Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow

The Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) is a conservative Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization, founded in 1985. CFACT co-founder Craig Rucker stated that mankind faces a threat "not from man-made global warming, but from man-made hysteria."[1] In 1993, CFACT began a daily radio program, "Just the Facts," which in 2012 reached 5,000 daily broadcasts.[2]

In 1994, CFACT began attending United Nations conferences and World Trade Organization meetings that addressed environment and development issues. It was given recognition as an official non-governmental organization for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.[3]

CFACT produces online articles and radio segments on environmental and consumer subjects. In 2004, CFACT Europe was founded and provides public policy research, analysis, publications and conferences.[4] CFACT also coordinates the work of affiliate chapters, called Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow, on U.S. college campuses.

Personnel

CFACT is governed by a Board of Directors that includes founding President David Rothbard and founding Executive Director Craig Rucker. Prominent staffers include Communications Director Marc Morano, whose primary job is maintenance of the Climate Depot news service; Senior Policy Analyst Paul Driessen, whose book, Eco-Imperialism: Green Power, Black Death, discusses ways environmentalist organizations perpetuate poverty and disease in developing countries; and environmental journalist Duggan Flanakin.[5]

CFACT has a 50-member board of advisors. Among the advisors are South African nuclear engineer Kelvin Kemm; Craig Idso and Sherwood Idso of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change; Alex Avery and Dennis T. Avery of the Hudson Institute; Patrick J. Michaels, a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute; Roger Bate, director of Africa Fighting Malaria; professor William M. Gray of Colorado State University; Peter Holle, founding president of Canada's Frontier Institute for Public Policy Research; Willie Soon of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Vincent Gray, founder of the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition; and Howard Hayden, publisher of "The Energy Advocate."[6]

Funding

Total revenues over the past three years have averaged around $3 million, as reported on the organization's IRS Form 990[7] and its most recent annual audited financial statement.[8] In 2010, nearly half of CFACT's funding came from Donors Trust, a nonprofit donor-advised fund.[9] In 2011, CFACT received a $1.2 million grant from Donors Trust, 40% of CFACT's revenue that year.[10]

CFACT does not disclose its funding sources. According to CFACT, it is mainly funded by private citizens and has never sought or received money from federal, state, or local governments. As of 2013, it had a three-star (out of four) rating from Charity Navigator[11] and a four-star (out of five) rating from GuideStar.[12]

Environmental issues

CFACT is a member organization of the Cooler Heads Coalition, which aims at "dispelling the myths of global warming through science and analysis."[13] CFACT chapters have protested in defense of oil exploration[14] and in opposition to the Kyoto Protocol.[15] CFACT supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[16] A 2009 article in Mother Jones magazine said CFACT was a source of climate disinformation.[17]

The 2016 documentary film Climate Hustle, co-written and presented by ClimateDepot's Marc Morano, was produced by "CFACT Presents", with the organization's president and executive director, David Rothbard and Craig Rucker, receiving executive producer credits.[18][19]

Copenhagen Climate Challenge 2009

During the COP15 conference in Copenhagen, CFACT hosted an outside side event in Copenhagen called the Copenhagen Climate Challenge.[20] COP15 attracted 33,200 delegates, the side event was attended by 60 people (15 journalists, 18 speakers, 27 audience)[21] According to Lenore Taylor of The Australian, Professor Ian Plimer, "a star attraction of the two-day event", attracted an audience of 45.[22]

Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency

In December 2013 CFACT served as amicus curiae for the Southeastern Legal Foundation in the review of the Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency case.

Their main argument presented was:

The EPA's attempt to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources without authority from congress in order to accomplish its preferred policy objectives violates the separation of powers.[23]

On the issue, CFACT policy adviser Paul Driessen commented that:

The real threat to public health and welfare is not climate change. It is EPA and what this rogue agency is doing in the name of preventing climate change. If the Supreme Court allows this, by giving carte blanche authority to EPA, the battle will rage on countless other fronts, because voters are sick and tired of being lied to, manipulated, defrauded, and forced to pay outrageous prices for oppressive regulations.

Democrats say they plan to use climate change to attack Republicans in 2014. I say, Bring it on![24]

The challenges were unanimously rejected by a three-judge panel at the D.C. circuit court, some on the merits and some over issues of standing.[25]

The Supreme Court accepted review of the case and heard oral arguments on February 24, 2014.[26]

On June 23, 2014, the Court reaffirmed EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Justice Antonin Scalia commented “... EPA is getting almost everything it wanted in this case, ... It sought to regulate sources that it said were responsible for 86 percent of all the greenhouse gases emitted from stationary sources nationwide. Under our holdings, EPA will be able to regulate sources responsible for 83 percent of those emissions.”[27]

References

  1. ↑ "'Man-Made Hysteria' – Copenhagen Insider". copenhagen.nationaljournal.com. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  2. ↑ "Just the Facts". Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "UNFCCC Admitted NGOs". Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  4. ↑ "CFACT Europe". cfact.org.
  5. ↑ "CFACT Staff". Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "CFACT Board of Advisors". Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "CFACT's 2011 IRS Form 990" (PDF). Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "CFACT 2011 Audit" (PDF). Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Goldenberg, Suzanne (February 14, 2013). "How Donors Trust distributed millions to anti-climate groups". The Guardian. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  10. ↑ Hickley, Walter (February 12, 2013). "Inside The Secretive Dark-Money Organization That's Keeping The Lights On For Conservative Groups". Business Insider. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  11. ↑ "CFACT Charity Navigator Rating". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "CFACT GuideStar Rating". GuideStar. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "About GlobalWarming.org and the Cooler Heads Coalition". globalwarming.org. Archived from the original on 21 April 2006.
  14. ↑ "CFACT". cfactcampus.org.
  15. ↑ "CFACT". cfactcampus.org.
  16. ↑ "Drilling for straight facts on ANWR development". cfact.org.
  17. ↑ Harkinson, Josh (December 4, 2009). "The Dirty Dozen of Climate Change Denial". Mother Jones. Retrieved August 17, 2015. Here's a guide to the dozen loudest components of the climate disinformation machine...Meet the 12 loudest members of the chorus claiming that global warming is a joke and that CO2 emissions are actually good for you.
  18. ↑ Hinckley, Story (2 May 2016). "'Climate Hustle' mocks climate change concerns with a movie". Christian Science Monitor.
  19. ↑ McNary, Dave (11 April 2016). "Sarah Palin Endorses Anti-Climate Change Film (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  20. ↑ Gray, Louise (2009-12-09). "Copenhagen climate summit: Behind the scenes at the sceptics' conference – Telegraph". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  21. ↑ Giles Parkinson. "COPENHAGEN CALLING: Greening Australia". www.businessspectator.com.au. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
  22. ↑ "Plimer the toast of Copenhagen sceptics meeting". The Australian. www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  23. ↑ "Brief of the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioners" (PDF). American Bar Association. December 16, 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  24. ↑ Paul Driessen (March 11, 2014). "Will the Supreme Court permit EPA climate fraud?". CFACT. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  25. ↑ "Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to E.P.A. Rules on Gas Emissions". The New York Times. October 15, 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  26. ↑ . March 10, 2014 http://www.bna.com/top-five-bloomberg-b17179882709/. Retrieved 17 March 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ↑ "Supreme Court Says EPA Can Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions". July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.

External links

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