Community | June 04, 2011 | 9 comments

Climate change scientists in Australia facing death threats

source: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/climate-of-fear-scientists-face-deat...

Image
JanforGore

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/climate-of-fe...

Australia's leading climate change scientists are being targeted by a vicious, unrelenting email campaign that has resulted in police investigations of death threats.
The Australian National University has confirmed it moved several high-profile climate scientists, economists and policy researchers into more secure buildings, following explicit threats to their personal safety.

Scientists at universities in NSW and Queensland have told of being moved to high security buildings, where their names do not appear on staff directory lists or on their office door.

''If you want to find me, it's impossible unless you make an appointment, sign in with some form of photo identification, and are personally escorted to my door,'' one scientist said.

''That's directly as a result of threats made against me.''

More than 30 researchers across Australia ranging from ecologists and environmental policy experts to meteorologists and atmospheric physicists told The Canberra Times they are receiving a stream of abusive emails threatening violence, sexual assault, public smear campaigns and attacks on family members.

Among the scientists being targeted is Australian National University climate institute director Professor Will Steffen.

Others include University of NSW climate change research co-director Professor Andy Pitman and University of Melbourne meteorology professor and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change lead author Professor David Karoly.

Many scientists spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they feared the email attacks would escalate if they were identified.

Several scientists have installed upgraded home security systems and switched to unlisted phone numbers after receiving threats that their homes and cars would be damaged.

One scientist said he was advised by police to install a ''panic button'' security alarm in his university office after receiving death threats. Others have removed all contact numbers from their work websites, and deleted social media sites after these were defaced with abusive comments and obscene photographs. One researcher told of receiving threats of sexual assault and violence against her children after her photograph appeared in a newspaper article promoting a community tree-planting day as a local action to mitigate climate change.

cont.
  1. groups:
    Community,   Green,   Culture,   Current Tonight,   6 more
  2. tags:
    Environment,  Climate Change,  Democracy,  Bullying,  2 more
  3.     
    |

9 comments // Climate change scientists in Australia facing death threats

  • coolplanet
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  

    • Just wanted to add that I read that these scientists are stating this must not deter them from getting out information to the people. There are some very rich and powerful interests that do not want this truth exposed and the yare willing to do anything to stop it. We all have to be strong in the face of their bullying and threats. This ignorance and visciousness is a throwback to what was done to scientists who proposed that the Earth was round and that the sun was the center of the universe. Unbelievable.

    • 1 year ago
  • montesooma
  • JanforGore
  • _doja_
    • -1
      _doja_  

    • they know about something about h.a.a.r.p and are a threat to the regime because they could be exposed..... sounds like John P. Wheeler all over again.... lets not forget what happend to all the scientist that were dealing with B.P oil spill also.... anyone thats a scientist in just about anything should watch out... they could get u next

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • Milieu
    • +1
      Milieu  

    • Let's see

      ALEC, Koch, Mercatus Center, AFP.

      Here's List Friends of ALEC in AUS:

      Canterbury (New Zealand) Regional Council
      Chartered Institute of Transport, Christchurch
      Chartered Institute of Transport, Wellington
      Housing Industry Association of Australia
      Housing Industry Association of New South Wales
      Housing Industry Association of Queensland
      Housing Industry Association of South Austraila
      Housing Industry Association of Tasmania
      Housing Industry Association of the Australian Capital Territory
      Housing Industry Association of the Northern Territory (Australia)
      Housing Industry Association of Victoria (Australia)
      Housing Industry Association Western Australia
      New South Wales Bus Association
      New South Wales Ministry of Transport
      New Zealand Institute of Professional Engineers, Auckland Chapter
      New Zealand Institute of Professional Engineers, Christchurch Chapter
      New Zealand Institute of Professional Engineers, Wellington Chapter
      New Zealand Urban Transport Council
      Property Council of Queensland
      Property Institute of New Zealand
      Property Institute of Western Australia
      Residential Development Council of Australia
      Resource Management Law Association (New Zealand)
      Save Our Suburbs (Sydney)
      South Australia Bus Association
      South Australia Ministry of Transport
      Strata Title Management Association of New South Wales
      Target Return Strategies (Australia)
      Transit New Zealand
      University of Auckland
      University of South Australia
      University of Sydney (Australia)
      Urban Development Institute of Australia
      Wellington (New Zealand) Regional Council

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore

top videos