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Sustainable Economy > Published by Joss Garman, February 15th 2012 at 10:49 am

Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign

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Leaked documents from inside one of America’s most powerful think tanks have revealed a multi-million dollar systematic disinformation campaign to cast doubt on the science of climate change.

The explosive documents, posted on Desmogblog – a website dedicated to monitoring groups that peddle false claims about climate science –show that some of the wealthiest and most polluting corporations in the world, including General Motors, Bayer, Pfizer, GSK and Microsoft, are helping to fund the Heartland Institute.

One of the leaked memos shows one “anonymous donor” paid the group more than $8.6 million through 2007-11 to promote climate change denial. The billionaire, oil baron Koch brothers are also implicated.

One of the revelations is that the best read climate blog in the world, Watts Up With That, is set to receive $90,000 in 2012 as part of their campaign. The man who runs the blog, Anthony Watts, is frequently quoted in major British media outlets including The Times (£). Two years ago Left Foot Forward revealed how Watts was tweeting links to the British National Party.

Similarly, ‘scientists’ receiving platforms on some of the biggest broadcasters in the world – including the BBC – are being paid monthly retainers to peddle a climate sceptic line. One document says:

“At the moment, this funding goes primarily to Craig Idso ($11,600 per month), Fred Singer ($5,000 per month, plus expenses), Robert Carter ($1,667 per month), and a number of other individuals, but we will consider expanding it, if funding can be found.”

A particularly sinister objective of their campaign is to “dissuading teachers from teaching science” – part of their “global warming curriculum project.” For this a coal industry insider has been hired, at the expense of $100,000 a year, to develop a plan to teach children that climate change is a hoax.

Another document says that Heartland has not yet tried:

“To raise funds from businesses with a financial interest in (shale gas) fracking. In 2012 we intend to correct that oversight.“

The leak will raise new questions about who is funding Lord Lawson’s influential lobby group in the UK, Global Warming Policy Foundation. Lord Lawson has consistently refused to reveal who is funding their campaign.

Left Foot Forward can reveal that David Henderson is both a Fellow of the Heartland Institute and Chair of the Advisory Board of the Global Warming Policy Foundation.

The director of this group, Benny Peiser, as well as Telegraph columnist James Delingpole, have spoken at a major conference of climate deniers organised by the Heartland Institute.

See also:

• Shale gas fantasists and wind sceptics need to get real – Guy Shrubsole, February 14th 2012

• Climate change sceptics and rural romantics – the Tories are a shambles on renewable energy – Kevin Meagher, February 7th 2012

• KPMG abandons anti-wind pro-gas energy report – WillAlex Hern, February 7th 2012

• Durban’s a letdown, Canada’s a dropout, and Russia’s leaking methane – Alex Hern, December 13th 2011

• Tabloid attacks on green movement mean we have to raise our game – Reg Platt, November 29th 2011

  • http://twitter.com/markcavill/status/169749071131717633 Mark Cavill

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/thebeargarden/status/169749217592610816 The Bear Garden

    #Deniergate leaked docs reveal multi-million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/aodp4SGB

  • http://twitter.com/atlibjarnason/status/169749939063234560 Atli Bjarnason

    Disgusting. via @MagneFlemmen: RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million-$ climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/f5hyW9Pv

  • http://twitter.com/sydscarborough/status/169750262028836864 Catherine

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/gsmeeton/status/169750346716024833 George Smeeton, WWF

    Left Foot Forward: Leaked docs expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/bmNila6R @jossgarman #deniergate

  • http://twitter.com/greengranma/status/169750877987540995 Anne

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/NgI7xBHW

  • http://twitter.com/bham_foe/status/169750951924731905 Birmingham FOE

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/EnPULFk4 – finally out in the open.

  • http://twitter.com/managementpawn/status/169751006341632000 Management Pawn

    RT: @jossgarman: Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/sQFPtnvV

  • http://twitter.com/damosposts/status/169751164550782977 Damon Keaton

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/wwvOFeeE via @addthis

  • http://twitter.com/georgegrumpy/status/169751538972114944 George Czernuszka

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/6rszPlT6 by @jossgarman

  • http://twitter.com/sigvei/status/169755642763026432 Sigve Indregard

    Wow. *Store* penger (60’/mnd) fra GM, MS, Pfizer m.fl for «forskere» som lar seg bruke til å betvile klimaendringer. http://t.co/C2uh5mCd

  • http://twitter.com/canyhfoe/status/169755754172133377 CANYH

    RT @mkorel: REVEALED: multimillion dollar deals to fund disinformation campaign about climate change: http://t.co/R7GYT3MC via @leftfootfwd

  • http://twitter.com/hatgreenwood/status/169755759473737728 hat greenwood

    RT @mkorel: REVEALED: multimillion dollar deals to fund disinformation campaign about climate change: http://t.co/mXVGjQiD via @leftfootfwd

  • http://twitter.com/frostad/status/169756153599901696 frostad

    Wow. *Store* penger (60’/mnd) fra GM, MS, Pfizer m.fl for «forskere» som lar seg bruke til å betvile klimaendringer. http://t.co/C2uh5mCd

  • http://twitter.com/ayrshireblog/status/169757078448119809 Bunc

    #Deniergate leaked docs reveal multi-million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/aodp4SGB

  • http://twitter.com/lukecord/status/169757323714248705 corders

    Yeah, if you have even a passing interest in climate and/or bad guys, just read @jossgarman http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/riprap007/status/169757584964845569 Nicholas Ripley

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/aO2wsgK9

  • http://twitter.com/ShaleGasExpert Nick Grealy

    Wow! This is really front page stuff isn’t it? I am so impressed by the scoop
    ‘Left Foot Forward can reveal that David Henderson is both a Fellow of the Heartland Institute and Chair of the Advisory Board of the Global Warming Policy Foundation’

    That is really hard hitting investigative reporting. First off I had to follow your link to the Heartland Institute and then, and this is where you really deserve scoop of the year award, you can then go the http://www.thegwpf.org where hidden away at the top of the Academic Advisers is , hold on, you just ain’t gonna believe this is: David Henderson! Great digging guys!
    Wow. “LFF can reveal” Where do I sign up to pay for such nuggets. That sounds like the breathless self-promotion of the UK hacks more than actual journalism.

  • http://twitter.com/undreunnle/status/169758180988030976 Tonje Bekken

    Wow. *Store* penger (60’/mnd) fra GM, MS, Pfizer m.fl for «forskere» som lar seg bruke til å betvile klimaendringer. http://t.co/C2uh5mCd

  • http://twitter.com/mwarhurst/status/169758549189197825 Michael Warhurst

    Tracing the links between big industry, scientific attacks and the climate denialists by @jossgarman http://t.co/ljpRxfk5 #deniergate

  • http://twitter.com/jamie_f/status/169759250652991489 Jamie Fraser

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • Larrie

    You sound threatened Nick, I’ve seen your comments on three separate message boards today… get a proper job…

  • http://twitter.com/frida_gp/status/169761784016814080 Frida Bengtsson

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/frida_gp/status/169761784016814080 Frida Bengtsson

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/mylesr2011/status/169761896344469504 myles rhinds

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/mylesr2011/status/169761896344469504 myles rhinds

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • Lord of the Manor

    Yes do be quiet old boy. Shouldn’t you be out earning some pennies so you can pay your green subsidies that get funnelled into my bank account, what?

  • Klem

    Wow is right, you haven’t shown anything about the multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign at all. If anything what this denier group has spent is peanuts. Greenpeace is a $300 million a year disinformation organization, Sierra Club $100 million, the National resource Defence Council $95 million. Even James Hansen earns over $1 million by himself. Heartland is a lightweight at $6.5 million. Wow.

    I used to wonder if it paid to be a climate denier, and now that question is answered. The money is in climate alarmism.

  • http://twitter.com/frank_joe_e/status/169905440887545856 joe frank

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/steve_horn1022/status/169907134602018816 Steve Horn

    RT @jossgarman Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/OvFUeFKN

  • http://twitter.com/punchumgum/status/169931963615023105 Punchum Gum

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/KlcUsdRw

  • http://twitter.com/punchumgum/status/169932047631122433 Punchum Gum

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/ilona_/status/169938196141051904 Ilona De Meyere

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/marciadabliu/status/169941129490481152 Márcia W.

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/madamdeal/status/169943777073569792 MadamDeal

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/birminghamdoc/status/169948916966633472 Rory

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • http://twitter.com/erskinegrier/status/169949885649534976 Mary Lou Grier

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/SZEp9M3s

  • http://twitter.com/pandeysuneel/status/170003693150810112 Suneel Pandey

    Dear @billgates, it's been 15 hrs since u were busted funding a front group pushing anti-science propaganda. Thoughts? http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • JC

    What a waste of time writing (and reading) this. If it is wrong to have a view that you want to put forward, why not just say so. Beware of the circular argument though. Hasn’t this appeared before a few months ago as another attempt to close down discussion?

    As mentioned below, there’s a lot of money in this global warming business, mostly from governments to support policies and planning as well as Greenpeace and FoE. The challenge however is to separate the science from the politics. If we could do that, then debate would be easier. Anyway, this is and has been discussed at length and more seriously elsewhere.

  • http://twitter.com/asklepios/status/170056789725937664 A to Zeke

    Grr! RT @leftfootfwd Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/npyu5gAl

  • http://twitter.com/ellensandell/status/170087224816320512 Ellen Sandell

    RT @jossgarman: Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/aJHpHIgU

  • http://twitter.com/wwf_uk_politics/status/170096280020848640 WWF Public Affairs

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/6rszPlT6 by @jossgarman

  • http://twitter.com/aaronmdellutri/status/170097859537014784 Aaron M Dellutri

    Enraging: "Leaked docs expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign" http://t.co/eMsMtctO #deniergate #heartlandinstitute

  • http://twitter.com/busterbrooon/status/170098710355775488 Buster Brown

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/6rszPlT6 by @jossgarman

  • http://twitter.com/liberaltucker/status/170099820491571201 Will Tucker

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/BnNACsCQ by @jossgarman

  • http://twitter.com/oxfammidlands/status/170100413746524160 Oxfam Midlands

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/BnNACsCQ by @jossgarman

  • http://twitter.com/tbirdeast/status/170113584817381376 Tara Lingg

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/dreaming_digger/status/170117811421708288 Richard Martin

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/jonesscl/status/170133382938886144 Sam Jones

    Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/6rszPlT6 by @jossgarman

  • http://twitter.com/valentinebobby/status/170134764525846530 Bobby Valentine

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • roger

    You probably will be sued be careful I would withdraw this posting or re-write it so it does not defame etc…

  • http://twitter.com/immigrant007/status/170187295843033089 fizz

    “@leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign: http://t.co/yCGrbW1t by
    @OccupyLSXEnvtGp

  • http://twitter.com/andynparsons/status/170230398230605824 Andy Parsons

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/v19iBkr1

  • http://twitter.com/swindonclimate/status/170232179119505408 SCAN

    RT @jossgarman: Just blogged – #: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/t5CD2y4h

  • http://twitter.com/ecofriendlyjim/status/170236929152004096 James Attenborough

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/Newsbot9 Newsbot9

    No, there’s no money in fixing issues. There’s cash in NOT fixing things, as you well know. I mean, it’s not important that the science says billions are likely to be displaced and die, after all it’s more important for your stock to go up another 0.1% this quarter.

    Typical 1%er.

  • http://twitter.com/Newsbot9 Newsbot9

    Oh absolutely. The IPCC is a scandal.

    They keep on consistently UNDERESTIMATING the actual change because of political pressure.

  • http://twitter.com/boffchops/status/170362131433275392 Jay Thompson

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/atlanticcanuck/status/170362506995433472 Concerned4ThePlanet

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/ct350/status/170517869862461441 350 CT

    RT @jossgarman Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million $ #climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/5lAbXU4c

  • http://twitter.com/jarwillis/status/170532741610348545 James Willis

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/02/look-left-17-02-12/ Look Left – The fight for the soul of the NHS goes on | Left Foot Forward

    [...] Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign – Joss [...]

  • http://twitter.com/albisulph/status/171251343607070722 alby

    RT @leftfootfwd: Leaked documents expose multi-million dollar climate disinformation campaign http://t.co/yjrjpKPc

  • http://twitter.com/leebunce/status/171259553332211712 Lee Bunce

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/shrydar/status/171407918946729985 Christopher

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/moronjenk/status/171547479286874113 Morgan Jenkins

    Just blogged – #Deniergate: leaked dox reveal multi million dollar climate misinformation campaign http://t.co/oktDyooV

  • http://twitter.com/hapivibe/status/171606372906053632 hapi

    Yeah, if you have even a passing interest in climate and/or bad guys, just read @jossgarman http://t.co/WzM8j28B

  • Klem

    Um, hate to burst your self righteous bubble, but you live in the West, you are a Westerner. That puts you squarely in the 1%er camp.

    Sleep well.

    cheers

  • Klem

    True, and even their underestimated predictions have proved to be overestimations. Without the political pressure you mentioned, they would have looked even more foolish.

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/05/look-left-04-05-12/ Look Left – Local elections 2012, mayoral referendums and Murdoch | Left Foot Forward

    [...] a payment (see pdf) of $1,000 per month from the Heartland Institute – which in turn received millions of dollars to promote climate change denial from some of the most polluting companies in the world. [...]