Web Site critique:Global Climate Coalition http://www.globalclimate.org

My evaluation of this website, using the criteria from:
Critical Thinking and the Internet: Opportunities for the Social Studies Classroom, by James Shiveley and Philip Vanfossen, obtained through the Ebsco Search.

1. Authorship/Source- The Global Climate Coalition is an organization of trade associations established in 1989 to coordinate business participation in the international policy debate on the issue of global climate change and global warming. No list of businesses or individuals appears anywhere on the website. The site states that the coalition has been deactivated because Pres. Bush has come up with a climate change policy to reduce gashouse emissions (which for years this coalition has refuted!). It is not known who set up the website or how information was obtained. Many sections are only quotes, about which seemingly knowledgeable people make their arguments.

2. Validity of material – the purpose of this site is to support the theory that climate change is not a threat to the American way of life. It also refutes the principles of the Kyoto Protocol, stating that the requirements are too stringent for the US and that the US is being unfairly targeted when larger, underdeveloped countries are not expected to participate. Within this site, only one side of the argument is provided in a scientific manner. The other side is mentioned only in terms of being wrong, with no logic, with spreading fear among the people, and with supporting “other” interests.

3. Objectivity/Bias – The material is very biased, and shows the influence of the business community. The GCC seems to have conducted many of their own experiments to support their position that there is not a threat from global warming and that the policies of the Kyoto Protocol are detrimental to the economy of the US. There is an email address to contact this group. There are 20 organization links, 2 publications links, and 3 document links that go to related sites. Most are biased towards the philosophy of this website, but a few are factual, such as the pdf document on the Kyoto Protocol. Many of the links are to business websites, such as petroleum sites, with a vested interest in down playing global warming.

4. Bibliography/Reference Links – all information comes from stated sources, but many are the works of the GCC itself, with its own agenda and core of scientists.

5. Currency – the copyright for this site is 2001, and there is a current date at the top of the homepage. It does not say when it was last updated. There is a statement on the homepage stating that the coalition has been deactivated, but the site is still active.

6. Quality of Writing – the site is very professional looking, with well-written text, attractive images and good organization. It is also very easy to navigate.