Scientific Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Scientific Alliance is a British
industry-friendly organization that promotes biotechnology
, genetically modified food
, and climate change skepticism. Its stated aim is to "bring together both scientists and non-scientists committed to rational discussion and debate on the challenges facing the environment today."
The group was created in 2001 by quarryman Robert Durward, director of the British Aggregates Association, and political consultant Mark Adams of the public relations
firm, Foresight Communications. The Scotsman newspaper has reported that on contacting the Alliance to ask about Durward's role, 'after some uncertainty, the switchboard it shares with a number of other firms denied any knowledge of Mr Durward’s existence. Matthew Drinkwater, the one person responding to calls to its offices, could also be contacted by ringing the offices of Foresight Communications.' Foresight Communications is a PR firm established by Mark Adams in January 2001. As well as The Scientific Alliance, its client list includes the British Aggregates Association and the New Party
(formerly known as the Peoples Alliance (sic)) which was also established by Durward and Adams.
Bob May
of the Royal Society
has criticised the Scientific Alliance's climate change denial
and its links to the George C. Marshall Institute
, saying that the Alliance and other climate skeptics had a "poisonous" influence on the media. In December 2004 the organisation published a joint report with the George C. Marshall Institute in Washington, a thinktank that has received $715,000 in funding from the U.S.
oil company, ExxonMobil
. The Alliance's director, Martin Livermore, wrote that "The Scientific Alliance has never received money from ExxonMobil" and according to the Alliance, "donations are only accepted without conditions and afford no influence over [the group's] policy".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
industry-friendly organization that promotes biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
, genetically modified food
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
, and climate change skepticism. Its stated aim is to "bring together both scientists and non-scientists committed to rational discussion and debate on the challenges facing the environment today."
The group was created in 2001 by quarryman Robert Durward, director of the British Aggregates Association, and political consultant Mark Adams of the public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm, Foresight Communications. The Scotsman newspaper has reported that on contacting the Alliance to ask about Durward's role, 'after some uncertainty, the switchboard it shares with a number of other firms denied any knowledge of Mr Durward’s existence. Matthew Drinkwater, the one person responding to calls to its offices, could also be contacted by ringing the offices of Foresight Communications.' Foresight Communications is a PR firm established by Mark Adams in January 2001. As well as The Scientific Alliance, its client list includes the British Aggregates Association and the New Party
The New Party (UK)
The New Party is a neoliberal political party in the United Kingdom. The party describes itself as "a party of economic liberalism, political reform and internationalism"...
(formerly known as the Peoples Alliance (sic)) which was also established by Durward and Adams.
Bob May
Robert May, Baron May of Oxford
Robert McCredie May, Baron May of Oxford, OM, AC, PRS is an Australian scientist who has been Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government, President of the Royal Society, and a Professor at Sydney and Princeton. He now holds joint professorships at Oxford, and Imperial College London...
of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
has criticised the Scientific Alliance's climate change denial
Climate change denial
Climate change denial is a term used to describe organized attempts to downplay, deny or dismiss the scientific consensus on the extent of global warming, its significance, and its connection to human behavior, especially for commercial or ideological reasons...
and its links to the George C. Marshall Institute
George C. Marshall Institute
The George C. Marshall Institute is a politically conservative think tank established in 1984 in Washington, D.C. with a focus on scientific issues and public policy. In the 1980s, the Institute was engaged primarily in lobbying in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative...
, saying that the Alliance and other climate skeptics had a "poisonous" influence on the media. In December 2004 the organisation published a joint report with the George C. Marshall Institute in Washington, a thinktank that has received $715,000 in funding from the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
oil company, ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
. The Alliance's director, Martin Livermore, wrote that "The Scientific Alliance has never received money from ExxonMobil" and according to the Alliance, "donations are only accepted without conditions and afford no influence over [the group's] policy".
External links
- The Scientific Alliance
- SourceWatch, Center for Media & Democracy
- Hard Rockers, The Guardian
- The alliance of science, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...