Suzuki donors also go unnamed

Re: “Climate-change deniers all over the map,” Sept. 4.

David Suzuki is wrong to imply that the group I lead, the International Climate Science Coalition, was set up by “fossil-fuel interests.” In reality, the ICSC was founded in 2007 by Terry Dunleavy, OBE, of New Zealand.

Dunleavy is a leader in that country’s wine industry. He found that there was such strong worldwide support for the nonpartisan, science-based approach of the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition that an international body taking the same tack would be beneficial.

Since I assumed the executive-director role in 2008, the identities of all donors to ICSC have been 100 per cent confidential to protect their privacy, and quite frankly, safety.

Some of the scientists who advise us on a volunteer basis have had death threats for speaking out against the idea that dangerous climate change is occurring as a result of humanity’s relatively small carbon dioxide emissions.

We would not want to risk subjecting the people generous enough to help ICSC cover its modest operating expense to such abuse.

It is ironic that David Suzuki accuses his opponents of being “secretive organizations [that] rarely reveal funding sources” when, according to its 2009 annual report, the David Suzuki Foundation received $1 million or more from “Anonymous.”

According to its 2010 annual report, the foundation received between $10,000 and $99,999 (exact amount not listed) from “87215 Canada Ltd.”

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Tom Harris, executive director International Climate Science Coalition