Documents>> Climate Change • USA
Greenpeace USA has uncovered documents that reveal one of the world’s most prominent climate sceptics being funded by US oil and coal firms.
Willie Soon, astrophysicist at the Solar, Stellar and Planetary Sciences Division of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, is kno-wn for his view that global warming is caused by solar variation rather than CO2 emissions, and that polar bears are not primarily threatened by climate change.
Documents provided by the Smithsonian under the US Freedom of Information Act show the Charles G Koch Foundation, a leading fund provider for climate sceptic groups, gave Soon grants totalling US $175,000 in 2005 and 2010. The American Petroleum Institute, which represents the US petroleum and natural gas industries, gave him grants totalling US $274,000 between 2001 and 2007.
Soon admitted to receiving the money. But he said, “I was never motivated by financial reward in any of my research.”
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.