Harvard Climate Denier backed by Energy Industry

The scientific community agrees that climate change is happening, although not every single scientist agrees that it is man-made. Those that tend to say it is caused by something else are Astronomers, Physicists and Astrophysicists – whose understanding and knowledge of the climate are little to none. Since most received their education from elite universities, their opinion carries a certain legitimacy to it. This is the case with a known climate denier currently at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics – Willie Soon. 

According to The Guardian, over USD 1.25 million of his research funds came – and possibly still do – from pro-oil, coal and natural gas companies, i.e. Exxon Mobil, Southern Company and the American Petroleum Institute – a Koch brothers-run foundation. This means that in exchange for funding his research, Soon would appear in national settings and give speeches on why climate change was happening due to solar activity rather than humanity's own ecological choices. 

His research on solar activity on the climate has even been cited by Congressmen looking to oppose legislation on lessening carbon emissions in the United States – among them is Senator James Inhofe from Oklahoma. Instead of basing their arguments on misleading research, politicians in Washington should look to credible organizations like the National Academy of Sciences in forming their policy debates. 

The Guardian notes that Soon is only a staff researcher and not on salary at Harvard. It seems that by using the organizations to which he works for – Harvard and the Smithsonian – Willie Soon has managed to mislead many on the true causes of climate change and continue to damage our planet. In order to stop individuals like Soon from misusing trust and the prestige of organizations like the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, an appropriate action should be taken to reveal others' funding sources and show the true motives of their research. 


Work of prominent climate change denier was funded by energy industry