date: Thu Jul 26 19:57:33 2001 from: Mike Hulme subject: Re: Quaker conference on climate change to: "Pat Saunders" Dear Pat, Much as I would like to do this - it sounds an intriguing event - I am really overcommitted with talks and invitations for talks and I am really only accepting such invitations more than 6 months ahead. Might I suggest you try asking Dr Jonathan Gregory at the Hadley Centre? Email: He is a Christian and would talk authoritatively about the state of climate science from the sort of standpoint you are wanting. You could mention that I recommended him. Sorry not to be of more help on this occasion. Mike At 10:23 17/07/01 +0100, you wrote: Dear Dr Hulme I am organising a day conference on the science and politics of climate change on November 24 at Friends House, Euston Road, London. I hope to have two keynote speakers. One on the climate science. The other on the politics. I am wondering if you would be free on the day and willing to be the speaker on the science. Dr Saleemul Huq has agreed to do the second slot, focussing on the negotiating process and equity considerations. I know Saleem, since I do work at SOAS on the historical geography of the Bengal Delta (with Bob Bradnock). Bob and I are in the process of preparing a paper for 'Progress in Physical Geography, which is sceptical about much of the published literature on sea level rise and Bangladesh. Many Quakers are involved in the issues in their personal lives, some professionally, many as campaigners. Our office in Geneva has also been working with developing country delegations to prep com and other meetings. We are under pressure to make public considering more corporate work and are initiating a process of determining what that work should be. We are hoping to use the day as a stage in this process. The afternoon will be spent looking at what we are already doing and exploring possibilities for new corporate work. Friends have 5 historic testimonies of which 'truth' is one, interpreted these days to be truth in the popular meaning of not telling falsehoods, exaggerating, misleading, etc (though it was once Truth 'with a capital T' and meant Gospel Truth) Thus we are interested in a discussion of the science which would enable us to evaluate the uncertainties associated with the IPCC process so that we avoid making statements which are either untrue or oversimplified. We anticipate sending out pre-conference reading material. I expect we need a week long (month long?) course rather than half a morning but we have to start somewhere. Do you think you would be able to assist us with this process on November 24th? Or recommend/ persuade a colleague? I will provide more information if you wish. Yours hopefully, Pat Saunders ---------- Patricia L Saunders Post Horn Books Belle Hill, Giggleswick North Yorkshire BD24 0BA United Kingdom (01729) 823 438 For bookshop use [1]posthornbooks@btinternet.com Search our online stock on [2]http://www.abebooks.com/home/posthorn