Global Warming Skeptic Organizations

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies several organizations that promote climate skepticism and disinformation, arguing they are part of a "disinformation playbook" funded by the fossil fuel industry to delay climate action. The report details the activities of groups such as the American Enterprise Institute, Heartland Institute, and the Heritage Foundation, documenting millions of dollars in contributions from ExxonMobil and Koch-funded foundations. These organizations are accused of undermining scientific consensus, attacking climate scientists, and pushing model legislation to obstruct emissions reductions.

• Several prominent skeptic organizations are accused of using a "disinformation playbook" to confuse the public and delay climate action to benefit the fossil fuel industry's sales of coal, oil, and gas.
• The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) has worked to undermine climate science credibility and propagated misinformation regarding stolen emails from climate scientists, receiving $3,615,000 from ExxonMobil (1998-2012) and over $1 million from Koch foundations (2004-2011).
• Americans for Prosperity (AFP) presents itself as a grassroots organization but is linked to Koch Industries; Koch foundations donated $3,609,281 to the AFP Foundation between 2007 and 2011.
• The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has pushed model legislation since the 1990s to obstruct policies aimed at reducing global warming emissions, receiving over $1.6 million from ExxonMobil (1998-2012) and over $850,000 from Koch foundations (1997-2011).
• The Heartland Institute has engaged in deliberate attacks on climate scientists, including a billboard campaign comparing climate fact supporters to the Unabomber, and received over $675,000 from ExxonMobil (1997-2006) and millions via Donors Trust.
• The Heritage Foundation uses rhetoric to sow doubt about climate science and received more than $4.5 million from Koch foundations (1997-2011) and $780,000 from ExxonMobil (2001-2012).
• The Cato Institute, co-founded by Charles Koch in 1977, has sent mixed messages on the causes of global warming and advises Congress to "pass no legislation restricting emissions of carbon dioxide."
• The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) has disputed the scientific consensus on damaging climate change and received approximately $2 million from ExxonMobil (1995-2005).

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2008). Global Warming Skeptic Organizations. https://www.ucs.org/resources/global-warming-skeptic-organizations

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Global Warming Skeptic Organizations. 2008. https://www.ucs.org/resources/global-warming-skeptic-organizations.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Global Warming Skeptic Organizations |date=16 July 2008 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/global-warming-skeptic-organizations |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2008global, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Global Warming Skeptic Organizations}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2008}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/global-warming-skeptic-organizations}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }