University College Isle of Man (UCM) and Manx Radio have falsely claimed that a “Nobel Peace Prize winner” will be speaking at a research festival taking place in Douglas, Isle of Man, on 13 October 2023. Both UCM and Manx Radio have wrongly described Dr Douglas Fox as a “Nobel Peace Prize Winner.”
The Facts
UCM has claimed that the keynote address at the festival will be delivered by “Dr Douglas Fox, Climate Change Scientist and Nobel Peace Prize Winner“. Material published by the Isle of Man Government under the ‘NetZero’ brand name has made similar false claims.
Manx Radio appears to have been duped by the IOM Government’s misinformation here, publishing a headline which falsely claims “Nobel Peace Prize winner to address research festival”. The body of Manx Radio’s article also makes the same false claim, wrongly describing Dr Fox as “Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Douglas Fox.”
A press statement from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) corrected the record:
The prize was awarded to the IPCC as an organization and not to any individual associated with the IPCC. Thus it is incorrect to refer to any IPCC official, or scientist who worked on IPCC reports, as a Nobel laureate or Nobel Prize winner.
IPCC Statement: Statement about the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
Comment & Analysis
Accuracy in research is very important and the false claims being made by the organisers of the Isle of Man’s “Research Festival” directly undermines the credibility of associated research. Further, taxpayer-funded operations have a duty to operate in an honesty and truthful manner. Making false claims and spreading misinformation is a breach of their duty of trust to the public.
Scientific research relies upon accuracy, and correcting mistakes when they are made. UCM and Manx Radio should correct the record and stop making false claims.
20 September 2023 Update: Corrected a typo error in the opening sentence where the word ‘that’ was repeated in error.
