Think tank claims US climate change report is biased and misleading

Dr. Kenneth Green, director of the Environmental Program for Reason Public Policy Institute believes that the report is biased in it’s portrayal of the impacts of climate change. “Studies suggest the climate is changing, and such change is worth concern, but the National Assessment Report does a disservice to those promoting the sound use of science in studying the origin of, and potential solutions to, the problem.”

Green believes that the report overstates the certainty of climate predictions and focuses on worst-case scenarios, mentioning less extreme possibilities only in passing. While negative impacts are described with heavy certainty, paragraphs describing the potential benefits from a warmer climate use far more cautious terms he says.

The Reason Public Policy Institute is a “market-based environmental movement”. It seeks to promote environmental policies based upon private and entrepreneurial action, localised decision making and to focus on outcomes rather than process.

The RPPI’s environmental program sets out principles of regulatory reform that rely on decentralised decision making, private-sector stewardship, and the importance of choice, competition, and co-operation to reduce conflict and enhance environmental quality in cost–effective ways.