The climate denial think tank Heartland Institute created a poster of 58 “experts” who reject the 97% consensus on climate change science. To set the record straight, DeSmogBlog has remixed the poster with more accurate bios of the 58 “experts” so the public can judge whether to believe the fossil-fuel-funded Heartland Institute or the overwhelming scientific consensus.

Global Warming Scientific Consensus

In the last few decades, the climate science community has pieced together an ever clearer picture of the effect of the accumulation of CO 2 in the atmosphere. A scientific consensus emerged that Earth's atmosphere and oceans are warming up, that it is predominantly due to human activities, and that continued warming will lead to severe consequences to humans and large parts of the biosphere.



The warming of Earth's atmosphere and oceans.(Source: Skeptical Science 2012)

Work done by James Powell in 2012 illustrates this point. He reviewed the literature of peer-reviewed climate articles from 1991 to 2012, identifying 13,950 articles concerned with global warming. Of these, only 24 papers were found to reject global warming. Furthermore, these papers were authored by a small group of people, and had very low impact on other authors. If noticed, they were found to be flawed in one way or the other. In 2013, Powell added two more articles to this short list. One is by Russian physicist S.V. Avakyan, who, writing for the “Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, also noted in his article that “The switch of world powers […] to carbon-free energy […] may lead to economic collapse for Russia as a consequence of the reduction […] to sell oil and natural gas on the world market.” The other, by German chemist Heinz Hug, which appeared in the journal “Nachrichten aus der Chemie”, might not even be peer-reviewed, and attributes global warming to cosmic radiation, a claim that has long been debunked.

Additionally, a Skeptical Science survey led by Cook et al. (2013) came to the conclusion that there is a 97% consensus among climate science experts that humans are causing global warming.

Teach the Controversy

Efforts to undermine climate action have been going on for decades, too. For example, the Western Fuels Association conducted a half-million dollar campaign in 1991 designed to ‘reposition global warming as theory (not fact).’

Two interests (often combined) have been dominant: industries that feel threatened by the switch to renewable energy, and free-trade fundamentalists, fearing a slippery slope into total governmental control of the economy. ExxonMobil was for a while the dominant spender on disinformation campaigns. In recent years they have been replaced and topped by other entities. One is Koch Industries, which funded groups denying climate change with more than US$67,000,000 since 1997. Another very important one is DonorsTrust, also named “the dark-money ATM of the Conservative Movement”. It collects funds from donors, and redistributes those funds to organizations promoting a right-wing agenda. DonorsTrust ensures that these donations cannot be traced back to their origins. Between 2002 and 2010, they provided over $90,000,000 in funding to 84 groups that deny the scientific realities of climate change.

The science of climate change has been robust for a while now. Thus, the most effective way to fool the public has been to parade fake experts in front of them, reasonably assuming that a layperson will not be able to see the difference. This has been greatly aided by the willingness of parts of the media to provide a false balance in talk shows, reports and print.

Heartland Institute

During the last decade, the Heartland Institute has established itself at the forefront of climate denial. They already worked with tobacco company Philip Morris in the 1990s, “questioning” the science linking second-hand smoke to health risks. Since 2012, they do not disclose their sources of funding, but received at least US$10,815,644 from DonorsTrust and its partner organization Donors Capital Fund.

Since 2008, the Heartland Institute has been hosting nine “International Climate Change Conferences” (aka “Denial-a-Palooza”), where like-minded visitors can “collect the rhetorical baseball bats with which they will club environmentalists and climate scientists in the weeks and months to come”.

In 2012, Heartland Institute received backlash and withdrawal of funds resulting from a billboard campaign using Unabomber Ted Kaczynski to equate those not believing in a vast climate conspiracy with “murderers, tyrants, and madmen.”

During the run-up to the 2014 COP20 conference in Lima, the Heartland Institute published a poster (left) presenting “58 experts [that] don't believe global warming is a crisis.” This was used by Republican Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee (…) James Inhofe in his most recent “Man-Made Global Warming is a Hoax!” speech on the Senate floor. DeSmogBlog took up the effort to check their credentials, to let you decide for yourself if you would choose to believe them, instead of the climate science community. Click on the right picture to see the new, improved version.

Below is a list of all 58 Heartland “experts”, listing their affiliations, and providing links to sources and rebuttals.

Disclaimer

Peer-reviewed data are mostly estimates from 2011. If you find any inaccuracies, please report them, and we will correct them as soon as possible.

The Heartland 58 “Experts”

Space researcher, thinks because “Mars is also warming”, global warming on Earth is exclusively due to solar irradiance. Colleagues stated that his idea “doesn't make physical sense”.

Member of physics-denying group “Principia Scientific International” (but allegedly “resigned” in 2013).

Published with the anonymously funded, anti-climate publishing outlet Science and Public Policy Institute. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Industrial Engineer, Ph.D. in Management. Does work on forecasting, and holds the opinion that experts are no better at forecasting than unaided college students.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 1

DeSmogBlog: Scott Armstrong Background and Sources:

A lung specialist from West Virginia. Before anti-climate, he was anti-anti-tobacco: “influential anti-tobacco activists, including prominent academics […] have unethically attacked the research of eminent scientists in order to further their ideological and political agendas.”

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Fact checks:

Free-enterprise anti-environmentalist. Author of “Freezing in the Dark: Money, Power, Politics and The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy”.

Executive Vice-President of “Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise”. Among the advisors are Paul Driessen and Marita Noon. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Tom Paine: Terrorist Tree Huggers Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Studied agricultural economics. Supporter of biotechnology, pesticides, irradiation, factory farming and free trade. Thinks Earth is cooling.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Former geography professor, former chairman of physics-denying fringe group “Principia Scientific International”, which is even shunned by some other “experts” on this list (such as Spencer, Monckton and Watts). Has been caught ballooning his credentials.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 2

Professor of Geography, did some climatology. Received ExxonMobil & OPEC funding. Says that “elevated atmospheric CO 2 will produce biological miracles all over the world.” In 2012 received US $1,000 per month from the Heartland Institute.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 9

Skeptical Science: CO 2 is plant food Fact checks:

Weather forecaster. Said that CO 2 cannot cause global warming because it’s heavier than air. Throws around thermodynamics memes he does not understand. According to Bastardi, human-induced climate change “contradicts what we call the 1st law of thermodynamics. Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. So to look for input of energy into the atmosphere, you have to come from a foreign source.”

Member of physics-denying group “Principia Scientific International”.

Senior Advisor to fossil fuel funded “American Tradition Institute”. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Ph.D. in Scottish History, Evangelical fundamentalist. Thinks God will not allow for catastrophic global warming to happen.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: E. Calvin Beisner Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Professor of architecture. Doesn’t understand the basics of CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere. Doubts that CO 2 concentration actually rose from pre-industrial times, based on late biology teacher Ernst-Georg Beck's fact-shredding works.

Speaker at 2011 Tea Party event. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

English journalist. Also doubts link between second-hand smoke and cancer. Think asbestos is not a health issue.

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Christopher Booker Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Ph.D. in political economy, worked for Enron . Says the world will never run out of fossil fuels, and that global warming will be beneficial.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Skeptical Science: Positives and negatives of global warming Fact checks:

NZ Minister (Science, Technology, Energy). His group NZCSC accused NIWA of manipulating climate data to exaggerate the global warming trend in New Zealand. But NZCSC lost its High Court challenge and was lambasted by the judge . Barrister and solicitor, formerMinister (Science, Technology, Energy). His group

Chairman of “New Zealand Climate Science Coalition”, which received funding from the Heartland Institute.

Former president/chairman/director of various power companies. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Fact checks:

Former geology professor at James Cook University in Queensland. In 2012 received US $1,667 per month from Heartland Institute, without voluntary public disclosure. Active in many other lobby groups.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 1

Skeptical Science: Climate Misinformer: Bob Carter Fact checks:

National Party Federal MP . Thinks Heartland Institute reports come from “real climate scientists”, as opposed to, well, real climate scientists. Close ties to Robert Carter.

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Australian MP George Christensen Heading To Las Vegas For Heartland Institute Climate Denial Conference Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Weather forecaster, degree in journalism. Gives antics such as “Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas. How could that be? Isn't CO 2 the natural gas that we breath out? Isn't it the gas that plants need to grow? Hasn't CO 2 always been in the atmosphere? Isn't it just a trace gas that is only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere? Yes to all of those questions.”

Member of anti-climate website ICECAP . Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: John Coleman Background and Sources:

Skeptical Science: Weather Channel co-founder John Coleman prefers conspiracies to climate science Fact checks:

Former astronaut. Doesn’t understand the very basics of how water vapor feedback works. Cites the Oregon Petition as evidence that there is no global warming. Said “The reality is that atmospheric CO 2 has a minimal impact on greenhouse gases and world temperature. Water vapor is responsible for 95 percent of the greenhouse effect. CO 2 contributes just 3.6 percent, with human activity responsible for only 3.2 percent of that. That is why some studies claim CO 2 levels are largely irrelevant to global warming.”

Policy Advisor to Heartland Institute. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Walter Cunningham Background and Sources:

Journalist, degree in English Literature. Author of “Watermelons: How the Environmentalists are Killing the Planet, Destroying the Economy and Stealing Your Children's Future”. Said “It is not my job to sit down and read peer-reviewed papers because I simply haven't got the time […] I am an interpreter of interpretations.” and “I feel a bit of an imposter talking about the science. I'm not a scientist, you may be aware. I read English Literature.”

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: James Delingpole Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

BA in geology. Author of “Eco-Imperialism: Green Power Black Death”. Says closing coal plants would not give any benefits, at huge costs to society.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Former geology professor. Predicts global cooling. Unfazed by repeated pointing out that his data contains gross errors.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 1

M.Sc. in Political Theory. Long-time recipient of Exxon money, in 2004 earned US $82,000 as Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Director of Global Warming.

Former Policy Director of Frontiers of Freedom, funded by fossil fuel and tobacco money.

Director of Global Warming (2004 salary: US $82,000) at conservative think tank Competitive Enterprise Institute, funded by a variety of big corporations.

$82,000) at conservative think tank Competitive Enterprise Institute, funded by a variety of big corporations. Chair of free-market group anti-climate “Cooler Heads Foundation”, closely linked to CEI . Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Myron Ebell Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Involved in various pro-market think tanks. In 2012, received US $1,000 per month from Heartland Institute. Promotes DDT .

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: How is climate change affecting the advance of spring? Fact checks:

Ph.D. in welding technology. Thinks there is not enough CO 2 in the atmosphere, because 100 ppm more would make plants thrive.

“Climate Analyst” for Heartland Institute. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: CO 2 is plant food Fact checks:

Meteorologist, working on hurricanes. Thinks Arctic sea ice is increasing.

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: Has Arctic sea ice returned to normal? Fact checks:

M.Sc. Electrical Engineering. Believes “global warming is natural and cars are innocent”. Author of “The Mad, Mad, Mad World of Climatism”, distributed by the Heartland Institute. Contributes to conservative websites such as “Big Government”.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Steve Goreham Background and Sources:

Skeptical Science: The human fingerprint in global warming Fact checks:

B.Eng. (thermofluids). Former lobbyist. Has been shown to cherry-pick his data in order to gain results he likes. Nevertheless, Carlton University let him deliver a climate change course, which was ripped to pieces by the Committee for the Advancement of Scientific Skepticism ( CASS ).

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Tom Harris Background and Sources:

Skeptical Science: Tom Harris' Carleton University Climate Misinformation Class Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Physics (ionic & atomic collisions). Has predicted cooling. Assumes the recent warming is nothing out of the ordinary.

Former Allied Expert of defunct “Natural Resources Stewardship Project”, a Canadian anti-climate group. Former chairman Tim Ball.

Member, Board of Academic and Scientific Advisors, CFACT . Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Howard Hayden Background and Sources:

M.A. in Mathematics. Doesn’t understand how CO 2 can drive warming, with warming at the same time driving CO 2 release.

CFACT .

. Has been speaking at ALEC events. ALEC has been described as a “corporate bill mill”. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Roger Helmer Background and Sources:

Ph.D. in Geography. In 2012, received US $11,600 per month from Heartland Institute. Worked for Peabody Energy, “the world’s largest private-sector coal company”. States that elevated CO 2 -levels are “a boon for the biosphere”.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 3

Ph.D. Geography / Climatology. Meteorology instructor. Says he did “some climate modeling when I was young and less wise”. Cherry-picks cooling out of global temperature data.

Wrote for “Cato Institute”, which receives funds from tobacco and fossil fuel companies.

Conference speaker at Doctors for Disaster Preparedness, which is in the business of promoting doubt about “Ozone hole, Global warming, and other Environmental Scares”. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: CO 2 is plant food Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Meteorology, retired Environment Canada scientist. In 2012 received US $1,000 per month from Heartland Institute. Says “There is no correlation between CO 2 and temperature at all.”

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Retired meteorologist. Now runs the “Climate Research Institute” from his home.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 1

Ph.D. in Economics. Senior Policy Analyst for the conservative / free-trade think tank The Heritage Foundation.

Senior Fellow, Policy Analyst for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative, free-trade think tank that receives funding from oil giants.

Former economist at Washington-based public affairs firm, Berman and Company. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Former President of the Czech Republic. Economist and free-trade fundamentalist. Said “the climate change debate is basically not about science; it is about ideology.”

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Vaclav Klaus Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Climatology. Has done a study funded by Koch Industries, was asked to step down as State Climatologist, presumably because of ties to Willie Soon.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 3

Economist, may have expertise in groundwater hydrology. Science director of the Heartland Institute, which received almost US $800,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998. Also big on “smoker’s rights”, thanks to US $190,000 from Philip Morris.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Jay Lehr Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Government. Senior Fellow at Competitive Enterprise Institute, which also defends mountaintop removal mining.

Senior Fellow (2004 salary: US $100,000) at conservative think tank Competitive Enterprise Institute, funded by a variety of big corporations.

$100,000) at conservative think tank Competitive Enterprise Institute, funded by a variety of big corporations. Environmental Task Force at free-trade think tank National Center for Policy Analysis, which received funding from ExxonMobil and other fossil fuel interests.

Chair of free-trade group anti-climate “Cooler Heads Foundation”, closely linked to CEI . Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Fact checks:

MIT professor emeritus of Meteorology. Committed to low 2xCO2 climate sensitivity with neglible impacts 25 years ago and never changed his mind, likewise on secondhand smoke. Charged US $2,500 per day for consulting for fossil energy companies.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 8

Skeptical Science: Climate Misinformer: Richard Lindzen Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Mathematical Ecology. Attributes about 40% of recent warming to human activity. Only received US $125 per month from the Heartland Institute in 2012.

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Craig Loehle Background and Sources:

Skeptical Science: Loehle and Scafetta find a 60 year cycle causing global warming Fact checks:

Professor of Atmospheric Science. In 2012 received US $750 per month from the Heartland Institute. Says “anyone who denies [that temperature has risen over the past 30 years] isn’t a very good scientist.” Says there is no way to attribute this to human activities.

Member of anti-climate website ICECAP .

. “Expert”, George C. Marshall Institute, which received funding from ExxonMobil. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: The human fingerprint in global warming Fact checks:

Biologist, formerly member of corporate-funded, right-wing free-trade think tank Institute of Public Affairs. Adjunct Research Fellow at Central Queensland University funded by climate sceptic Bryant Macfie 's family foundation.

“Independent Advisor” to Australian anti-climate group “Galileo Movement”, which organized a Monckton Tour at a cost of AU $115,000, and suggests the global warming “movement” has parallels with Hitler and Stalin.

$115,000, and suggests the global warming “movement” has parallels with Hitler and Stalin. Director of Environment Unit, “Institute of Public Affairs”, which received funding from tobacco and fossil fuel companies.

Director, Australian Environment Foundation, a front group of the right-wing, corporate funded think tank Institute of Public Affairs. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: Climate sceptics see a conspiracy in Australia's record breaking heat Fact checks:

Former professor of Environmental Science. Says “40 percent” of his funding comes from the oil industry. Also former member scientist of defunct pro-tobacco organization “The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition”, funded by Philip Morris.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 9

Skeptical Science: Climate Misinformer: Patrick Michaels Fact checks:

Degree in Classics and diploma in journalism. The peacock of climate science denial. Gifted speaker and debater with shoddy “facts”. Likes to threaten lawsuits when cornered. Birther conspirationist and (former?) claimant of a cure for AIDS , Multiple Sclerosis, and the flu.

CFACT .

. Policy Advisor of anti-climate group “International Climate Science Coalition”.

“Independent Advisor” to Australian anti-climate group “Galileo Movement”, which organized a Monckton Tour at a cost of AU $115,000, and suggests the global warming “movement” has parallels with Hitler and Stalin.

$115,000, and suggests the global warming “movement” has parallels with Hitler and Stalin. Affiliated with the anonymously funded, anti-climate publishing outlet Science and Public Policy Institute.

Speaker at anti-climate science, anti-evolution and islamophobic group American Freedom Alliance 2011 conference “Big Footprint: Is Green the New Tyranny”, where he paired a swastika with a quote recommending acceptance of mainstream climate science. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 1

DeSmogBlog: Christopher Monckton Background and Sources:

Ph.D. in Ecology. Not a founding member of Greenpeace, but often claims so, to make his move from environmental activist to nuclear power / mining / logging shill more dramatic.

Nuclear Energy Institute.

Co-chair, Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, funded by the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Past clients of Moor's company Greenspirit Strategies include Asian Pulp & Paper, the Canadian Mining Association, the National Association of Forest Industries (Australia) and others. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Patrick Moore Background and Sources:

Skeptical Science: Unpicking a Gish-Gallop: former Greenpeace figure Patrick Moore on climate change Fact checks:

Heartland Institute Policy Advisor. Wrote “On the contrary, the data don’t support the claims made by climate scientists &emdash; but they just keep making them. Apparently they believe the “big lie” propaganda technique used so effectively by Adolf Hitler.”

Together with Paul Driessen advisor to “Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise”. Ron Arnold is Executive Vice-President. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Marita Noon: Climate Change: A Serious Threat to Science Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

B.Sc. in Microbiology. Published the often-debunked “Skeptics Handbook”. Cooperates with “rocket scientist” climate denier David Evans (her husband), of “Force X” fame.

Supporter of “Institute of Public Affairs”, which received funding from tobacco and fossil fuel companies.

Published with the anonymously funded, anti-climate publishing outlet Science and Public Policy Institute. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

Skeptical Science: How Jo Nova doesn't get past climate change Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Geology. Former professor of Mining Geology. Director of Queensland Coal Investments and other mining and energy related companies. Published the “anti-warmist manual” “How to Get Expelled From School”, which numerous sources found to be scientifically inaccurate, containing flawed diagrams, and sloppily edited.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: Climate Misinformer: Ian Plimer Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Geology. Another former astronaut! Also associated with doubting the link between air pollution and asthma, and the impacts of mercury pollution. Called climate change “a stalking horse for National Socialism” as a speaker at a Heartland climate denial conference.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: Schmitt and Happer manufacture doubt Fact checks:

Former space scientist. The doyen of science denial. He has been on the wrong side of science for decades: formerly tobacco and ozone, acid rain, DDT and asbestos, now climate. Has been receiving US $5,000 per month from the Heartland Institute in 2012. Lied to IRS by claiming Fred Seitz as SEPP chairman after his death. Has done consulting work for major fossil fuel companies including Texaco, Arco, Shell, Sun, Inocal, the Electric Power Institute, Florida Power and the American Gas Association.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: Climate Misinformer: Fred Singer Fact checks:

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering. Astronomer since 1992. Every grant he received at least between 2002 and 2013 has been from oil or coal interests. Published a deeply flawed paper on climate in 2003, leading to the resignation of several editors.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 10

One of the few real climate scientists on this list. Also Christian / free-trade fundamentalist and creationist. Said “I view my job a little like a legislator, supported by the taxpayer, to protect the interests of the taxpayer and to minimize the role of government.”

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 1

Skeptical Science: Climate Misinformer: Roy Spencer Fact checks:

TV weatherman. Birther conspirationist. Said “For many decades, communists, socialists and the global elite have tossed a dizzying array of predicaments into American culture; that carbon dioxide emissions generated by mankind are ruining the planet, is their greatest assertion yet.”

Speaker at anti-climate science, anti-evolution and islamophobic group American Freedom Alliance 2011 conference “Big Footprint: Is Green the New Tyranny”. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Brian Sussman Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

M.S. in Meteorology. Claimed to be Oregon State Climatologist, but wasn’t. Supplemented government salary with oil money.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Fact checks:

Lawyer (but “successfully completed Ivy League atmospheric science courses”). Senior Fellow of Heartland Institute, edits their “Environment and Climate News”. Writes a climate science denial column in Forbes. Thinks that more snow means global cooling.

Senior Fellow for Environmental Policy, Heartland Institute. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: James M. Taylor Background and Sources:

Ph.D. in Economics. Says “Scientific questions are above my pay grade […] I'm not in the business of asking whether the earth is warming.”

Policy Expert, Senior Fellow, Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank funded by the Koch brothers

Executive Director at free-trade Beacon Hill Institute.

Past director of the Center for Research and Advertising of the pro-business think tank American Enterprise Institute, funded by the Koch brothers.

Past Policy Expert at Heritage Foundation, a conservative, free-trade think tank that receives funding from oil giants. Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: David G. Tuerck Background and Sources:

Fact checks:

Former director of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Did some work on plant adaptation to climate change in the 1980s.

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Former weatherman, now runs the famously popular climate science denial blog WUWT . Did a huge study to prove temperature measurements are wrong. When the results actually indicated increased warming, he disregarded this. In 2011, Watts received US $88,000 for a project through the Heartland Institute.

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: 0

Skeptical Science: Watts Interview – Denial and Reality Mix like Oil and Water Fact checks:

Majored in Sociology and Political Science, worked as a weather forecaster for the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Published no peer-reviewed science papers on climate science or related topics.

Affiliations:

Peer reviewed studies that cast doubt on global warming: none

DeSmogBlog: Thomas Wysmuller Background and Sources: