Friends of Science

"Friends" of Science (FoS) is a global warming denialist pressure group based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Not just a river in Egypt
Denialism
♫ We're not listening ♫
v - t - e

Website

The website, friendsofscience.org, contains a listing of discredited denialist talking points. Their primary position is that the sun is the main driver of climate change,[1] despite the fact that solar activity has been inversely correlated with the recent warming trend.[2] In 2014, the organization launched a billboard campaign based on this talking point.[3] The site also contains a list of alleged climate "myths." For example, they claim that the "hockey stick graph" has been "debunked" by Steve McIntyre and Ross McKitrick.[4]

Denialist associations

Friends of Science maintains associations with some prominent climate deniers. Their scientific advisory board currently includes Chris de Freitas,[5] who played a key role in the Soon and Baliunas controversy. De Freitas was an editor of the Climate Review, where he helped to get a flawed review paper published that denied 20th century warming. A number of editors resigned over this controversy. The advisory board at one time included Sallie Baliunas herself, as well as McKitrick. The board also included Tim Ball, who is notable for his complete lack of climatology credentials.[6][7] FoS helped to organize Christopher Monckton's 2009 "Apocalypse Cancelled" Canadian lecture tour.[8]

Science Education Fund controversy

In 2005, Barry Cooper, a political scientist at the University of Calgary (U of C), set up the Science Education Fund to donate money to Friends of Science. The money was funneled through the Calgary Foundation, which accepts anonymous donations. However, Cooper himself has admitted that "There were some oil companies" involved in the funding, but that the donations were "not exclusively from the oil and gas industry." While Cooper has attempted to associate Friends of Science with the university, U of C distanced itself from the organization.[9] A 2007 investigation by U of C led the university to return donations from the Science Education Fund when university officials discovered its status as a denialist organization promoting "partisan views on climate change."[10] They are still active as of 28 November 2019, posting a kindly grandmother to dispute Greta Thunberg's activity.

gollark: ++exec```haskellimport Unsafe.Coercedata Would = Seriously Why Int deriving Showtype Mad = ()data Are = Are Mad deriving Showtype Is = Aredata You = You Are Mad deriving Showdata Thing = This Thing Is Mad deriving Showdata This = Thing Mad deriving Shownewtype Do = Do (Thing -> You -> [Thing])data Why = Why Would You Do This deriving Showinstance Show Do where show x = "Do the thing!"why :: Whywhy = Why would you do_ this where would = unsafeCoerce () you = You (Are ()) () do_ = Do $ \_ _ -> [] this = Thing ()main = print why```
gollark: It works!
gollark: ++exec```haskelldata Would = Seriously Why Int deriving Showtype Mad = ()data Are = Are Mad deriving Showtype Is = Aredata You = You Are Mad deriving Showdata Thing = This Thing Is Mad deriving Showdata This = Thing Mad deriving Shownewtype Do = Do (Thing -> You -> [Thing])data Why = Why Would You Do This deriving Showinstance Show Do where show x = "Do the thing!"why :: Whywhy = Why would you do_ this where would = Seriously why 0 you = You (Are ()) () do_ = Do $ \_ _ -> [] this = Thing ()main = print why```
gollark: ++exec```haskelldata Would = Seriously Why Int deriving Showtype Mad = ()data Are = Are Mad deriving Showtype Is = Aredata You = You Are Mad deriving Showdata Thing = This Thing Is Mad deriving Showdata This = Thing Mad deriving Shownewtype Do = Do (Thing -> You -> [Thing])data Why = Why Would You Do This deriving Showinstance Show Do where show x = "Do the thing!"why :: Whywhy = Why would you do_ this where would = Seriously why 0 you = You (Are ()) () do_ = \_ _ -> [] this = Thing ()main = print why```
gollark: Great.

References
  1. Friends of Science About Us page
  2. Sun and Climate: Moving in Opposite Directions, Skeptical Science
  3. Phil Plait. With Friends Like These... Slate, Jun. 12, 2014
  4. Myths/Facts at friendsofscience.org
  5. Scientific Advisory Board
  6. Scientific Advisory Board Page, 2008 archive version from the Wayback Machine
  7. McKitrick is listed under "Professional Contacts" in the initial 2002 version of the site.
  8. Friends of Science Behind Monckton's Magical Mystery Tour, Deep Climate, Sep. 22, 2009
  9. Charles Montgomery. Mr. Cool and Friends. Globe and Mail, Aug. 12, 2006
  10. Granting Support from the Science Education Fund at The Calgary Foundation, The Calgary Foundation
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