David E. Wojick

Credentials

• Ph.D. “The Logic of Science,” specializing in Mathematical Logic and Conceptual Analysis, University of Pittsburgh (1974). [1], [2]
• B.S., Civil Engineering, Carnegie-Mellon University (1964). [1]

Background

Wojick is a journalist and policy analyst. He holds a doctorate in epistemology, specializing in the field of Mathematical Logic and Conceptual Analysis. [1]

Wojick was a “scientific advisor” for a now-defunct Greening Earth Society (GES), a group created by the Western Fuels Association, a large US coal industry association. He is currently an expert at the Heartland Institute, where he regularly contributes articles critical of mainstream climate change science. [2], [7]

In his role as a “policy analyst,” Wojick’s clients have included AES Corporation, one of the largest electrical generation companies, with much of that in the form of coal. Wojick also worked with Allegheny Energy, a company that generates 95% of its power from coal. [12], [1]

Wojick is the owner and operator of Climatechangedebate.org, a listserv discussing climate change. He is also a former columnist for the Electricity Daily, a now-defunct electrical industry trade magazine. [11], [4]

From 1976 to 1981, Wojick was head of Adams & Wojick Associates, which worked on federal regulations for industry and government. [1]

Wojick is listed as a “founding member” of the climate change denial group Clexit (Climate Exit). According to the group’s founding statement, “Global warming has occurred naturally many times in the past and is not to be feared – it is not controlled by carbon dioxide or humans.” [21], [20]

Stance on Climate Change

June 6, 2016

In an episode of the Heartland Daily Podcast, Wojick outlined where he fits on the scale of climate change skepticism: [27]

“There are three major camps, if you like, in the debate. There are what are often called the warmers: those are people who think that humans are changing the climate, and that this is dangerous. Then there are the lukewarmers: these are people that say that, well, it may well be that humans are having a significant effect on climate but it’s not dangerous. It’s either neutral or in fact it may be benign. It may be a good thing. It’s a good thing we got out of the little ice age, for example.

“Pat Michaels, I have to mention, is a leading lukewarmer. In fact, I can plug his new book called lukewarming, which published by Cato quite recently. I recommend it highly. I am neither. I am a true skeptic. 

“Although, it’s a little tricky because, ah, and this is where my, I guess my philosophical training comes in, it’s not a question of saying it’s humans are not affecting the climate. It’s more a matter of saying we don’t know what affect humans are having on the climate. In other words, it’s not a claim, it’s a concern. It’s an open question.”

October 1, 2002

“The problem is that the earth is very large and the temperature is always changing, everywhere, so how can we possibly tell if overall it is a mere half-degree warmer today than it was around 1902? The origin of the theory of global warming (for it is just a theory) lies in taking the thermometer readings we happen to have from the last 100 years and massaging them in various ways. Some places have clearly warmed, others have clearly cooled. Many have gone up and down but with little apparent trend. To get a global result requires a lot of statistical manipulation. […] even if the earth has warmed a little bit there is still the very real possibility that this warming is natural, that the models are no good, that warming is beneficial, etc.” Wojick wrote in “A skeptic’s guide to global warming” at the National Post . [3]

Key Quotes

December 1, 2017

Writing at the Heartland Institute, Wojick claims there is no link between Hurricane Harvey and climate change, and suggests more skepticism should be taught in schools: [30]

“The motion of climate change is highly chaotic, poorly understood and at this point completely unpredictable within certain broad limits. In fact, there is strong evidence that the natural climate is capable of warming or cooling several degrees very quickly. […]”

”[…] The true shame is that teachers read this stuff and believe it, then teach it to their students, spreading it like a disease. What is lacking are alternative skeptical sources of sound science for teachers and students.”

September 11, 2017

In a statement at the Heartland Institute, Wojick describes a global warming lawsuit brought by 21 children and young adults against the Trump administration as a “reprehensible political stunt”: [24]

“The use of children as plaintiffs is a reprehensible political stunt,” said Wojick. “Yet the case is likely to go to trial because it alleges present as well as future damages and climate science literature is full of articles claiming humans are contributing to present weather extremes, so the plaintiffs should have no trouble finding experts.

“Even worse, the U.S. government has officially declared carbon dioxide emissions endanger Americans’ health and welfare,” Wojick said. “The plaintiffs are asking the court to require the government to act, which is common. It is time these fallacious arguments are publicly exposed, especially the bogus science.”

May 2, 2005

“In point of fact, the hypothesis that solar variability and not human activity is warming the oceans goes a long way to explain the puzzling idea that the Earth’s surface may be warming while the atmosphere is not. The GHG hypothesis does not do this,” Wojick wrote at the Heartland Institute. [4]

Key Deeds

October 2019

Wojick signed the “Realist Catholic Climate Declaration,” drafted by Heartland Institute policy analyst William Briggs, which stated, “the earth’s climate has always changed, is changing now, and will never cease changing. The extent to which man is responsible for climate change is not known, only surmised. There is no earthly force capable of stopping climate change,” and that, “the salvation of souls is of more pressing concern than the air temperature. Pray to God and pray for your neighbor, not to the planet.” [31], [32]

The declaration was endorsed by Anthony Watts’ blog Watts Up With That, in a post by Charles Rotter, which stated, “please share this as widely as possible. With the concept of ‘eco-sins’ being bruited, and the return of paganism, this declaration is timely and important.” [33]

According to a post at William Briggs’s website: “This statement is to be in contradistinction to the hyperbolic and inaccurate ‘U.S. Catholic Climate Declaration’,” Briggs wrote of the draft. “The goal is to have something short, sweet, certain, and Catholic.” [34]

February 5, 2018

Writing at the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), Wojick alleges that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “starts with its conclusion then mines the scientific literature for ways to justify it. One might call this Reverse Science, an analog to Reverse Engineering,” and describes their draft as “hyper-alarmist.” [10]

Wojick claims that the Paris Climate Agreement targets of limited future warming to 2.0 degrees C is “silly” as is the “sillier” target of 1.5 degrees. 10]

“The big reason for this is money,” Wojick claims. “Given the goofy computer models it will be much harder, hence much more expensive, to hit the 1.5 degrees of warming target. In fact immediate drastic action is required. Hence the developing countries, which control the Paris process, get a lot more money a lot sooner.” 10]

Wojick concludes:

“So basically, the alarmists have created a problem for themselves. They first made the models “hot,” which means highly sensitive to CO2, in order to hype the scare. Now they have made the warming-limit target impossibly low for political correctness (and revenue enhancement).

“Demanding the impossible is the road to failure. Let’s hope so.” [10]

October 19, 2017

Writing at Townhall, Wojick calls for a “Red Team critique” of the upcoming Climate Science Special Report (CSSR), which Wojick describes as “an extremely alarmist rendition of what is supposedly happening with Earth’s climate.” [22]

“It would be ironic indeed if the skeptical Trump Administration were to simply issue this alarmist report as federal policy on climate change science. In fact, it would be tragic, a major defeat for climate realism and sound science,” Wojick claimed. “Thankfully, there is a simple way to turn this looming defeat into a major victory. The solution is to do an official Red Team critique of the CSSR.” [22]

Wojick is hopeful that, through this approach, “this criticism would be official, which will make climate skepticism official U.S. policy.” [22]

DeSmog reported that the “Red team,” which has been pushed by EPA chief Scott Pruitt, has its origin in eight-year-old talking points presented by the Heartland Institute. [23]

June 19, 2017

Wojick announced a crowd funding campaign for the “Climate Change Debate Education (CCDE) project” with the goal of injecting climate change denial into classrooms. The project proposes a “website portal” to distribute materials to teachers and students, with the end goal of reaching “not just teachers, but parents, friends of students and the students themselves.” [28]

His plan includes a method of “getting around the gatekeepers” who he describes as “doctrinaire people who make it hard to get balance into the classroom” by producing handouts that “that a parent or student can bring to class.” [28]

The CCDE project bears notable similarities to the “K-12 Climate Education Project”, headed by Wojick, that the Heartland Institute had set aside $75,000 for in its leaked 2012 budget document. [13], [14]

For CCDE, Wojick identifies three target audiences: “teachers, parents and students. Teachers need lesson plans, which are relatively specialized documents. Students need materials written at their grade level. Parents need non-technical information that they can explain to their children or use to confront a gatekeeper.” [28]

Wojick concludes that materials should be “simple” and not actually delve into the “technical details” of climate science: 

“It is important to keep in mind that many K-12 science teachers do not have science degrees, nor do most parents. K-12 is not the place to go into the technical details of climate science. Simplicity is the key,” Wojick wrote. [28]

The GoFundMe had collected $6,025 of its $35,000 goal as of February 2018. [29]

June 6, 2016

On an episode of the Heartland Daily Podcast, Wojick discusses how he is working with climate change denier Pat Michaels at the Cato Institute. [27]

“I’ve been with them now for about well, a little over a year,” Wojick said. “[…] We’re focusing initially on climate change, because that’s Pat’s area of expertise, but we’re also trying to branch out into other areas, science-intensive policy areas, and really science as a whole.” [27]

Wojick said he’s done “one major study” for Cato so far, plus “a number of littler studies” with more coming. [27]

February 2012

Leaked internal strategy and funding documents from the Heartland Institute, obtained by DeSmog, revealed that the conservative climate change denial think tank planned to pay approximately $25,000 in June, September, and December ($75,000 total budget) for a “K-12 Climate Education Project” headed by David Wojick. Below is a screenshot from the Heartland Institute “2012 Proposed Budget.” [13], [14]

ThinkProgress reported further on Heartland’s planned “global warming curriculum” that would present climate science as “a major scientific controversy.” [15]

April 2006

Wojick was a signatory to an open letter suggesting that Prime Minister Stephen Harper stall any action on climate policy because, the signatories claimed, “climate changes all the time due to natural causes.” The letter calls for a delay on Kyoto emissions reductions, and states “allocating funds to ‘stopping climate change’ would be irrational.” [16]

July 2003

Wojick participated in shaping the Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Program (SPCC) final report in July, 2003. In his presentation to representatives of CCSP (The Climate Change Science Program) he “made the case for uncertainty.” [5]

His report, “Key Uncertainties, Milestones and Issues in the CCSP,” was originally available on the American Petroleum Institute’s website, but has since been removed. DeSmog hosts the file here. [17]

November 13, 2002

While not attending in person, Wojick was listed as “available for phone & email interviews” for a press conference titled “Kyoto’s Fatal Flaws Revealed.” Tom Harris of the PR Company APCO Worldwide helped organize the conference. [19]

A range of prominent climate change deniers spoke at the event, including Tim Patterson, Fred Singer, Tim Ball, Madhav L. Khandekar, Pat Michaels, Fred Michel, and Howard Hayden. [19]

May 30, 2000

Wojick was part of a team organized by the Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP) to conduct an “independent review of the IPCC‘s Third Assessment Report.” The so-called “Science Integrity Team” briefed members of Congress, news media and other organizations on Capitol Hill about how, generally, climate change was a non-issue. Hugh Ellsaesser, Richard Courtney, Vincent Gray, Wibjorn Karlin, Ross McKitrick, and other prominent global warming skeptics also attended the SEPP briefing. [18]

Affiliations

• Natural Resources Stewardship Project (NRSP) — Past “Allied Expert.” The NRSP is now defunct. [6]
• Greening Earth Society — Past “Scientific Advisor.” The Greening Earth Society is now defunct. [2]
• The Heartland Institute — Expert. [7]
• Hudson Institute — Expert. [25]
• Cato Institute — Study Author, working with Pat Michaels. [26]
• Environment & Climate News — Contributing Editor. [9]
• Electricity Daily — Past columnist (the magazine is now defunct). [4]
• OSTI — Past consultant, in areas of “information and communication science.” [8]
• Clexit — Founding Member. [21]
• DEWA — The Heartland Institute has introduced Wojick as “head of DEWA, a cognitive science and policy analysis consultancy.”[24]

Clients

Wojick formerly linked to the following ”twenty-five Year Distinguished Client List” on his resume: [12]

• Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
• U.S. Department of Commerce – Deputy Secretary for Policy
• Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
• Chief of Naval Research
• Carnegie-Mellon University
• The AES Corporation
• Allegheny Power System
• Duquesne Light Company
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – head office
• U.S. Congress – Office of Technology Assessment
• Naval Research Laboratory
• City of Seattle
• Seattle Port Authority
• Foundation for Applied Science & Technology
• American Bankers Association
• New York Bankers Association
• Citibank N.A.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• P.P.G. Industries Inc. (Pittsburgh Paint, Pittsburgh Plate Glass, Etc.)
• United States Steel Company Inc.
• Levinson Steel Company
• International Pest Management Association
• National Science Foundation
• National Cancer Institute
• U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Banconsumer Services, Inc.
• Institute for Water Resources
• Pennsylvania Bank and Trust Company
• Administrative Conference of the United States
• State of Pennsylvania
• Citizens for a Sound Economy
• National Aggregates Association
• National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
• Standard Army Automated Contracting System
• AEGIS Weapons Program
• American Portland Cement Association
• Strategic Weapon Facility Pacific
• U.S. Water Resources Council
• CATO Institute

Social Media

• @DavidWojick on Twitter.

Publications

According to a search of Google Scholar, Wojick has not published any articles peer-reviewed journals on the subject of climate change. His publications are mainly on the subject of epistemology.

Resources

1. “David E. Wojick, PE, Ph.D.” (Resume), PowerVision. Archived July 4, 2007. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/brtko
2. “Scientific Advisors,” The Greening Earth Society. Archived February 20, 1999.
3. David E. Wojick. “A skeptic’s guide to global warming,” National Post, October 1, 2002. Republished by the Frontier Center for Public Policy. Archived July 10, 2010. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/XrFjo
4. David E. Wojick. “Another False Alarm on Global Warming,” The Heartland Institute, May 2, 2005. Archived February 28, 2006. Archive.is URL: http://archive.li/Fd3YO
5. “Re: Strategic Plan for the U.S. CCSP (Jl 2003), Wojick’s Assessment” E-mail from David E. Wojick, published at ClimateArchive.
6. “Natural Resources Stewardship Project ‘Allied Experts’,” Natural Resources Stewardship Project. Archived March 24, 2009.
7. “David Wojick”, The Heartland Institute Archived February 22, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/S1tAB
8. “A Taxonomy of Energy Subjects briefly explained,” (PDF), DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (www.osti.gov), June 4, 2004.
9. David Wojick. “Publicity Stunt,” The Heartland Institute, May 3, 2005. Archived September 30, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/032BN
10. “1.5 degrees of climate madness,” CFACT, February 5, 2018. Archived February 20, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/cM5Z0
11. Homepage, Climatechangedebate.org. Archived February 22, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/WOrHA
12. “Twenty-five Year Distinguished Client List of David Wojick,” PowerVision. Archived June 13, 2007.
13. Brendan DeMelle. “Heartland Institute Exposed: Internal Documents Unmask Heart of Climate Denial Machine,” DeSmog, February 14, 2012.
14. “2012 Proposed Budget” (PDF), The Heartland Institute, January 14, 2012.
15. Brad Johnson. “INTERNAL DOCUMENTS: The Secret, Corporate-Funded Plan To Teach Children That Climate Change Is A Hoax,” ThinkProgress, February 14, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/gYVns
16. Richard Littlemore. “Denying Climate Change; Urging Inaction,” DeSmog, April 19, 2006.
17. “An Assessment of the Strategic Plan of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program” (PDF), Climatechangedebate.org. On file at DeSmog.
18. “What’s wrong with U.N. climate science: An independent scientific review of the IPCC‘s Third Assessment Report,” Science and Environmental Policy Project, May 25, 2000. Archived February 15, 2007. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/A2GIN
19. “Kyoto’s Fatal Flaws Revealed,” Climate Search, November 12, 2002. Archived February 7, 2003. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/YyfPX
20. “After Brexit, Clexit” (PDF), Clexit.net. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.
21. “Clexit now comprises 190 members from 26 counties” (PDF), Clexit.net. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
22. David Wojick. “Trying to Perpetuate Alarmist Climate ‘Science’,“ Townhall, October 19, 2017. Archived February 22, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/nxgX7 
23. Graham Readfearn. “EPA Chief Pruitt’s ‘Red Team’ on Climate Science Is an Eight-Year-Old Talking Point Pushed by Heartland Institute,” DeSmog, June 13. 2017. 
24. “APPEALS COURT PLACES HOLD ON ACTIVIST–BACKED YOUTH CLIMATE LAWSUIT,” The Heartland Institute, September 11, 2017. Archived February 21, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/opGH5
25. “David E. Wojick,” Hudson Institute. Archived February 22, 2018.
26. “DR. DAVID WOJICK: HOW GOVERNMENT FUNDING BIAS CORRUPTS SCIENCE,” The Heartland Institute, June 6, 2016. Archived .mp3 on file at DeSmog.
27. H. Sterling Burnett. “DR. DAVID WOJICK: HOW GOVERNMENT FUNDING BIAS CORRUPTS SCIENCE”
28. “JOIN THE FIGHT FOR SKEPTICISM IN SCHOOLS,” The Heartland Institute, June 19, 2017. Archived February 22, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/qGFVr
29. “Climate change debate education,” GoFundMe. Archived February 22, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/5PrHz
30. David Wojick. “HYPING HURRICANE HARVEY TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS,” The Heartland Institute, December 1, 2017. Archived February 22, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/08Ho1
31. ”The Declaration,” Realist Catholic Climate Declaration, Archived October 29, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.is/O2m5D
32. ”William Briggs,”The Heartland Institute, Archived October 26, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/bDHXU
33. Charles Rotter,“Realist Catholic Climate Change Declaration,” Watts Up with That, October 13, 2019. Archived October 23, 2020. Archive. URL: https://archive.vn/aieXw
34. “Draft Realist Catholic Climate Declaration: Please Share!” William M. Briggs, October 7, 2019. Archived October 8, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/yveCN

Other Resources

• “David E. Wojick,” SourceWatch Profile.
• ExxonSecrets Factsheet: David Wojick.