Clive L. Spash

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Debating Carbon Emissions Trading

What all the fuss was about: the paper is now on-line!

At the beginning of 2009 Clive Spash wrote a paper, The Brave New World of Carbon Trading, that was critical of carbon emissions trading schemes and argued redesign would not address the concerns raised. He was employed at the time by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO), which endeavoured to prevent the paper from being published even in his capacity as a private citizen. The paper had been both internally and internationally peer reviewed, and was accepted for publication by New Political Economy, when CSIRO management first decided to prevent publication. After several months the issue became public and was the subject of debate in the Australian Senate. The CSIRO was forced to release the paper but first attempted to subject the work to serious alterations, to which Clive was asked to assent without making any changes. He felt that he could not agree. The journal New Political Economy also wrote to Senator Carr stating the changes made were so substantive that the paper was no longer equivalent to that which they had accepted for publication earlier that year. After six months attempting to seek due process there remained no internal recognition within management of any failure on their part or any breach of acceptable scientific practice. Despite considerable support from his colleagues Clive felt that he could no longer work within an organisation being run with such an approach to management and where arbitrary judgment over political sensitivities are employed to alter or ban research findings. He resigned his position.

Readers might also be interested in the following pieces:

An Orwellian Guide to Carbon ETS (PDF).

Kevin Rudd: His Part in My Downfall (PDF).

VIDEO

PRESS

2nd November 2009.
Front page headline "CSIRO Carbon Trade Dissenter Silenced" The Australian. Inside story p.3. "CSIRO bid to gag emissions trading scheme policy attack."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26291548-2702,00.html

2nd November 2009.
"Climate economist says he was gagged". Adelaide Now.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,,26292161-5005962,00.html

3rd November 2009.
Climate expert Clive Spash 'heavied' by CSIRO management. The Australian.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/climate-expert-clive-spash-heavied-by-csiro-management/story-e6frg8gf-1225793717744

4th November 2009.
Stifling debate. The Australian. Editorial
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/stifling-debate/story-e6frg71x-1225794078751

5th November 2009.
CSIRO 'gagging climate debate' The Australian.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/csiro-gagging-climate-debate/story-e6frg8gf-1225794500655

5th November 2009.
Liar, liar your scheme's on fire. Herald Sun. Olga Galacho.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/liar-liar-your-schemes-on-fire/story-e6frfihx-1225794596030

6th November 2009.
Kim Carr raps CSIRO delay on ETS paper. The Australian.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/kim-carr-raps-csiro-delay-on-ets-paper/story-e6frg6nf-1225794867411

6th November 2009. Updated 11th November.
Australian agency denies gagging researchers. Nature.
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091106/full/news.2009.1068.html

9th November 2009.
CSIRO moves to put gag on scientists. The Australian.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/csiro-moves-to-put-gag-on-scientists/story-e6frg6nf-1225795565498

9th November 2009.
Climate paper will be published: CSIRO. The Age.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/climate-paper-will-be-published-csiro-20091109-i53w.html

13th November 2009.
Australian agency moves to calm climate row. Researcher will be allowed to publish his paper after making 'tiny' changes. Nature
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091113/full/news.2009.1083.html

14th November 2009.
Frank and fearless scientific debate comes with a few too many strings attached. The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/frank-and-fearless-scientific-debate-comes-with-a-few-too-many-strings-attached/story-e6frg6zo-1225797535057

23rd November 2009.
"This ETS-lite deserves to be rejected" The Age, Kenneth Davidson
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/this-etslite-deserves-to-be-rejected-20091122-isr0.html

26th November 2009.
"CSIRO scientist faces punishment." 9 News Crystal Ja
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/976536/csiro-scientist-faces-punishment

3rd December 2009.
"Clive Spash resigns from CSIRO after climate report 'censorship'." News.com.au
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/clive-spash-resigns-from-csiro-after-climate-report-censorship/story-e6frfku0-1225806539742

3rd December 2009.
"Gagged CSIRO scientist resigns; calls for inquiry" WA Today, Australian Associated Press
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/gagged-csiro-scientist-resigns-calls-for-inquiry-20091203-k7py.html

3rd December 2009.
"Scientist quits over ETS 'censorship'." ABC News, Nonee Walsh
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/03/2761141.htm

4th December 2009.
Scientist quits CSIRO amid censorship claims The Sydney Morning Herald, Dan Harrison
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/scientist-quits-csiro-amid-censorship-claims-20091203-k8vb.html

4th December 2009.
"Researcher quits over science agency interference. Australian research funding body under fire for ordering major changes to a peer-reviewed paper." Nature, Stephen Pincock
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091204/full/news.2009.1126.html

14th December 2009.
"Censored CSIRO carbon trading paper - compulsory reading for climate movement." Critical Times, Chris Breen
http://www.criticaltimes.com.au/news/censored-csiro-carbon-trading-paper-compulsory-reading-for-climate-movement/

5th February 2010
Rømde frå klimapolitisk sensur. Dag og Tid, Astrid S. Dypvik.
Dag_og_tid_Norway_Feb_2010 (PDF in Norwegian)

11th February 2010
CSIRO 'in denial' over policy debate. Herald Sun, AAP.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/csiro-in-denial-over-policy-debate/story-e6frf7kf-1225829195671

3rd March 2010
Senator 'abused' review process. The Australian, Bernard Lane.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/senator-abused-review-process/story-e6frgcjx-1225836260242

10th March 2010
Sorry Senator Carr, no award for you. Herald Sun. Olga Galacho.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/sorry-senator-carr-no-award-for-you/story-e6frfihx-1225839438373

2nd July, 2010
"A poor climate for debate at CSIRO" The Age, Paddy Manning
http://www.theage.com.au/business/a-poor-climate-for-debate-at-csiro-20100702-zu86.html

3rd July, 2010
"CSIRO in bed with big coal" The Sydney Morning Herald, Paddy Manning
http://www.smh.com.au/business/csiro-in-bed-with-big-coal-20100702-zu2i.html

RADIO

5th November 2009. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
CSIRO embroiled in censorship claims. Shane McLeod for AM.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2733825.htm

5th November 2009. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
CSIRO stance not censorship: Minister. Shane McLeod for The World Today.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2734542.htm?site=news

24th February 2010. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Dumped Professor calls for Senate inquiry. Colvin for PM
Broadcast Interview
Extended Interview
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2829301.htm

26th February 2010. Radio 4BC Brisbane.
Michael Smith for 4BC 1116 Drive.
Introduction
Interview

3rd March 2010. Radio 2GB Sydney.
Jason Morrison. CSIRO scientist resigns for Climate Change censorship.
Interview

9th March 2010. Student Youth Network, Melbourne.
Paul Serratore for Panorama
Interview Courtesy Panorama, SYN (90.7 FM), Melbourne

Australian Senate

19th November 2009.
Official Hansard
12.35 Senator Fisher, Liberal Party of Australia, South Australia, speech excerpt. (PDF)

25th November 2009.
Official Hansard
15.40 Senator Milne, Australian Greens, Tasmania, notice. (PDF)

25th November 2009 Senate Debate.
Official Hansard
Matters of Public Importance: The Rudd government's censorship of the Commonwealth Scientific Research Organisation
16.59 Senator Abetz, Liberal Party of Australia, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, speech. (PDF)
17.09 Senator Hurley, Australian Labour Party, South Australia, speech. (PDF)
17.24 Senator Milne, Australian Greens, Tasmania, speech. (PDF)
17.34 Senator Joyce, Leader of the Nationals in the Senate, Queensland, speech. (PDF)
17.42 Senator Forshaw, Australian Labour Party, New South Wales, speech. (PDF)
17.52 Senator Ian MacDonald, Liberal Party of Australia, Queensland, speech (PDF).

26th November 2009 Senate Order.
Official Hansard
The Brave New World of Carbon Trading
10.44 Senator Milne, Australian Greens, Tasmania, order. (PDF)
10.44 Senator Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Australian Labour Party, Victoria, opposition to order. (PDF)
10.46 Senator Milne, Australian Greens, Tasmania, supporting order. (PDF)
Order Passed
15.40 Senator Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Australian Labour Party, Victoria, return to order. (PDF)

Senate Estimates Committee

Senate. Economics Legislation Committee Estimates. (Additional Estimates).
Wednesday, 10 February, 2010. Canberra.
Question and answer sessions involving Dr Megan Clark and Andrew Johnson (CSIRO) and Senator Kim Carr. (PDF)

4th March 2010.
Senator Sophie Mirabella, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. (PDF)
Senator Carr heavies CSIRO for political outcomes.

Last modified 12-Jul-2010 11:15:42.
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