IPCC cites boot cleaning guide for Antarctica tour operators

[ismaele00]

No that headline is not a joke. The IPCC cited a guide for Antarctica tour operators on decontaminating boots and clothing. Here it is.
The reference is in the Fourth Assessment Report, Working Group II, section 15.7.2 Economic activity and sustainability in the Antarctic. The claim is:

"The multiple stresses of climate change and increasing human activity on the Antarctic Peninsula represent a clear vulnerability (see Section 15.6.3), and have necessitated the implementation of stringent clothing decontamination guidelines for tourist landings on the Antarctic Peninsula (IAATO, 2005)."
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This is referenced as:

IAATO, 2005: Update on boot and clothing decontamination guidelines and the introduction and detection of diseases in Antarctic wildlife: IAATO’s perspective. Paper submitted by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) XXVIII. IAATO, 10 pp. International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators: Information Papers.
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So the IPCC cites a boot and clothing cleaning guide as evidence that the "multiple stresses of climate change...have necessitated the implementation of stringent clothing decontamination guidelines". That might be laughable in and of itself, but the problem is the article doesn't even mention climate change. Once. Nothing at all about global warming, or temperature increase. Nothing!
I can't think of a citation any more pathetic. Read the report, and tell me if you can find anything. This is definitely going on the list of the IPCC's questionable citations.

The news that the IPCC cited a master's student's dissertation caused quite a stir. However, this citation wasn't alone in the IPCC's AR4. There are nine citations of Master's theses altogether, and two of those weren't even published. There were also thirty-one PHD theses or dissertations, one of which was unpublished, and three of which are from the University of East Anglia. The Masters citations have been added to the IPCC's questionable citations list. Here is the list below: Working Group I:

Crooks, S., 2004: Solar Influence On Climate. PhD Thesis, University of Oxford.
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Foster, S.S., 2004: Reconstruction of Solar Irradiance Variations for use in Studies of Global Climate Change: Application of Recent SOHO Observations with Historic Data from the Greenwich Observatory. PhD Thesis, University of Southampton, Faculty of Science, Southampton, 231 p.
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Oram, D.E., 1999: Trends of Long-Lived Anthropogenic Halocarbons in the Southern Hemisphere and Model Calculations of Global Emissions. PhD Thesis, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, 249 pp.
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Eyer, M., 2004: Highly Resolved δ13C Measurements on CO2 in Air from Antarctic Ice Cores. PhD Thesis, University of Bern, 113 pp.
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Foster, S., 2004: Reconstruction of Solar Irradiance Variations for Use in Studies of Global Climate Change: Application of Recent SOHO Observations with Historic Data from the Greenwich Observatory. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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Driesschaert, E., 2005: Climate Change over the Next Millennia Using LOVECLIM, a New Earth System Model Including Polar Ice Sheets. PhD Thesis, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 214 pp, http://edoc.bib.ucl.ac.be:81/ETD-db/collection/available/BelnUcetd-10172005-185914/
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Harder, M., 1996: Dynamik, Rauhigkeit und Alter des Meereises in der Arktis. PhD Thesis, Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany, 124 pp
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Jiang, Y.D., 2005: The Northward Shift of Climatic Belts in China during the Last 50 Years, and the Possible Future Changes. PhD Thesis, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, China Academy of Science, Beijing, 137 pp.
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Somot, S., 2005: Modélisation Climatique du Bassin Méditerranéen: Variabilité et Scénarios de Changement Climatique. PhD Thesis, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France, 333 pp.
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Vérant, S., 2004: Etude des Dépressions sur l’Europe de l’Ouest : Climat Actuel et Changement Climatique. PhD thesis
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Working Group II:

Master's:

Shibru, M., 2001: Pastoralism and cattle marketing: a case study of the Borana of southern Ethiopia, Unpublished Masters Thesis, Egerton University.
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Wahab, H.M., 2005: The impact of geographical information system on environmental development, unpublished MSc Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 148 pp.
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Gray, K.N., 1999: The impacts of drought on Yakima Valley irrigated agriculture and Seattle municipal and industrial water supply. Masters Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 102 pp.
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Schwörer, D.A., 1997: Bergführer und Klimaänderung: eine Untersuchung im Berninagebiet über mögliche Auswirkungen einer Klimaänderung auf den Bergführerberuf (Mountain guides and climate change: an inquiry into possible effects of climatic change on the mountain guide trade in the Bernina region, Switzerland). Diplomarbeit der philosophisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Bern.
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PHD:

Tulu, A.N., 1996: Determinants of malaria transmission in the highlands of Ethiopia: the impact of global warming on morbidity and mortality ascribed to malaria. PhD thesis, University of London, London, 301 pp.
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Dessai, S., 2005: Robust adaptation decisions amid climate change uncertainties. PhD thesis, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, 281 pp.
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Kaspar, F., 2003: Entwicklung und Unsicherheitsanalyse eines globalen hydrologischen Modells (Development and uncertainty analysis of a global hydrological model). PhD dissertation, University of Kassel, Germany, 139 pp.
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Otter, H.S., 2000: Complex Adaptive Land Use Systems: An Interdisciplinary Approach with Agent-based Models. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands, 245 pp.
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Livermore, M.T.J., 2005: The potential impacts of climate change in Europe: the role of extreme temperature. Phd Thesis, University of East Anglia, 436pp.
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Anderson, B., 2004: The response of Ko Roimate o Hine Hukatere Franz Josef Glacier to climate change. PhD thesis, University of Canterbury, Christchurch.
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Livermore, M.T.J., 2005: The Potential Impacts of Climate Change in Europe: The Role of Extreme Temperatures. Ph.D. thesis, University of East Anglia, UK.
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Klein Tank, A.M.G., 2004. Changing Temperature and Precipitation Extremes in Europe’s Climate of the 20th Century. PhD dissertation, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, 124 pp.
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Winkels, A. 2004: Migratory livelihoods in Vietnam: vulnerability and the role of migrant livelihoods. PhD Thesis, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, 239 pp.
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Working Group III:

Master's:

Bohm, M.C., 2006: Capture-ready power plants - Options, technologies and economics, MSc Thesis, MIT. , accessed 05/06/07.
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Duncan, A., 2005: Solar building developments. Master Applied Science thesis, Massey University Library, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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Sekar, R.S., 2005: Carbon dioxide capture from coal-fired power plants: a real options analysis. MSc Thesis, MIT. accessed 02/07/07.
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Banda, A., 2002: Electricity production from sugar industries in Africa: A case study of South Africa. M.Sc thesis, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
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Kaartinen, T., 2004: Sustainable disposal of residual fractions of MSW to future landfills. M.S. Thesis, Technical University of Helsinki, Espoo, Finland. In Finnish.
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PHD:

Kriegler, E., 2005: Imprecise probability analysis for integrated assessment of climate change. PhD Thesis University of Potsdam, Germany.
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Barreto, L., 2001: Technological learning in energy optimisation models and deployment of emerging technologies. PhD thesis, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Broek, R. van den, 2000: Sustainability of biomass electricity systems - An assessment of costs, macro-economic and environmental impacts in Nicaragua, Ireland and the Netherlands. PhD Thesis, Utrecht University, 215 pp.
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Bain, 2005: An analysis of energy consumption in Bangladesh. PhD. Thesis. Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.
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De Beer, J.G., 1998: Potential for industrial energy-efficiency improvement in the long term. PhD Dissertation, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Hoogwijk, M., 2004: On the Global and Regional Potential of Renewable Energy Sources. PhD Thesis, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, March 12, 2004. 256 pp.
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Sleutel, S., 2005: Carbon Sequestration in Cropland Soils: Recent Evolution and Potential of Alternative Management Options. PhD. thesis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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Benitez-Ponce, P.C. 2005: Essays on the economics of forestry based carbon mitigation. PhD Thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
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Beck-Friis, B.G. 2001: Emissions of ammonia, N2O, and CH4 during composting of organic household waste. PhD Thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 331 pp.
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Borjesson, G., 1996: Methane oxidation in landfill cover soils. Doctoral Thesis, Dept. of Microbiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Huber-Humer, M., 2004: Abatement of landfill methane emissions by microbial oxidation in biocovers made of compost. PhD Thesis, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, 279 pp.
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Morris, J.R., 2001: Effects of waste composition on landfill processes under semi-arid conditions. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, S. Africa. 1052 pp.
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wtf??