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Clarification from GBN about Abrupt Climate Change Report

This is just in from Nancy Murphy at GBN setting the record straight.

As many of you know, the Guardian's Observer, an influential UK paper, published a misleading "news story" on Sunday entitled "Now the Pentagon Tells Bush: Climate Change Will Destroy Us." This article misrepresented GBN's recent report for the Department of Defense on abrupt climate change, which also the basis for the earlier Fortune article. Peter and Doug have also spoke to dozens of journalists from all ove rthe world, ranging from the BBC to CNN and the major networks, to the SF Chronicle.  More coverage--hopefully of the balanced variety--is forthcoming. In addition, we are posting the following statement on our website:

Fortune magazine (Feb. 9) features an article by senior writer David Stipp entitled "The Pentagon's Weather Nightmare" that excerpts a report prepared by GBN for the Department of Defense. The actual report "An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and its Implications for United States National Security" is written by Peter Schwartz (GBN chairman) and Doug Randall (co-head of GBN's consulting practice) and is available to the public. As is customary in military and defense-related projects, the authors describe a worst case scenario (not a prediction) for abrupt climate change. They note that "the purpose of this report is to imagine the unthinkable--to push the boundaries of current research on climate change so we may better understand the potential implications on United States national security." Contrary to some recent media coverage, the report was not secret, suppressed, or predictive.