Published: 2024-01-25 by, News Team in the Business & Finance news category

Climate Science Denial Group GWPF Faces Financial Setback as Income Hits Lowest Level Since 2016

The Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), a prominent climate science denial group in the UK, has reported a significant decline in its income, reaching the lowest level since 2016. According to the latest accounts filed on January 18, the GWPF recorded an income of £280,000 for the year ending September 30, 2023, marking a £110,000 decrease from the previous year. The organization experienced a substantial drop in donations, falling from £346,000 to £201,000, while total annual losses surpassed £150,000.

Despite relatively stable membership fees, the decline in financial support suggests a diminishing backing for the group's climate science denial stance. It's worth noting that the GWPF does not disclose the names of its donors. The organization's director, Benny Peiser, has been known for expressing skepticism about the existence of a climate crisis and disputing the characterization of carbon dioxide as pollution, instead arguing that it is beneficial to the planet.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a leading authority on climate science, has unequivocally stated that human influence has caused warming of the atmosphere, oceans, and land. The IPCC has also emphasized the urgency of reducing emissions to address the risks associated with climate change.

The decline in GWPF's income is part of a broader trend, as it has experienced a notable reduction since its peak in the year ending September 2019 when its income reached £426,000. Since September 2015, the organization has generated a total of £2.8 million.

Founded by the late former Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson, the GWPF has faced scrutiny for its use of a subsidiary called Net Zero Watch, which operates as a private company. The Good Law Project has been urging the Charity Commission to investigate the GWPF, alleging that the charitable foundation funds non-charitable lobbying work through Net Zero Watch.

In 2023, Net Zero Watch paid a record £205,000 to the GWPF to cover administrative costs. The financial relationship between the two entities has raised questions about compliance with Charity Commission rules limiting political activity for registered charities.

Despite financial challenges, the GWPF remains based in 55 Tufton Street, a hub for various libertarian think tanks and pressure groups advocating for increased fossil fuel extraction and opposing state-led climate action. The transparency of funding sources for these groups, including the GWPF, has been a subject of concern.

The decline in the GWPF's financial fortunes coincides with broader developments in climate policies in the UK. The Conservative government has faced criticism for weakening key net-zero policies, such as delaying the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles and diluting schemes to phase out gas boilers. These policy shifts have sparked debates about the government's commitment to achieving its net-zero targets.

The GWPF's chairman, Jerome Booth, anticipates increased public antipathy and frustration with the costs associated with net-zero targets. The organization aims to provide what it considers "balance and objectivity" to future public debates, although its positions often run counter to prevailing climate targets and scientific consensus.

As the GWPF navigates financial challenges, questions persist about the role of such climate science denial groups in influencing public opinion and policy debates on critical climate-related issues. The organization's financial struggles may reflect evolving perspectives on climate change and a shifting landscape in which climate action is increasingly recognized as imperative.

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