Joe Barton Michael Burgess Ask GAO to Review Quality Control at UN Global Warming Panel

WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Michael Burgess, R-Texas, ranking member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, today asked the Government Accountability Office to review the U.S. funding for, and the scientific integrity and reliability of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s assessments.

“Congress needs reliable scientific assessments as it considers sweeping climate change legislation intended to limit greenhouse gas emissions and address global warming concerns,” the lawmakers wrote to Acting Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. “While the IPCC plays an important role in informing policy discussions around the world, some have recently questioned the reliability of the IPCC’s findings. … Various reports have identified problems concerning the IPCC’s quality-control procedures, peer review, accessibility of data, and political influence on the assessment writing process, raising questions about the integrity of the IPCC’s assessments and conclusions.”

The lawmakers asked GAO to address the following questions:

1. How much financial support has the United States government provided to the IPCC over the past 10 years?

2. To what extent are internal controls and oversight mechanisms at the U.S. Department of State and the IPCC sufficient to ensure that U.S. contributions are spent according to the terms of their contributions?

3. To what extent do the United States Government and the IPCC’s quality assurance processes ensure the scientific integrity and reliability of the IPCC’s assessment reports?

The letter in PDF format.

Press Release May 5, 2010 Joe Barton's Web Site 2322A Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515 | (202) 225-3641