H. Sterling Burnett

H. Sterling Burnett

Credentials

  • Ph.D., Applied Philosophy, Bowling Green State University (2001).1H. Sterling Burnett, PhD,” biography at ProCon, December 6, 2010.
  • M.A., Applied Philosophy, Bowling Green State University, (1992).2H. Sterling Burnett, PhD,” biography at ProCon, December 6, 2010.
  • B.A., Cultural Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, (1986).3H. Sterling Burnett, PhD,” biography at ProCon, December 6, 2010.

Background

H. Sterling Burnett is a senior fellow and and the managing editor of Environment & Climate News at the Heartland Institute. He was previously a senior fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) for 18 years before joining Heartland in 2014.4H. STERLING BURNETT,” The Heartland Institute. Archived May 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/5H3uL

According to his bio at the National Center for Policy Analysis, “He has held various positions in professional and public policy organizations, including serving as a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Task Force in the Texas Comptroller’s e-Texas commission, board of directors of the Dallas Woods and Water Conservation Club, and adviser for the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Natural Resources Task Force.”5Dr. H. Sterling Burnett: Senior Fellow,” National Center for Policy Analysis. Archived April 9, 2002. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8rOvA

Stance on Climate Change

February 22, 2004

“Proponents of policies to control human-induced global warming cite science as the basis for their claims and proposals. There is only one problem – as much as they claim otherwise, there is no scientific consensus for their theories.”6H. Sterling Burnett. “Climate science or science fiction?The Washington Times, February 22, 2004. Archived March 30, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ojmAj

August 15, 2001

“In other words, we do not know if the earth will get warmer or cooler in the future, and if temperatures do change, by how much or when, or if public policies can affect future temperature change.”7“Reality and Climate Change Policy” (PDF), National Center for Policy Analysis, Brief Analysis No 376. (August 15, 2001).

December 5, 1998

“The current warming trend began as Earth came out of the little ice age—an important fact that is all too often overlooked in the global warming debate.”8“Letters: Warmer than When?” (PDF), Science News, Vol. 154, No. 23 (December 5, 1998), p. 355.

Key Quotes

January 31, 2018

Following President Donald Trump‘s State of the Union Address, Burnett said in a statement:9PRESS RELEASE: HEARTLAND INSTITUTE EXPERTS REACT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS,” The Heartland Institute, January 31, 2018. Archived February 5, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/FeswS

President Trump has done more to reduce the regulatory burden in one year than any president in history. Combined with the steps he has taken to enact his America First energy plan, these actions have contributed to the country’s strong growth during the first year of the Trump administration. Based on recent business investment and consumer confidence polls, President Trump’s policies are reinvigorating the economy.

During his first State of the Union speech, President Trump was more than justified in touting his accomplishments so far. Under President Trump, the United States has increased energy production, reduced regulations, and cut taxes. Because of this, the United States is once again exporting freedom and prosperity around the globe.

Having said all this, there is still more to do. Unfortunately, most of the cities with major ports, including all those along the West Coast, are in blue states run by Democratic governors. These vital states remain stuck in the grips of radical environmental ideologies. The Trump administration, working with Congress, must get new coal, oil, and natural gas export terminals built as part of an infrastructure plan. State recalcitrance should not be allowed to interfere with interstate and international commerce that, constitutionally, is the domain of the federal government.”

October 9, 2017

Following EPA administrator Scott Pruitt‘s announcement that the Trump administration would be scrapping the Clean Power Plan, Burnett issued the following statement via the Heartland Institute:10PRESS RELEASE: HEARTLAND INSTITUTE EXPERTS REACT TO EPA SCRAPPING THE CLEAN POWER PLAN,” The Heartland Institute, October 9, 2017. Archived October 10, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/B9m3e

[…] Even if it weren’t unconstitutional, it’s still terrible policy, because it imposes huge costs on individuals and businesses and makes the nation’s electric power supply less reliable—all while doing nothing to prevent climate change or to protect human health or the environment. Good riddance to a bad regulation.”

2010

Burnett commented on the Gulf Oil Spill, claiming that “Environmentalists hyped the spill in an attempt to push the Senate to pass the largest energy tax in history.” His policy center also issued a press release describing the situation on the Gulf Coast as “more hype than reality.”H. Sterling Burnett. “Lessons from the Horizon blowout: More hype than harm,” The Hill (Blog), March 8, 2010.11Tom Henry. “Southern Michigan faces long recovery after oil spill,” Toledo Blade, August 8, 2010. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/0CF9s

April 2007

“[T]here is no predicted human health effect from increased CO2 emissions at any foreseeable level. […] nothing the EPA could do would reduce the speculative effects of global warming on sea levels, human health, or weather patterns — since EPA regulations can’t affect these things, it ought not to regulate emissions as if it could.”12(PRN) Supreme Court Ruling Doesn’t Mean EPA Will Regulate CO2 Emissions,PRNewswire-USNewswire, April 3, 2007. Republished by chron.com. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RzdAF

May 2006

In a May 2006 Fox News interview, Burnett compared Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebells‘ films. Burnett stated:13Judd Legum. “Exxon-Backed Pundit Compares Gore To Nazi Propagandist,” ThinkProgress, May 23, 2006.

“You don’t go see Joseph Goebbels’ films to see the truth about Nazi Germany. You don’t want to go see Al Gore’s film to see the truth about global warming.”

Key Deeds

February 14, 2022

Burnett featured guest speaker Jason Isaac, director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Life:Powered project, on an episode of the Heartland Daily Podcast.14POLITICIANS ARE RUINING TEXAS’ POWER GRID (GUEST: JASON ISAAC),” The Heartland Institute. Archived .mp3 on file at DeSmog.

“As it stands, subsidized renewable power sources forced onto the system have left Texans vulnerable to power outages, a problem that could worsen in the future,” Burnett claimed in the podcast’s description.

Discussing the Texas power outages in 2021, Burnett commented:

“I’m saying we used to have other coal plants, but they were not just off line they had been closed. We had a lot of wind and solar, more wind in Texas than solar, but some solar that suddenly was politically mandated, but was not putting power on the grid. So that’s the day. But what built up to it?”

Jason Isaac responded:

Yeah, and it’s really these market distorting policies that have propped up one form of generation over another, put us in this situation to begin with. And you’ve seen a decline in thermal generation over the last seven years because they can’t compete. And that’s the big thing. The market design is the problem when you have wind, generate electricity because of the investment tax credit, the production tax credit, the property tax exemptions they get from the state of Texas and other incentives.”

“We shouldn’t depend on variable sources of unreliable electric generation on our grid. Because then where we are at the whims of nature, especially especially when we have reliable forms of thermal generation that are out there,” Isaac said.

October 23, 2018

Burnett co-wrote an article at American Thinker with Heartland policy advisor Justin Askins titled “Why Some Scientists Say Global Warming Is Out and Global Cooling Is In.” In the article, Burnett and Haskins promote a global cooling study by Valentina Zharkova, an astrophysicist that they introduce as a climate scientist.15Justin Haskins and H. Sterling Burnett. “Why Some Scientists Say Global Warming Is Out and Global Cooling Is In,” American Thinker, October 23, 2018. Archived November 7, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/DMkWN

“Although Zharkova says her model’s accuracy is 97 percent, she’s not sure precisely how impactful lower solar magnetic activity will be …” they wrote, claiming that “a cooling effect completely undermine virtually every single climate model predicting steady warming over the next century.”16Justin Haskins and H. Sterling Burnett. “Why Some Scientists Say Global Warming Is Out and Global Cooling Is In,” American Thinker, October 23, 2018. Archived November 7, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/DMkWN

Burnett and Askins argued that man-made CO2 emissions are needed to combat global cooling: “If climate alarmists are correct, then the planet would be much cooler today than it is now if humans were never to have produced significant amounts of carbon dioxide. That means that whatever cooling results from decreased solar activity would theoretically be much more extreme without humans’ CO2 emissions. That’s incredibly important, because cooler global temperatures have historically been linked to deadly living conditions for humans, plants, and wildlife.”17Justin Haskins and H. Sterling Burnett. “Why Some Scientists Say Global Warming Is Out and Global Cooling Is In,” American Thinker, October 23, 2018. Archived November 7, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/DMkWN

Sky News article from December 2017, from which Burnett and Askins pulled a quote from Zharkova, also included this additional context: “But she cautions that her mathematical research cannot be used as proof that there will be a mini ice age this time around, not least because of global warming.” The article also notes that “Professor Zharkova warned that any downward impact on global warming will last only until the Sun’s two magnetic waves become active again in the 2050s.”18Scientists predict ‘mini ice age’ could hit UK by 2030,” Sky News, December 27, 2017. Archived November 7, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/z08iU

The Guardian reported that Zharkova’s research has reignited the “imminent mini ice age” myth more than once, based on her research suggesting the sun would enter a quiet phase. “While she has created a model predicting an imminent period of quiet solar activity, other scientists have identified serious flaws in the model, and in any case, research has shown that another solar minimum would only have a small and temporary impact on Earth’s climate,” The Guardian noted.19Dana Nuccitelli. “The ‘imminent mini ice age’ myth is back, and it’s still wrong,” The Guardian, January 9, 2018. Archived November 7, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/aPzgO

August 24, 2018

Burnett wrote a piece at The Hill criticizing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, suggesting they make vehicles less safe, and applauding the EPA‘s decision to freeze fuel economy standards.20A fuel-economy change that protect freedom and saves lives,” The Hill, August 24, 2018. Archived September 6, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/Kunxd

“The laws of physics will never change. In a vehicle crash, larger and heavier is safer than lighter and smaller. EPA’s fuel-economy freeze will prevent unnecessary deaths while protecting consumer choice,” Burnett wrote.21A fuel-economy change that protect freedom and saves lives,” The Hill, August 24, 2018. Archived September 6, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/Kunxd

According to Burnett, having more fuel efficient vehicles is counter productive because people would drive more.  “As fuel efficiency increased and driving became cheaper, people drove more miles — thereby negating the marginal gains of owning more-fuel-efficient vehicles,” he wrote.22A fuel-economy change that protect freedom and saves lives,” The Hill, August 24, 2018. Archived September 6, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/Kunxd

August 7, 2018

Burnett spoke at the Heartland Institute‘s “America First Energy Conference” (AFEC 2018) in New Orleans, Louisiana.23Speakers,” America First Energy Conference 2018. Archived August 1, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/mwtga

The purpose of this event is to promote and expand energy freedom in the United States, as outlined in President Donald Trump’s bold America First Energy Plan, a proposal first released during the 2016 presidential campaign. The president’s plan marks a decisive change in direction from the Obama administration’s ‘war on fossil fuels’ and focus on the theory of catastrophic man-caused climate change,” the conference description reads.24About,” America First Energy Conference 2018. Archived July 23, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/E4Gnt

Burnett spoke on a panel titled “4B. Cafe Standards: Why They Need to Go” and moderated another titled “The Future of Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas.”25H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D.,” America First Energy Conference 2018. Archived August 1, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/DJdaG

February 4, 2018

In January 2018, more than 200 scientists endorsed an open letter calling on the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to remove climate change denier Rebekah Mercer from its board and to “end ties to anti-science propagandists and funders of climate science misinformation.” The New York Times reported that those among the AMNH letter calling for Mercer to step down were Michael E. Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, and Katharine Hayhoe, director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University.26Robin Pogrebin and Somini Sengupta. “A Science Denier at the Natural History Museum? Scientists Rebel,” The New York Times, January 25, 2018. Archived February 13, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tAIv4

Burnett was among a group of climate change deniers who responded with their own open letter, calling for the AMNH “not to cave in to this pressure.” The letter was signed by numerous individuals with ties to groups funded by the Mercer Family Foundation such as Will Happer of the CO2 CoalitionRichard Lindzen, a fellow at the Cato InstituteCraig Idso, the chairman of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change. There are a number of signatories affiliated with the Heartland Institute, which has received over $5.78 million from the Mercer Family Foundation since 2008.27Graham Readfearn. “Climate Science Deniers Defend New York’s American Museum of Natural History From Calls to Drop Trustee Rebekah Mercer,” DeSmog, February 6, 2018.

The letter reads:28mnh18-feb4-petitionletter (PDF – Untitled). Retrieved from Watts Up With That.

The Earth has supported abundant life many times in the geological past when there were much higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is quite likely that future generations will benefit from the enrichment of Earth’s atmosphere with more carbon dioxide.

Make no mistake, the agitators are not defending science from quackery — quite the contrary!”

November 9, 2017

Burnett was a speaker and moderator at the Heartland Institute’s “America First Energy Conference” at the Marriott Hotel in Houston, Texas. Burnett spoke or moderated four panels on November 9 including:29H. STERLING BURNETT,” America First Energy Conference. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/fpygE

PANEL 1A: CLIMATE SCIENCE (Moderator)

PANEL 2B: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT (Speaker)

PANEL 3B: PEACE DIVIDEND: BENEFITS OF ENDING THE WAR ON FOSSIL FUELS (Moderator)

PANEL 6B: REFORMING EPA (Moderator)

The event description read as follows:30About,” America First Energy. Archived October 11, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8bTTJ

At the America First Energy Conference, we plan to examine—one year and one day after Trump’s shocking Election Day victory—the following:

Where does Trump’s America First Energy Plan stand?

How much progress has been made in implementing it, and what remains to be done?

What scientific and economic evidence is there that the plan is putting the nation on the right path for economic growth, environmental protection, or both?”31About,” America First Energy. Archived October 11, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8bTTJ

In a fundraising letter obtained by DeSmog, Fred Palmer had promoted the event as having the goal to “review the scientific and economic evidence that exposes the fraud inherent in the Obama-era regulation regime” while discussing “the overwhelming benefits of fossil fuels to us all.”32October 2017 Fundraising letter by Fred Palmer. On file at Desmog.

Many of the other speakers have regularly spoken at the Heartland Institute’s past ICCCs. Notable speakers listed so far Joe Bast, Fred PalmerRoger BezdekH. Sterling BurnettHal Doiron, Paul DriessenJohn Dale DunnMyron Ebell, Heartland’s new President Tim HuelskampCraig IdsoDavid LegatesJay LehrAnthony LupoRoss McKitrickSteve MilloyTodd MyersJohn Nothdurt, David Schnare, and numerous others.33SPEAKERS,” America First Energy. Archived October 10, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/OJWeX

As reported at the Houston Chronicle, speakers notably included two Trump Administration officials: Richard W. Westerdale II of the State Department and Vincent DeVito of the Department of Interior. David Bernhardt, deputy secretary of the Interior Department, was also formerly listed as a Heartland conference speaker, but apparently withdrew.34James Osborne. “Trump officials to appear at Houston event hosted by climate skeptics,” Houston Chronicle, November 2, 2017. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/XPtYc

Scott Pruitt also addressed the conference in a recorded video, personally thanking Heartland for “what you’re doing to advance energy” and “for what you’re doing to advance natural resources.35Scott Pruitt,” America First Energy ConferenceArchived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/X4F6m

The Climate Investigations Center put up a parody of the America First Energy conference website, complete with profiles on the individual speakers and highlighting their corporate funding and ties to groups such as the Cooler Heads Coalition (CHC).36America First Energy Conference Stacked with Climate Change Deniers,” Climate Investigations Center, November 6, 2017. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mISrd

November 3, 2017

Writing at The Heartland Institute, Burnett criticizes a report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that totalled the direct costs of extreme weather events. The report had concluded the costs of extreme weather events and fire would continue to increase as a result of human-caused climate change.37COSTS OF DECARBONIZATION GREATER THAN COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,” The Heartland Institute, November 3, 2017. Archived November 7, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/o2oE8

Burnett disagreed, calling the report “virtually useless for guiding climate change responses.” He states that the “complex models” used by the GAO “grossly overstate the amount of warming” while “Simpler climate models” by non-scientist Christopher Monckton or by other climate change deniers such as Willie Soon, David R. Legates, and William M. Briggs are “more accurate.”38COSTS OF DECARBONIZATION GREATER THAN COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,” The Heartland Institute, November 3, 2017. Archived November 7, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/o2oE8

Burnett also argues that the GAO report “entirely ignores the tremendous benefits flowing from the use of fossil fuels” like the so-called “greening of the Earth” attributed to increased CO2 concentrations.39COSTS OF DECARBONIZATION GREATER THAN COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,” The Heartland Institute, November 3, 2017. Archived November 7, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/o2oE8

 March 23–24, 2017

H. Sterling Burnett was the moderator of three panels at the Heartland Institute’s 12th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC12). 

Panel 1B) Climate Science

Panel 3A) Fossil Fuels and the Environment

Panel 5A) Sustainability

January 5, 2017

H. Sterling Burnett was a signatory to a Cornwall Alliance open letter supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator under the Trump administration.40Open Letter Supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator,” Cornwall Alliance, January 5, 2017. Archived January 19, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xMash

Mr. Pruitt has also demonstrated understanding of and open-mindedness toward scientific insights crucial to the formulation and implementation of environmental regulation. He is prepared to hear all sides in debates over the risks and benefits of various activities that come under the purview of the EPA,” reads the letter.

On January 12, 2017, Senate Democrats raised conflict of interest concerns regarding Scott Prutt’s fossil fuel ties. Pruitt had spent years working to combat the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan.41Ben Jervey. “Mapping EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Many Fossil Fuel Ties,” DeSmog, January 13, 2017.

In an open letter to the Office of Government Ethics, members of the Senate’s environmental panel commented:42Ben Jervey. “Mapping EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Many Fossil Fuel Ties,” DeSmog, January 13, 2017.

During his tenure as Attorney General of Oklahoma, Mr. Pruitt has blurred the distinction between official and political actions, often at the behest of corporations he will regulate if confirmed to lead EPA,” the letter said. “Public reporting based on documents produced by Freedom of Information Act requests illustrate how Mr. Pruitt and members of his staff have worked closely with fossil fuel lobbyists to craft his office’s official positions.”

Pruitt was further grilled on his fossil fuel ties at his confirmation hearing on January 18.43Ben Jervey and Steve Horn. “EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt Gets Grilled on Fossil Fuel Ties at Confirmation Hearing,” DeSmog, January 18, 2017.

Some notable signatories of the Cornwall Alliance letter, as of January 5, 2017, included:

June 2015

Burnett was a moderator of a panel at Heartland Institute‘s Tenth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC10) in Washington, D.C.44Tenth International Conference on Climate Change, Program,” (PDF) Heartland Institute. Archived February 12, 2018.

He moderated panel 2, “Climate Science and Accurate Data”, which featured speakers Anthony Watts, Roy Spencer and J. Scott Armstrong. 

Panel 2) Climate Science and Accurate Data

May 12, 2015

H. Sterling Burnett is a signatory to an open letter to Pope Francis on climate change. The letter invites the Pope to reconsider his views on climate change before his upcoming encyclical letter on the environment, which is widely expected to call for measures to prevent climate change in the interests of the world’s poor. 

The open letter was coordinated and signed by Calvin Beisner of the Cornwall Alliance. According to the letter, “Good climate policy must recognize human exceptionalism, the God-given call for human persons to ‘have dominion’ in the natural world (Genesis 1:28), and the need to protect the poor from harm, including actions that hinder their ascent out of poverty.” Another excerpt below:45An Open Letter to Pope Francis on Climate Change,” Cornwall Alliance For The Stewardship of Creation. April 27, 2015. Archived with March 30, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gdNdc

”[…] the [climate] models are wrong. They therefore provide no rational basis to forecast dangerous human-induced global warming, and therefore no rational basis for efforts to reduce warming by restricting the use of fossil fuels or any other means.”

Judith Curry comments on her blog Climate Etcthat “Arguably the most effective ‘pushback’ comes from Cal Beisner of the Cornwall Alliance, who coordinated An Open Letter to Pope Francis on Climate Change.”46Judith Curry. “Pope Francis, climate change, and morality,” JudithCurry.com, April 29, 2015.  Archived March 10, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/R4kGw

December, 2014

H. Sterling Burnett is a contributor to the book Climate Change: The Facts published by the Institute of Public Affairs and featuring “22 essays on the science, politics and economics of the climate change debate.” The Institute of Public Affairs, while not revealing most of its funders, is known to have received funding from mining magnate Gina Rinehart and at least one major tobacco company.“47Institute of Public Affairs,” SourceWatch. Accessed May 27, 2015.

Essays and articles from a range of climate change skeptics, while listed authors include:

October 9, 2014

H. Sterling Burnett is quoted in the Heartland Institute‘s press release, “Heartland Institute Climate Experts Comment on 18 Straight Years of No Global Warming,” which states “the global mean surface temperature has not risen for 18 consecutive years. This extends the so-called ‘pause’ in global warming to a new record, one not predicted by the climate models of the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).” Burnett writes:48H. Sterling Burnett. “Heartland Institute Climate Experts Comment on 18 Straight Years of No Global Warming,” Heartland Institute, October 9, 2014. Archived October 16, 2014.

Eighteen years of no warming. That means this year’s high school graduates were raised to believe in and fear something that stopped happening before they were born. We’ve had as many years of relatively steady temperatures as we had actual years of warming since the ice age panic of the 1970s. Growing Antarctic ice sheets, increased greening of the earth, more walruses and polar bears than at any time since the beginning of the 20th century, fewer hurricanes and tornadoes, only a modest sea level rise, longer life spans and better overall health … if these are the terrors of global warming, I’ll have more please.

Every one of the climate models missed the lull. You’ve got to ask yourself, ‘Are you going to believe what the modelers tell you, or are you going to believe your “lying eyes,” which in this case is the actual measured temperature data?’ I’ll take hard data over faulty models any day.”49H. Sterling Burnett. “Heartland Institute Climate Experts Comment on 18 Straight Years of No Global Warming,” Heartland Institute, October 9, 2014. Archived October 16, 2014.

December 4, 2010

Attended the Cancun Climate Change Summit. He was interviewed by the BBC shortly before attending the summit:

April 9, 2008

Testified (PDF) before the Texas House Select Committee on Electric Generation & Environmental Effects on the topic of “Electrical Power for Texas: Economic and Environmental Considerations.”50“Statement for the Record: Texas House Select Committee on Electric Generation & Environmental Effects On ELECTRIC POWER FOR TEXAS: ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS” (PDF), April 9, 2008. Republished by the National Center for Policy Analysis.

In his testimony, Burnett concludes, with regards to the concern that “the [coal-fired] plants will emit large quantities of carbon dioxide and contribute to global warming,” he has attached a “primer” that would explain why “this should not be an issue preventing the building of new coal fired power plants.”

March 2008

Burnett was a speaker at the Heartland Institute‘s First International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC1) in New York.51“First International Conference on Climate Change, Program,” (PDF) Heartland Institute. Archived February 12, 2018.

His speech, titled “Precaution and Managing Future Risk in Climate Change” can be viewed below. 

Precaution and Managing Future Risk in Climate Change

August 2, 2002

Burnett was signatory to an open letter to President Bush written by Myron Ebell and Fred L. Smith congratulating Bush for not attending the World Summit on sustainable Development in Johannesburg, an event that they warned could result in “creating a World Environmental Organization.”52An Open Letter To President Bush About The World Summit On Sustainable Development,“ Competitive Enterprise Institute, August 2, 2002. Archived November 5, 2002. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mMFvn

December, 1997

In a report titled “Astroturf Troopers53Keith Hammond. “Astroturf Troopers,Mother Jones, December 4, 1997. Archived March 25, 2017. Archive. Is URL: https://archive.is/uqFvL Mother Jones how the Global Climate Coalition (GCC) was “coordinating a secret coalition of extreme right-wingers and astroturf groups.” Internal memos (page 1, page 2)54Astroturf Memo, page 1,” Mother Jones, December 4, 1997. Archived November 1, 2005. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/eVd8Z obtained by Mother Jones listed the names of several astroturf groups and representatives. H. Sterling Burnett’s name appears on the list, beside the National Center for Policy Analysis.55Astroturf Memo, page 2,” Mother Jones, December 4, 1997. Archived November 2, 2005. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Nk3vS

Affiliations

Publications

According to a search of Google Scholar, H. Sterling Burnett has not published research in any peer-reviewed journals on the subject of climate change. 

However, Burnett is a prolific author of skeptical articles and opinion pieces on the subject. For example:

A list of Burnett’s publications in Environment & Climate News is available at the Heartland Institute.

Other Resources

Profile image a screenshot from YouTube of H. Sterling Burnett, moderator at Heartland Institute’s ICCC12.

Resources

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