Environmental Defense Finds Climate Change Suit Absurd

(7 August 2003 — Washington) Environmental Defense today blasted a lawsuit filed late yesterday by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) against the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  By suing the White House office, CEI hopes to force the White House to formally retract reports that reiterate the broad conclusions of the National Academy of Sciences on global warming.

Environmental Defense called the lawsuit desperate.  “The Earth is round, Elvis is dead, and yes, climate change is happening,” said Melissa Carey, Environmental Defense climate change policy specialist. “There is a sea of evidence pointing to the reality of global warming.  If the conclusions of the world’s scientific community, as affirmed by the United States’ own National Academy of Sciences, aren’t fit for publication, what is?  It’s time to face the facts and move on to a plan of action.  Responsible nations and corporations have already done so.”

“It’s interesting that this suit comes just at the Senate prepares to take up the issue of climate change in the fall when it will vote on the McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act.  Unfortunately, the scientific reality of global warming won’t be changed by legal maneuvering, and pretending the problem doesn’t exist does not make it go away.  Global climate change needs real solutions, not frivolous lawsuits,” said Steve Cochran, Environmental Defense director of strategic communications.