Joseph Bast

Credentials

Joseph Bast studied Economics as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. According to Sourcewatch [1], he did not complete his degree.

Background

Joseph Bast co-founded the Heartland Institute [2] in 1984 with David M. Padder. He currently serves as the institute's president and CEO. 

Bast is also the publisher of Heartland’s monthly periodical, Environment and Climate News, as well four other like-minded publications. 

Bast studied economics as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. He is the author of several books promoting free-market solutions to different public policy problems including Eco-sanity: a common sense guide to environmentalism. 

Stance on Climate Change

Bast claims that most scientists believe that human activity has no appreciable effects on the climate, citing a (since-debunked) 17,000-name petition run by the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine [3]. 

Some of Bast's assertions include that: [1]

• "Most scientists do not believe human activities threaten to disrupt the
  Earth's climate" (This is referring to the Oregon Petition).

• "Our most reliable sources of temperature data show no global warming
  trend."

• "Global climate computer models are too crude to predict future climate
  changes."

• "The IPCC did not prove that human activities are causing global warming."

• "A modest amount of global warming, should it occur, would be beneficial
  to the natural world and to human civilization."

• "Efforts to quickly reduce human greenhouse gas emissions would be costly
  and would not stop Earth's climate from changing."

• "The best strategy to pursue is 'no regrets.' The alternative to demands
  for immediate action to "stop global warming" is not to do nothing."

Key Quotes

"The benefits of a modest warming would outweigh the costs – by $8.4 billion a year in 1990 dollars by the year 2060, according to Robert Mendelsohn at Yale University – thanks to longer growing seasons, more wood fiber production, lower construction costs, lower mortality rates, and lower rates of morbidity (illness)." [2]

Key Deeds

As the president and CEO of the Heartland Institute [4], Bast helped organize and introduce the First [5] (March 2008), Second [6] (March 2009), Third [7] (June 2009), Fourth [8] (May 2010), Fifth [9] (Oct 2010), Sixth [10] (June 2011), and Seventh [11] (May, 2012) international conferences on climate change. 

June 21, 2005

Testified before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on the  "Cost of Greenhouse Gas Control”"(PDF [12]). [3]

1995

Wrote and designed a series of six brochures on environmental issues for distribution to elected officials, journalists, and other audiences. [3]

1989

Wrote, co-directed, and co-produced a 20-minute video titled Coming Out of the Ice.  The video covered a variety of public policy issues such as tort reform, privatization, school reform, and taxes. [3]

Affiliations

• The Heartland Institute [13] – President and CEO, Board of Directors 1990 – current.

• Nomos Press Inc. — Board of Directors, 1983 - 1988. 

• State Policy Network [14] — Founding Director, officer, and member of the executive committee, 1991-1997. 

• Advocates for Self-Government [15] — Board of Advisors, 2003 – current.

• Illinois Policy Institute [16] — Board of Advisors, 2004 – current. 

• Center for Medicine in the Public Interest [17] — Board of Advisors, 2005 – current. 

• American Conservative Union [18] — Board of Directors, 2007 – current.

• Grassroot Institute of Hawaii [19] — Board of Scholars. [20] [4]

Source: [3]

Publications

Bast is the coauthor of 12 books, including Rebuilding America's Schools (1990), Why We Spend Too Much on Health Care (1992), Eco-Sanity: A Common-Sense Guide to Environmentalism (1994), and Education & Capitalism (2003). [3]

He has not published any articles in peer-reviewed journals on the subject of climate change. A list of his books, publications, and policy studies is available at his profile at the Heartland Institute [21].

Resources

1. Joseph Bast. "Eight Reasons Why Global Warming is a Scam" (PDF [22]), The Heartland Institute, February 1, 2003.

2. "Testimony by Joseph L. Bast President, The Heartland Institute
   to the Environment Committee of the Iowa House Monday, February 9, 2004" (PDF [23]), The Heartland Institute.

3. "Joseph L. Bast - 2008 Resumé [4]." The Heartland Institute.

4. "Staff and Board Members: Joseph L. Bast [20]," Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

5. "The Heartland Institute [13]," SourceWatch.

6. "Joseph Bast [24]," SourceWatch.