The Great Global Warming Funding Scheme
As you know I’ve been in New York attending Heartland International Conference on Climate Change, a gathering of over 800 skeptics of anthropogenic global warming. The New York Times resident alarmist propagandist Andrew Revkin weighed in with a risible hit piece chock full of the usual tropes. On cue, he trotted out the old canard that skeptics are pawns of boogeyman Exxon-Mobil:
But large corporations like Exxon Mobil, which in the past financed the Heartland Institute and other groups that challenged the climate consensus, have reduced support. Many such companies no longer dispute that the greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels pose risks.
From 1998 to 2006, Exxon Mobil, for example, contributed more than $600,000 to Heartland, according to annual reports of charitable contributions from the company and company foundations.
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Of course, funding only matter when it comes to whose oxe is being Gored—pun fully intended.
In fact, global warming alarmists are funded to the tune of $50 billion (in taxpayer money) versus $19 million for skeptics. Forget for a moment the money we are spending to provide non-solutions to a non-existent crisis, corporate profiteers like General Electric and the legions of lobbyists lining up to snare their fair share of rent seeking loot.
However, since Revkin specifically harps on the funding of conferences, shouldn’t we expect him to report on all the alternative energy companies—who stand to reap large profits—sponsoring the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Cop 15) conference in Copenhagen? Don’t hold your breath.
The funding game and self dealing also seeps down to the state here in Maryland. Take for example Donald Boesch, head of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), and co-chair of the Scientific and Technical Working Group of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change. UMCES has received over $65 million of that aforementioned $50 billion. Boesch is an ardent but disingenuous cheerleader for the state to implement emission reduction schemes such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act now before the General Assembly (it passed the Senate). Any state action on reducing emissions will benefit UMCES as Boesch has positioned it as the top academic institution to study climate change. No crisis, no funding!
Boesch is a board member of the Town Creek Foundation, a generous funder to global warming advocacy groups like Environment Maryland :$150,000; The Chesapeake Climate Action Network $250,000 over the last two years see here here, here, here, and here; The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) $100,000 to “support for work to facilitate the production of policy recommendations by the Maryland Climate Change Commission (of which he is a member). CCS controlled the proceedings of the commission and wrote the recommendations of Climate Action Plan, on which the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act is based.
Furthermore, and more disturbing, is the appearance of self dealing involving Boesch’s employer and The Town Creek Foundation. Since 2006 Town Creek, whose board members approve grant funding, has given $143,000 to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, $8,000 in 2006, $70,000 in 2007, and $65,000 in 2008.
The next time an alarmist screams Exxon-Mobil, ask them where they are getting their money!
