Harrison Schmitt
Background
Dr. Harrison Schmitt is a geologist who received his bachelor's degree in science from the California Institute of Technology in 1957, and his Ph.D. in geology from Harvard University in 1964. Dr. Schmitt worked as a scientist-astronaut with NASA from 1965 to 1975. After resigning from NASA, Schmitt was elected to serve as a senator for New Mexico. He served one term from 1977 to 1982. From 1994 to 1998, Harrison Schmitt served as chairman and president of the Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy. Currently, he serves as a chairman emeritus.
Harrison Schmitt and the Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy
The Annapolis Center is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to promote responsible energy, environmental, health and safety policies through the use of sound science. The centre is committed to "ensuring public policy decisions are based on scientific facts and reasoning." To this end, the Annapolis Center contends global warming is not the result of burning fossil fuels.
Since 1998, ExxonMobil has given $973,500 to the Annapolis Center. In 2004, at the centre's annual dinner, it honoured Senator James Inhofe for his work in "promoting science-based public policy." Senator Inhofe is not only a fervent climate change skeptic, but also one of the leading public figures fighting to stop the federal government from accepting the claims of a scientific consensus. According to ExxonMobil's 2003 Worldwide Giving Report, the corporation provided funds to the Annapolis Center in direct support of its annual dinner.
The Annapolis Center's ties to big oil and tobacco run deeper. For example, in 1998 the Annapolis Center Strategic Planning Committee was co-chaired by William O'Keefe from the American Petroleum Institute. And, attendance at the Committee's October 1998 meeting included individuals employed by Philip Morris, Pfizer Inc., Exxon Corporation, and the American Petroleum Institute.
Harrison Schmitt and Global Warming Science
Harrison Schmitt is a self-proclaimed climate skeptic. According to GoogleScholar, Schmitt has not published any peer-reviewed articles on climate change.
Dr. Schmitt does not agree with the theory that human activity is responsible for global warming. He states that "human experience, geological data and history, and current cooling argue otherwise." Schmitt is so ardent in this belief that in 2009 he resigned from the Planetary Society.
In his letter of resignation, Schmitt told the Planetary society that "'consensus', as many have said, merely represents the absence of definitive science. You know as well as I, the 'global warming scare' is being used as a political tool to increase government control over American lives, incomes and decision making. It has no place in the Society's activities."
Harrison Schmitt and Sallie Baliunas
While Harrison Schmitt served as chairman and president of the Annapolis Center, he was affiliated with Sallie Baliunas. Baliunas was a member of the Annapolis Center's Science and Economic Advisory Council. According to ExxonSecrets, Baliunas is the "central scientist in the fight against action on climate change. She is used by virtually all of the Exxon-funded front groups as their scientific expert." Baliunas has also been affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, the Heartland Institute, the George C. Marshall Institute, and the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
