Heartland institute documents leaked; reveals climate skeptic strategies

[Placid Dingo]

Leaked documents expose the way a well funded libertarian think tank goes about spreading anti climate change propaganda.

The inner workings of a libertarian thinktank working to discredit the established science on climate change have been exposed by a leak of confidential documents detailing its strategy and fundraising networks.
DeSmogBlog, which broke the story, said it had received the confidential documents from an "insider" at the Heartland Institute, which is based in Chicago. The blog monitors industry efforts to discredit climate science.
The scheme includes spending $100,000 for spreading the message in K-12 schools that "the topic of climate change is controversial and uncertain - two key points that are effective at dissuading teachers from teaching science", the documents said.
It was not possible to immediately verify the authenticity of the documents, although Heartland issued a statement on Wednesday claiming at least one document was fake, and that it was the victim of theft and forgery. However, Anthony Watts, a weathercaster who runs one of the most prominent anti-science blogs, Watts Up With That?, acknowledged Heartland was helping him with $90,000 for a new project. He added: "They do not regularly fund me nor (sic) my WUWT website, I take no salary from them of any kind."

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/15/leak-exposes-heartland-institute-climate?cat=environment&type=article

[Wolfgang Absolutus]

Besides short term wealth, what exactly do these groups and the various corporations bankrolling them hope to accomplish? It's like umbrella corp making a bunch of zombies. How does that help them or anyone in the long run? I mean, if climate change is an actual phenomenon, which it seems to be, then what they are doing is entirely destructive and is likely to get people killed, including them.

[Scribbly]

Besides short term wealth, what exactly do these groups and the various corporations bankrolling them hope to accomplish? It's like umbrella corp making a bunch of zombies. How does that help them or anyone in the long run? I mean, if climate change is an actual phenomenon, which it seems to be, then what they are doing is entirely destructive and is likely to get people killed, including them.

Short term wealth is the name of the game these days, Wolfgang. The general assumption will be that they can squeeze profits out of today, and someone else will sort out any problems tomorrow. Why should they care? They'll have enough money to ensure that they and theirs are safe, secure, and can enjoy the best whatever shape tomorrow takes. That's assuming that the issues even come to impact them in their own lifetimes. For a lot of people, this is still something that seems a long, long way off. Not their problem.

[LMNO]

dissuading teachers from teaching science

dissuading teachers from teaching science

dissuading teachers from teaching science

[AFK]

I'm sure that is very effective.  Schools usually are very sensitive to any appearances of controversy, whether they are well grounded or not, so they will do just about anything to avoid that. 

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

Christian apocalypse cheerleaders.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

My friend is a pastor and he occasionally has to remind people that god in fact does not think that a nuclear holocaust is something that jesus would approve of.

[Cramulus]

It's absurd that they're still pushing the "scientists are uncertain" meme? This is a Frank Luntz creation from the mid 90s that got out of control.

Frank Luntz doesn't even support it anymore! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yz8UwRsWPA - they're recycling 7 year old talking points. He says, "It's unfair to take a document that was written in 1998 and apply it in 2006."

It really underscores the lasting power of good communication.

[Placid Dingo]

It seems some of it is having an impact. I'm trolling a sceptic on fb now and he unironically used the sources mentioned to justify his pov.

Also thankfully it does say schools are the most hesitant to change their tune.i know that I personally pussyfoot around certain topics if there's a chance of concern. Evolution etc.

[Oysters Rockefeller]

dissuading teachers from teaching science

dissuading teachers from teaching science

dissuading teachers from teaching science

It is hilarious/terrible how not at all original that particular plan is.

[AFK]

True.  Not too long ago they would've been dissuaded by being roasted alive on a spit. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

dissuading teachers from teaching science

dissuading teachers from teaching science

dissuading teachers from teaching science

Welcome to the 21st Century, LMNO.  Have an iphone.

[Oysters Rockefeller]

True.  Not too long ago they would've been dissuaded by being roasted alive on a spit.

I bet that was pretty effective.

[BabylonHoruv]

Actually dealing with climate change requires systemic change.  Higher fuel economy, more recycling, and more efficient use of resources is not enough in itself.  This is something which Climate change denialists realize, claiming that climate change is a communist conspiracy because many of the necessary changes require societal coordination on a large scale.  People who accept Climate change as an established fact often don't consider the implications that arise if we accept even the moderate levels of alarm about the situation that are essentially the general consensus.  To stave off climate change is going to require a major change in the American lifestyle and that is something that is strongly opposed by many people.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Warning to Oysters:  Babylon Horuv is a snuff porn freak, and everything he says and does is done in an attempt to eventually get you into a voice chat room so you can make choking noises while he spanks it.

Just so you know.