美国自由市场智库——哈特兰研究所（the Heartland Institute，位于美国芝加哥）将于2008年3月2日至4日在纽约曼哈顿时代广场的万豪纽约侯爵酒店主办“气候变化2008年度国际会议”，九鼎公共事务研究所是此次国际大会的友情赞助者之一。届时来自世界各地的科学界、经济学家以及公共政策专家云集纽约，讨论已引起广泛争议的科学界所谓的“共识”，会议的主题是：现代气候变暖主要是人为造成的，而且是一个危机。

　　Global Warming: Crisis or Scam?

　　The debate over whether human activity is responsible for some or all of the modern warming, and then what to do if our presence on Earth is indeed affecting the global climate, has enormous consequences for everyone in virtually all parts of the globe. Proposals to drive down human greenhouse gas emissions by raising energy costs or imposing draconian caps could dramatically affect the quality of life of people in developed countries, and, due to globalization, the lives of people in less-developed countries too.

　　The global warming debate that the public and policymakers usually see is one-sided, dominated by government scientists and government organizations agenda-driven to find data that suggest a human impact on climate and to call for immediate government action, if only to fund their own continued research, but often to achieve political agendas entirely unrelated to the science of climate change. There is another side, but in recent years it has been denied a platform from which to speak.

　　The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change promises to be an exciting event and the point of departure for future conferences, publications, and educational campaigns to present both sides of this important topic.

　　Conference Goals

　　The goals of the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change are:

　　to bring together the world’s leading scientists, economists, and policy experts to explain the often-neglected “other side” of the climate change debate;

　　to sponsor presentations and papers that make genuine contributions to the global debate over climate change;

　　to share the results of the conference with policymakers, civic and business leaders, and the interested public as an antidote to the one-sided and alarmist bias that pervades much of the current public policy debate; and

　　to set the groundwork for future conferences and publications that can turn the debate toward sound science and economics, and away from hype and political manipulation.

　　Attendance

　　Attendance is limited to 500 people. Registration will be closed when that total is reached. Approximately 100 scientists, economists, and policy experts will participate as speakers and panelists. Admission is open to the public, but the following people are specifically urged to attend:

　　scientists, economists, and policy experts whose work has focused on some dimension of climate change, particularly challenging popular misconceptions about the causes, extent, and consequences of the modern warming

　　elected officials from all countries and at all levels of government who are grappling with legislative proposals being put forward in the name of “stopping global warming”

　　civic and business leaders, including the leaders of Chambers of Commerce, manufacturers associations, trade associations, foundations, and charities that have a voice or seek a voice in the current debate over climate change policies

　　publishers, editors, journalists, and free-lance writers who set editorial policy or write regularly on the debate over climate change science, economics, or politics.

　　Discounts for registration are available for journalists and students to encourage their attendance. Free admission and travel and hotel scholarships are available to elected officials, scientists, economists, and policy experts who are recommended by sponsors and track chairmen.

　　Please direct inquiries to James M. Taylor at taylor@heartland.org. Elected officials interested in attending should contact Trevor Martin, director of government relations for The Heartland Institute, at tmartin@heartland.org.

　　After the Conference

　　The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change is the first major international conference questioning global warming alarmism, but it will not be the last one. This event is intended to be a catalyst for future meetings, collaboration among scientists, economists, and policy experts, new research, and new publications.

　　The proceedings will be transcribed, edited, and published as a major contribution to the debate over global warming. Other possible follow-up activities now being discussed include:

　　an event in London in 2009;

　　launch of a new journal devoted to climate change;

　　launch of an association of philanthropists willing to support further research and public education opposing global warming alarmism;

　　support for an International Climate Science Coalition that will act as an alternative voice to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and

　　expanded cooperation among the scores of organizations currently sponsoring research, publications, and events on the dubious claims in support of the theory of man-made catastrophic global warming.

　　Other sections of this Web site provide information about the conference’s background, program, registration, and sponsorship opportunities. The primary contact: is James M. Taylor, senior fellow of The Heartland Institute, taylor@heartland.org.

详情请见会议网址：http://www.heartland.org/NewYork08/newyork08.cfm