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The climate change debate has been orchestrated to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific knowledge, according to a US researcher visiting The University of Western Australia.

Professor of History and Science Studies at the University of California, Naomi Oreskes has researched the historical development of scientific knowledge, as well as methods and practices in the earth and environmental sciences.

Professor Oreskes is the co-author of Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming which relates how a small group of ideologically-motivated scientists and advisers with deep connections to politics and industry ran effective campaigns to mislead the public on topics ranging from the health effects of tobacco, to the effects of CFCs on the ozone layer, and now climate change.

Professor Oreskes is the guest of the University's climate science group which includes academics from the Schools of Earth and Environment, Plant Biology, Population Health, Psychology, Humanities (Philosophy), Mathematics and Statistics as well as from the Oceans Institute, Science Communication Program and Faculty of Law.

One of the group's leaders, Psychology Professorial Fellow Stephan Lewandowsky, said misinformation about climate change was rife in Australia.

"Our UWA researchers are determined to help get the actual scientific knowledge out there, so we can start debating how to reduce carbon emissions instead of whether or not to tackle climate change," he said.

The free public lecture from UWA's Institute of Advanced Studies will be held on Monday 22 November at 6pm in the UWA Social Sciences Lecture Theatre.

Media references

Associate Professor Nancy Longnecker (UWA Science Communication Program)  (+61 4) 14 902 127
Professor Stephan Lewandowsky (UWA School of Psychology)  (+61 8)  6488 3231  /  7862
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716