Deny Climate Change, Make a Cool $10,000

"Scientists and economists have been offered $10,000 each" by the
American Enterprise Institute (AEI) think tank, "to undermine a
major climate change report" from the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). AEI wants
"articles that emphasize the shortcomings" of the IPCC report, which
"is widely regarded as the most comprehensive review yet of climate
change science." AEI "has received more than $1.6m from ExxonMobil,"
reports Ian Sample, "and more than 20 of its staff have worked as
consultants to the Bush administration. Lee Raymond, a former head
of ExxonMobil, is the vice-chairman of AEI's board of trustees." AEI
visiting scholar Kenneth Green sent the offer "to scientists in
Britain, the US and elsewhere," in a letter describing the IPCC as
"resistant to reasonable criticism and dissent." On February 5, the
Fraser Institute, "another Exxon-funded organization based in
Canada," launched "a review in London which casts doubt on the IPCC
report." The review is co-authored by Tad Murty and the event was
attended by Nigel Lawson and David Bellamy.

SOURCE: The Guardian (UK), February 2, 2007