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| New Zealand Climate Science Coalition | |
|---|---|
| Name | New Zealand Climate Science Coalition |
| Formation | 2006 |
| Type | Advocacy group |
| Headquarters | Auckland |
| Region served | New Zealand |
| Leader title | Convenor |
New Zealand Climate Science Coalition is a New Zealand-based advocacy group formed in 2006 that disputed mainstream climate change science and advocated for alternative interpretations of global warming data. The organisation engaged with New Zealand Government processes, participated in public debates involving Parliament of New Zealand, and interacted with international actors such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and scientific institutions including the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.
The organisation was established in 2006 amid debates following the Kyoto Protocol, the Stern Review, and high-profile coverage of the Climatic Research Unit email controversy; founders referenced events involving Royal Society of New Zealand and national inquiries such as those by the New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. Early activity included submissions to select committees in the Parliament of New Zealand and engagement with media outlets like the New Zealand Herald, Stuff (website), and TVNZ. The group corresponded with international actors including the Heartland Institute, academics at George Mason University, and commentators associated with Competitive Enterprise Institute.
The organisation stated aims that questioned conclusions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Royal Society (United Kingdom), emphasizing skepticism toward projections used in policy debates such as emissions trading schemes influenced by the Emissions Trading Scheme (New Zealand). It argued for reinterpretations of datasets from agencies like National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Hadley Centre and criticized methodologies associated with institutions including Met Office, CSIRO, and the Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace. The group promoted engagement with personalities such as Freeman Dyson, Richard Lindzen, Willie Soon, and cited alternative analyses by researchers affiliated with University of Buckingham and George C. Marshall Institute.
Prominent individuals associated with the organisation included convenors and spokespeople who were variously connected to institutions like University of Canterbury, Auckland University of Technology, Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University, and professional societies including New Zealand Geographical Society. Members and correspondents referenced international figures such as Bjorn Lomborg, Nigel Lawson, Fred Singer, Christopher Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, and analysts from think tanks like Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation. The coalition engaged with lawyers and activists connected to networks spanning Australia and the United Kingdom, and through advocacy interacted with municipalities including Auckland Council and regional bodies like Environment Canterbury.
The organisation attracted scrutiny from scientific institutions including the Royal Society of New Zealand, academic commentators at University of Otago, and editorial boards of outlets like the New Zealand Medical Journal; critics accused it of promoting positions aligned with fossil fuel interests and of selective use of data from agencies such as IPCC AR4. Disputes drew responses from scientists like James Renwick (climate scientist), commentators at Victoria University of Wellington, and international researchers including Michael Mann, Phil Jones, and Gavin Schmidt. Parliamentary debates and public inquiries referenced clashes between the group and bodies such as the Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.
The coalition pursued legal and administrative avenues including complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (New Zealand), submissions to tribunals associated with Environment Court of New Zealand, and judicial reviews involving the High Court of New Zealand in matters touching on censorship, defamation, and access to government data. Cases intersected with legal actors from firms connected to cases in jurisdictions including the United Kingdom Supreme Court and precedents cited from the European Court of Human Rights in arguments about freedom of expression and scientific debate.
Coverage by national broadcasters such as Radio New Zealand, Three (TV channel), and TVNZ highlighted the organisation's role in public discourse around policy instruments like the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and events including the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. International media including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal referenced the coalition in broader reporting on climate skepticism movements associated with networks including the Global Climate Coalition. The group's materials were cited in parliamentary submissions, local council consultations, and opinion pieces in papers like the Dominion Post, Otago Daily Times, and Waikato Times.
Mainstream scientific assessment from bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Royal Society (United Kingdom), Royal Society of New Zealand, and research institutions including Victoria University of Wellington and University of Auckland found the coalition's claims inconsistent with peer-reviewed literature appearing in journals like Nature (journal), Science (journal), and Geophysical Research Letters. Independent evaluations by climate scientists including those at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and international teams conducting assessments for IPCC noted methodological concerns and selective citation practices. Academic critique referenced the work of scholars publishing in venues such as Climatic Change, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, and Energy Policy.
Category:Organisations based in Auckland