Here’s my issue. As a scientist, when there is the slightest notion that a conflict of interest is in play, it MUST be disclosed when publishing or speaking. Any such impropriety must be disclosed by the scientist as it relates to their work. I’ve had to do this because I lab I interned in works closely with a company and will be releasing a patent together… therefore, on my publication, it fully discloses the conflict of interest between the company and the University.

Since Ivar is unpaid, I do not think that he would need disclose information at scientific talks related to climate change… but then again, he himself doesn’t give these sorts of presentations, publish papers on climate change, etc. (please correct me if I’m wrong).

So, the real nitty gritty here is whether or Ivar is speaking as a talking head for the company, or as a scientist making claims about something and having the data to produce and denounce other such claims. If it is the first, the conflict of interest is a mute point. Sure, he’s a Nobel Laureate, so he’s a great scientist, but people respect him for the work he has done in physics. If it is the second, and Ivar were actually deny claims in the scientific community about AGW with actual data, and he had all this funding from wherever, he would have to disclose that as I mentioned in the first paragraph. I don’t see that outcome happening anytime soon, though.