Letter-to-the-Editor
Washington Post

February 6, 2001

Philip P. Pan’s article “Scientists Issue Dire Prediction on Warming” [front page, Jan. 23] accurately reports the most recent findings of the mainstream scientific community that pollution is responsible for most of the global warming over the last 50 years and that future warming could be more serious than previously thought. Unfortunately, the article later suggests that the “global warming issue has proved highly contentious among environmental scientists.” In support he offers the views of two scientists with radically differing opinions. One of those scientists, Professor S. Fred Singer, dismissed the internationally-approved consensus report on global warming as a mere “political statement.” While your readers were told of some of Dr. Singer’s more impressive credentials, they were not informed that he has served as a consultant to EXXON, Shell, Unocal, Sun Oil, ARCO, Ford, and GM. All of those companies, of course, have vested interests in fighting off reductions of carbon dioxide emissions.

The public has a right to know when experts have potential financial conflicts of interest and to decide for itself the credibility of any expert. At a time when industry is buying greater influence in the scientific community, it is essential for the press to provide full disclosure.

Ronald Collins
Center for Science in the Public Interest  

Steven Gurney
Natural Resources Defense Council