Institute]], a global warming werbsite of the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]] and the [[Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change]].
HoweverThe Digest includes as a preamble that "although most scientists agree with the IPCC report, Green Facts has moved beyond summarising documentssome organisations express skepticism towards certain conclusions regarding uncertainties, human influence, adverse consequences or actions needed", and is now actively engaging the disclaimer "GreenFacts takes no position concerning the views expressed in the policy debatelinked documents. Its main target has been the European Union's "<ref>[http://europawww.eugreenfacts.intorg/commstudies/environmentclimate_change/healthlinks/index_enquestion_11.htm Environment and Health processOther views on Climate Change]. The chemical industry in Europe is also heavily engaged in lobbying around this process. , accessed November 2007</ref>
Following a meeting on this process in December 2003However, GreenFacts put out a [http://wwwit is notable that the only sites linked to are those critical of the IPCC for taking global warming too seriously.greenfactsfoundation.org/news/press-releases/191209-pr-scale-en.htm press release] entitled "GreenFacts reactions It does not include any links to websites that argue that the first EU SCALE consultative forum: GreenFacts welcomes IPCC has been too cautious in its summarising of the initiative and stresses the need for sound scientific approach", which quotes the GreenFacts general manager Jacques de Selliers:science.
===GreenFacts and "With an issue as sensitive as children’s health, it must be ensured that political pressures do not override scientific information and the need for sound methodologyscience"===
It is unclear how policy statements such as In 2004 GreenFacts website referred to the need for "[[sound science]]" before taking remedial action or adopting the [[precautionary principle]]. In response to this can be reconciled with SourceWatch article, Greenfacts wrote that "we had sometimes used the claimed aim of GreenFacts to be a word 'sound science'non in our earlier communication, but have long banned it from our vocabulary after realizing that it is often used by some self-proclaimed "science advocacy organisationgroups" that actually use '[[junk science]]'to negate or minimize environmental or health problems." <ref>GreenFacts Foundation, and indeed the comments in this press release are echoed by a [http://wwwabout.ceficgreenfacts.beorg/Filespressroom/NewsReleasespress-book/Cefic_Press_Release_SCALEsourcewatch.htm "Response to an article about GreenFacts on SourceWatch.pdf press releaseorg"] issued at the same time by CEFIC, the European Chemical Industry CouncilOctober 29, 2007.</ref>
In addition, GreenFacts is engaging in the debate over risk communication, for example in a workshop on 2nd December 2004 at a European Commission meeting on the Environment and Health strategy.===Policy engagement===
==Conclusion==GreenFacts has also been perceived as moving beyond summarising documents and actively engaging in the policy debate, targeting the European Union's [http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/health/index_en.htm Environment and Health process]. The chemical industry in Europe is also heavily engaged in lobbying around this process.
Following a meeting on the European Union's Environment and Health process<ref>[http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/health/index_en.htm "European Environment and Health Homepage"], ''Europa'', last updated February 22, 2007.</ref> in December 2003, GreenFacts is an industry funded NGOput out a press release entitled "GreenFacts reactions to the first EU SCALE consultative forum: GreenFacts welcomes the initiative and stresses the need for sound scientific approach". The release, which claims to have been formed was drafted by a wide range of stakeholders. It has established a level of credibility through its production of summary documentsGreenFacts Operations manager [[David Zaruk]], quoted the GreenFacts general manager Jacques de Selliers: "With an issue as sensitive as children’s health, it must be ensured that political pressures do not override scientific information and it now appears the need for sound methodology"."<ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/pressroom/press-releases/2003/031219-pr-scale-en-draft.doc "GreenFacts Reactions to be using this activity as a way of more deeply engaging in the policy debatefirst EU SCALE Consultative Forum"] GreenFacts' first press release, December 19, 2003.</ref>
The two key areas GreenFacts claims that this press release was a draft sent accidentally, and issued shortly after a modified press release where the title was changed to "GreenFacts welcomes the initiative of the EU to bring together well-known experts from a wide variety of stakeholders to consider the environmental impacts on children’s health on firm scientific basis". Jacques de Selliers' quote was changed to read "with an issue as sensitive as children’s health, reliable scientific information is essential".<ref name="SCALE PR">[http://about.greenfacts.org/pressroom/press-releases/2003/031219-pr-scale-en.htm "GreenFacts engagement Reactions to the first EU SCALE Consultative Forum"] GreenFacts' second press release, December 19, 2003.</ref> It is unclear how policy statements such as an this can be reconciled with the claimed aim of GreenFacts to be a 'non advocacy organisation are currently:'.
1) Promotion of A similar press release was issued at the same time by CEFIC,<ref>[[CEFIC]], [http://www.cefic.be/Files/NewsReleases/Cefic_Press_Release_SCALE.pdf "Chemical Industry supports SCALE, but concerned about current focus, time constraints"], Media Release, December 18, 2003.</ref> the [[Sound scienceEuropean Chemical Industry Council]]" before taking action, an organisation that was a funder GreenFacts.
In addition, [[David Zaruk]], GreenFacts Operations Manager was the moderator in a few debates over risk communication. One was a December 2) , 2004 workshop at a European Commission meeting on the Environment and Health strategy where he was both the rapporteur and lead presenter.<ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/news/newsletters/2004/041125.htm GreenFacts and the EU Environment-Health Action Plan conference"], ''GreenFacts Newsletter'', November 2004.</ref> (Zaruk resigned at the end of December 2004 after three years working for GreenFacts<ref>[http://about.greenfacts.org/news/internal-news/2004.htm 2004 Internal News"], ''GreenFacts'', last updated October 22, 2007.</ref> to become a Director of the PR firm [[Burson Marstellar]]<ref>[http://users.skynet.be/fb623723/David/cv/PA.htm "David Zaruk's CV-portfolio: Public Affairs and Public Speaking"], accessed December 2007.</ref> and, in 2006, established his own PR consultancy company, [[Risk CommunicationPerception Management]].
Both these issues are closely linked to the debate on the ==Personnel=====Staff===*[[precautionary principleJacques Wirtgen]]. They are also well known priorities for chemical industry lobbying, which would provide a rationale for the Solvay and CEFIC funding of GreenFacts.General Manager*[[Martine de Norman]], Administration Manager*[[Stephanie Mantell]], Publication Manager*[[Eléonore de Bellefroid]], Partnership Manager*[[Denis Richir]], Editor & Translation Manager*[[Patrick Van Hove]], Science Editor*[[Cedric Stevins]], IT Manager*[[Daniel Moital Carriço]], IT Analyst Programmer
The recent addition of two companies in the food sector to the list of GreenFacts funders ===Former personnel===*[[Jacques de Selliers]], Co- the supermarket group Carrefour and the sugar company Founder & Vice Chairman*[http://www.tiensegroup.com/tiense/Corporate.nsf/home?openform[Patrick Poty]], General Manager &lang=en&maincat=home Raffinerie TirlemontoiseCEO*[[David Zaruk]] - suggests that GreenFacts may start working on the food sector., Operations Manager
==Related sitesAffiliations==* Member of the [[World Conservation Union]] ([[IUCN]])* Associate partner of [[Com+ alliance]].<ref name="Com+"/>* Partnership agreements with a few environmental or health NGOs <ref name="partners">[http://about.greenfacts.org/partners/index.htm "GreenFacts' Partners"], accessed Nov. 2007</ref>
Jacques de Selliers==Contact details==GreenFacts a.s.b.l. <br>M-Brussels Village <br>44 rue des Palais <br>B-1030 Brussels, the General Manager of Green Facts, has a [Belgium <br>Phone: +32 (0)2 211 34 88 <br>Fax : +32 (0)2 218 89 73 <br>Email: 2007 AT greenfacts.org <br>Website: http://www.deselliersgreenfacts.infoorg/ web site] that links to GreenFacts, and also to a number of other websites, including:index.htm
* [http:==Resources=====References===<references//www.greenbalance.org/ Green Balance], a site that claims to offer "balanced views on green issues". This site is apparently "published by two moderate individuals from both sides". For example, the section on climate change (which uses Green Facts summary information) concludes that neither energy efficiency nor renewables will solve the problem, but the answer is:* "developing nuclear energy, which so far is, by many aspects, probably the safest, cleanest and most sustainable energy source, with a lot of potential for development.">
=== External links ===* A [http://www.toxfactsgreenfacts-organization.org/ link] - that currently does not work main/press- book/sourcewatch.htm Response by GreenFacts to "ToxFactsthis SourceWatch article]* [http://en.wikipedia.org, a website under construction which will soon publish the ATSDR studies."/wiki/GreenFacts Wikipedia article on GreenFacts]
* [http[Category:Europe]][[Category:Environment]][[category://www.sickoflawsuits.org/ www.sickoflawsuits.orgScience]], which claims to be a grassroots campaign against lawsuit abuse in the US. The US NGO Public Citizen has [http[Category://www.citizen.org/congress/civjus/tort/articles.cfm?ID=800 gathered informationIndustry-funded organizations]] showing the role of the tobacco industry in supporting this organisation.
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