International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project (ICECAP)

Background

The International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project (ICECAP) is a website devoted to promoting the views of climate change skeptics. It was registered by Executive Director Joseph D’Aleo on October 20, 2006.¹

ICECAP describes itself as “the portal to all things climate for elected officials and staffers, journalists, scientists, educators and the public. It provides access to a new and growing global society of respected scientists and journalists that are not deniers that our climate is dynamic (the only constant in nature is change) and that man plays a role in climate change through urbanization, land use changes and the introduction of greenhouse gases and aerosols, but who also believe that natural cycles such as those in the sun and oceans are also important contributors to the global changes in our climate and weather.”²

While ICECAP doesn’t publish its own research, it spotlights “new findings in peer-review papers and reports and rapidly respond to fallacies or exaggerations in papers, stories or programs and any misinformation efforts by the media, politicians and advocacy groups.” Based on their recently published material, these papers and reports are almost exclusively skeptical of man-made climate change.³ ⁴

Stance on Climate Change

“We worry the sole focus on greenhouse gases and the unwise reliance on imperfect climate models while ignoring real data may leave civilization unprepared for a sudden climate shift that history tells us will occur again, very possibly soon.”⁵

“A final concern related to the ongoing rise in the air’s CO2 concentration is the worry that it may lead to catastrophic global warming. There is little reason to believe that such will ever occur, however, for several observations of historical changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration and air temperature suggest that it is climate change that drives changes in the air’s CO2 content and not vice versa.”⁶

Funding

ICECAP does not publicly list its funding sources. However, on its website ICECAP states that it is “not funded by large corporations that might benefit from the status quo but by private investors who believe in the need for free exchange of ideas on this and other important issues of the day.”⁷

Key People

“Experts (2015)

As of December, 2015, ICECAP listed the following “Experts” on their website:⁸

Joseph D’Aleo, Executive Director, Certified Consultant Meteorologist
David Aldrich, Meteorologist on Fox 29 WTXF Philadelphia
Robert C. Balling Jr., Professor of Climatology, Arizona State University
Sallie Baliunas, Astrophysicist
Thomas A. Birkland, Director of the Center for Policy Research in the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University of Albany
Robert Carter, Researcher at the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University, Australia
Tom Chisholm, Chief Meteorologist WMTW ABC Channel 8-Portland, ME
William Cotton, Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University
David Deming, Associate Professor of Arts and Science at the University of Oklahoma
James R. Fleming, Professor of Science, Technology and Society
Mel Goldstein, Chief Meteorologist for News Channel 8 in Connecticut.
Vincent Gray
William Gray, Meteorologist
Ross Hays, Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility at NASA
Ben Herman, Professor and Head of the Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Arizona and Director of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics
Douglas V. Hoyt, Solar Physicist and Climatologist
Warwick Hughes, Earth Scientist
Craig D. Idso, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and former President of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
Sherwood D. Idso, President of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
Madhav Khandekar, retired Meteorologist, formerly with Environment Canada
David Legates, Associate Professor in Climatology, University of Delaware, and Delaware State Climatologist
Joseph E. Luisi, Former Chief Meteorologist for Delta Airlines
Anthony Lupo, Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Missouri-Columbia
Pat Michaels, Research professor of environmental sciences, University of Virginia
Tad Murty, Adjunct Professor of Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa
James O’Brien, Director Emeritus of the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies at Florida State University
Roger A. Pielke Sr. – Senior Research Scientist, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado in Boulder, Emeritus Professor of the Department of Atmospheric Science Colorado State University
Gary Sharp, Scientific Director, Center for Climate/Ocean Resources Study
S. Fred Singer, President of the Science & Environment Policy Project
Roy Spencer, Principal Research Scientist, University of Alabama
George Taylor, Oregon State Climatologist; Faculty Member, Oregon State University’s College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
Kevin Williams, Chief Meteorologist in Rochester, NY at WHEC-NBC 10
Richard C. Willson, Principal Investigator, ACRIM Experiments

Past “Experts” (2012)

As of January, 2012, the following additional “Experts” were listed on ICECAP’s website (no longer listed as of 2015):⁹

John Coleman
Chris De Freitas
Bob Durrenberger
George D. Greenly Jr.
Christopher Horner
Zbigniew Jaworowski
Martin Livermore
H. Michael “Mike” Mogil
James O’Brien
John E. Oliphant, Colonel, USAF(Ret)
Tom Victor Segalstad
Hendrik Tennekes

Members (2012)

As of 2012, ICECAP also listed “the following broadcast and private meteorologists” as supporting “an objective consideration and an earnest and open discussion of all aspects of climate change.¹⁰

Michael E. Adams — Ph.D, Senior Principal Scientist, General Dynamics Information Technology.
David Aldrich — Meteorologist, Fox 29 WTXF Philadelphia.
Randy Baker — Aviation Meteorologist, KY.
William Bauman — Ph.D. Program Manager/Meteorologist ENSCO.
Justin Berk — Meteorologist, ABC2 (WMAR), Baltimore.
Andre Bernier — Meteorologist, WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH.
Sally Bernier — Meteorologist, WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH.
Edwin X Berry — Ph.D., CCM, Atmospheric Physics, U of Nevada, 1965.
Kim R. Blackburn — Geologist, Kentucky Geological Survey.
Karl Bohnak — Chief On-Camera Meteorologist and author, WLUC-TV, Marquette, MI.
Bob Breck — Chief Meteorologist FOX 8, New Orleans.
Mark Breen — Senior Meteorologist, Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, VT.
Tom Chisholm — Chief Meteorologist, WMTW ABC Channel 8 Portland, ME.
Jim Clarke — Meteorologist, WZVN-TV, ABC-7, Fort Myers, FL.
Anthony J. Colby — Meteorologist, WKYC-TV 3.
John Coleman — Chief Meteorologist, KUSI-TV-9. San Diego and founder of The Weather Channel.
Bob Copeland — MS Meteorology MIT, 35 years on-air Meteorologist, Boston – WBZ-TV, WHDH-TV, WCVB-TV, Consulting Meteorologist, Littleton, NH.
Paul Cousins — Managing Director, AtmosForecast, Portland, ME.
Dr Tony Cowell — Biologist and Statistician. University of Lincoln, UK.
Bob Durrenberger — Past President, American Association of State Climatologists.
Keith Eichner — Private Meteorologist, TV Meteorologist, Rochester, NY.
Terry Eliasen — Meteorologist/Executive Weather Producer, WBZ-TV, Boston, MA.
Gary England — Chief Meteorologist KWTV, Oklahoma City, OK.
Gordon J. Fulks — Ph.D., Physicist, Gordon Fulks and Asssociates. La Center, WA.
Arlo Gambell — CCM, Aviation Meteorologist, Nashua, NH.
John Ghiorse — Meteorologist NBC10, Providence, RI (since 1968).
Mel Goldstein — Ph.D., Chief Meteorologist, New Haven, CT.
Eugenio Hackbart — Chief Meteorologist, MetSul Meteorologia Weather Center, Sao Leopoldo, Brazil.
Jeff Halblaub — Meteorologist, Byron Center, MI.
Ross Hayes — Former CNN Weather Producer, NASA Balloon Facility.
Art Horn — Meteorologist, The “Art” of Weather. Manchester CT.
Craig James — Retired TV meteorologist, WOOD-TV, Grand Rapid, MI.
John W. Jenson — Ph.D., Professor at Environmental Geology, University of Guam.
Tim Kelley — Meteorologist, NECN, Boston, MA.
Kevin Lemanowicz — Chief Meteorologist, Fox 25, Boston, MA.
Jerry Lettre — Senior Meteorologist, WSI, Andover, MA.
Peter McGurk — Senior Meteorologist, WSI, Andover, MA.
Bill Meck — Chief Meteorologist, WLEX-TV, Lexington, KY.
Kirk Melhuish — AMS/NWA, WSB Meteorologist, Atlanta, GA.
Dennis Miller — Former Senior Meteorologist/Programmer, WSI.
Nick Morganelli — Free-Lance Meteorologist NECN, WFSB.
Steven Nogueira — NWS Senior Meteorologist.
Paul Nuttall — Political Adviser to the IND/DEM Group in the European Parliament, UKIP Party, UK.
Ben Papandreau — Senior Meteorologist, Andover, MA.
Christopher Plonka — Major, Meteorologist, USAF.
Jason Russell — Freelance TV Meteorologist, Albany NY, City Councilor, Westfield, MA.
Scott Sabol — Morning Meteorologist at WJW FOX 8 in Cleveland.
Terry Safford — Private Meteorologist. Lt. Col. USAF.
Bruce Schwoegler — Meteorologist, Chief Technology Officer, MySky.com.
Robert Shipton — MA in Geography from Wayne State University, retired from Environmental Testing Lab.
Hajo Smit — Former climate scientist, meteorologist, journalist, Netherlands.
James R. Stalker — Ph.D., President, RESPR, Inc., Las Cruces, NM.
Bill Steffen — Meteorologist, WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI.
Herb Stevens — The Skiing Weatherman, Grass Roots Weather, North Kingston, RI.
Dennis Stewart — Meteorologist, Account Executive, AWS.
Brad Sussman — Meteorologist, FOX 8 Cleveland.
Bill Wadford — Member.
Randy Washburn — BS Physics, 1982, Author of Upcoming Book on Climate.
Joe West — Retired United Airlines Pilot and Weather Enthusiast.
Chuck F. Wiese — President, Weatherwise, Inc., Portland, OR.
Kevin Williams — Chief Meteorologist, WHEC Rochester, NY.

Actions

March 2014

The Heartland Institute’s James M. Taylor cites an International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project (ICECAP) blog post as evidence that “all nine U.S. climate regions are experiencing winter temperature decline.”¹¹

According to Taylor, “The data contradict assertions that human-induced global warming is causing a rise in winter temperatures that alarmists say is causing an outbreak of bark beetles and other calamities.”

“They are all a downtrend,” the International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project wrote in their blog post. “Not all obviously statistically significant, but no region had warming.”¹²

James Taylor later referenced the same ICECAP blog post in an April 30 article in the Opinion section of Forbes magazine titled “20 Years of Winter Cooling Defy Global Warming Claims.”¹³

May 21–23, 2012

ICECAP is listed as an official Co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7).¹⁴

May 16–18, 2010

The International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project (ICECAP) was an official co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Fourth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC4) in Chicago, IL.¹⁵

DeSmog found that 19 of the 65 sponsors (including Heartland itself) had received a total of over $40 million in funding since 1985 from ExxonMobil, and/or Koch Industries family foundations, and/or the Scaife family foundations.¹⁶

June 2, 2009

The International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project (ICECAP) was an official co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Third International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC3) in Washington, DC.¹⁷

March 8–10, 2009

ICECAP was a co-sponsor to the Heartland Institute’s 2009 International Conference on Climate Change.¹⁸

DeSmog researched the conference sponsors and found that they had collectively received over $47 million from energy companies and right-wing foundations.¹⁹

January 13, 2009

ICECAP’s Executive Director Joseph D’Aleo appeared on a CNN broadcast of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” where he contended that the Earth is cooling as opposed to warming.²⁰

“In fact, if you look at the satellite data, which is the most reliable data, the best coverage of the globe – 2008 was the 14th coldest in 30 years. That doesn’t jive with the tenth warmest in 159 years in the Hadley data set or 113 or 114 years in the NOAA set,” D’Aleo said.²¹

Science and Public Policy Institute (SPPI) — Executive Director Joseph D’Aleo is also listed among the personnel of the Science and Public Policy Institute (SPPI).²²

Other Resources

“ICECAP,” SourceWatch Profile.

Resources

1
“Whois Record for Icecap.us,” DomainTools. Accessed December 4, 2015.
2
“About Us,” ICECAP. Archived December 4, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/PfRxw
3
“Whois Record for Icecap.us,” DomainTools. Accessed December 4, 2015.
4
“What’s New & Cool,” ICECAP. Archived December 10, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iK6Vi
5
“About Us,” ICECAP. Archived December 4, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/PfRxw
6
“Carbon Dioxide – Summary” (PDF), ICECAP, April, 2007. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
7
“About Us,” ICECAP. Archived December 4, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/PfRxw
8
“Experts,” ICECAP. Archived December 7, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/lAmS1
9
“Experts,” ICECAP. Archived January 21, 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qq0lQ
10
“Experts,” ICECAP. Archived January 21, 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qq0lQ
11
James M. Taylor. “NOAA Data Confirm 20-year Winter Cooling Trend,” The Heartland Institute, March 24, 2014. Archived December 7, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/v0YZX
12
“NCDC Winter data – CONUS and all 9 climate regions down the last 20 years,” ICECAP, March 14, 2014. Archived December 7, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/0RCsM
13
James Taylor. “20 Years of Winter Cooling Defy Global Warming Claims,” Forbes, April 30, 2014. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8jHfB
14
“Cosponsors,” 7th International Conference on Climate Change. Archived May 10, 2012. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/VAY3r
15
“4th International Conference on Climate Change: Sponsored by the Heartland Institute” (Conference Program – PDF), The Heartland Institute, May, 2010. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
16
Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-palooza Round 4: ‘International Conference on Climate Change’ Groups Funded by Exxon, Koch Industries,” DeSmog, May 13, 2010.
17
“Co-Sponsors,” Third International Conference on Climate Change. Archived July 14, 2010. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7M3LQ
18
“Co-Sponsors,” The 2009 International Conference on Climate Change. Archived April 28, 2011. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8pEf7
19
“Heartland Institute’s 2009 Climate Conference in New York: funding history of the sponsors,” DeSmog.
20
Jeff Poor. “CNN Segment Warns of the Coming Ice Age,” NewsBusters, January 14, 2009. Archived December 8, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oQPIJ
21
Jeff Poor. “CNN Segment Warns of the Coming Ice Age,” NewsBusters, January 14, 2009. Archived December 8, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oQPIJ
22
“SPPI Personnel 2012,” Science and Public Policy Institute. Archived December 8, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xb7Oh

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