August 13, 1996

Dr. Benjamin D. Santer

PCMDI, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
PO. Box 808, Mail Stop 

Livermore, California 94550

Dear Dr. Santer:

You may recall that I requested in a July 13, 1996 letter that:

?As a step to resolve the question of whether the changes made to
Chapter 8 after the Madrid meeting substantively change the conclusions
accepted in Madrid and whether they were made in accordance with
IPCC rules, we would support independent review of both issues by a
small panel comprised of people whose evaluation and objectivity are
beyond question.?

I suggested this independent panel might include the chairman of the Columbia
University of Journalism, any of the former presidents of the National Academy
of Sciences and another professional of similar qualifications. I also assured you
that the Global Climate Coalition ?would agree that the results of this review be
made public.? To date, I have not received your reply.

One is in order, I believe, in light of the Administration?s reliance on your
chapter and others in the Second Assessment Report for their recent shift in policy
from voluntary measures to a cap on future US. greenhouse gas emissions.
According to a growing body of economic analyses of a range of policy options
being considered, a policy capping emissions would cause serious adverse
economic consequences?~large job losses, lower economic growth and less
capital to invest in new technologies.

Given the impact climate science assessment is having on US. policy, surely you
can see the importance of making the science?and the review process?as open
and fair-minded as possible. Otherwise, policymakers may make decisions
Whose impacts affect people in ways they should not. I urge you to reconsider

 

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Letter to Dr. Benjamin Santer
August 13, 1996
Page 2

my proposal to submit to independent review Chapter 8 and the procedures
which led to the most recent changes to it. In addition, I urge you to make public
the comments that led you to revise Chapter 8 after the Madrid meeting.

Sincerely,

5?wa

William F. O?Keefe, Chairman
Global Climate Coalition