Heartland Institute Denies Human Influence On Climate, Calls Anti-Smoking Efforts "Junk Science"

[hatrack]

THE organisation which has prompted the Family First senator, Steve Fielding, to question the science of climate change also believes public health campaigns against smoking are based on "junk science". Senator Fielding, who must vote soon on the Government's proposed emissions trading scheme, has returned from Washington sceptical about humanity's contribution to climate change.

"I think all of us have just accepted without question that carbon emissions are the problem and we need to address that," he said yesterday. It was necessary to consider an "alternative view" put forward by "credible scientists", he said.

Senator Fielding attended a conference on climate change last week hosted by the Heartland Institute of Chicago, which specialises in challenging scientific norms and conventions. Its president, Joseph Bast, also believes the dangers of smoking are exaggerated as an excuse to tax tobacco.

Anti-smoking advocates "personally profit by exaggerating the health threats of smoking and winning passage of higher taxes and bans on smoking in public places", the institute's website says. "The public health community's campaign to demonise smokers and all forms of tobacco is based on junk science."

EDIT

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/fielding-visit-may-send-climate-plan-up-in-smoke-20090608-c0wj.html

[Peregrine Took]

1. Oh, this is an Australian senator. I guess they suck over there as much

as ours do.

[kestrel91316]

2. Yeah, they have fundies as crazy as ours. Remember Mel Gibson and his pop.