Ivar Giaever

Credentials

• Ph.D., Physics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1964). [1]
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Norwegian Institute of Technology (1952). [1]

Background

Ivar Giaever is a retired professor formerly with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s department of physics. In 1973 Giaever shared the Nobel Prize for physics with Leo Esakis for their discovery of electron tunnelling in superconductors; work Giaever had done while working with General Electric (GE). [2]

Currently, Giaever is the Chief Technology Officer of the company Applied BioPhysics Inc. [3]

Giaever emigrated to Canada in 1954 where he studied engineering with Canadian General Electric’s Advanced Engineering Program. He then emigrated to the USA where he completing engineering courses with GE, and eventually joined the GE Research and Development center in 1958 at the same time he began his study of physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1964. [1]

According to Giaever’s profile at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he was also awarded the Oliver E. Buckley Prize by the American Physical Society in 1965, and the Zworykin Award by the National Academy of Engineering in 1974. [4]

Giaever resigned from the American Physical Society when he disagreed with their stance on global warming (which they believe is occurring and is “incontrovertible”). [5]

According to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Oslo, and Google Scholar, Ivar Giaever has not published any work in the area of climate science.  Giaever’s climate science resume is limited to serving on a climate change discussion panel at the 51st convention of Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine.  At the convention, Giaever stated he is skeptical of the importance of the issue of global warming. [6]

Giaever is listed among “ambassadors” to The Climate Intelligence Foundation (CLINTEL), a Netherlands-based group that has pushed the idea that “there is no climate emergency.” [26], [27], [28]

Stance on Climate Change

2015

“I would say that basically global warming is a non-problem.” [7]

2008

“Global warming has become a new religion.” [8]

Key Quotes

July, 2015

Ivar Giaever gave a presentation titled, “Global Warming Revisited,” at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings on July 1, 2015. [9] 

Giaver states that “global warming is a non-problem,” “has become a new religion,” and that “we have to stop wasting huge, I mean huge amounts of money on global warming.” [7]

2008

Giaever is unsure if the global commitment to implement more energy efficient technology is a possibility. He cited the lack of action and change since the Kyoto agreement:

“I don’t see much change in these years when we were supposed to have done something about this already. If we were really serious about this thing why don’t we talk about nuclear power?” [6]

Key Deeds 

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. [23]

Giaever 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. [24]

The letter reads: [25]

“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!”

May 2, 2016

Ivar Giaever was listed among “Key Scientists” appearing in Marc Morano’s movie, Climate Hustle. The full list included the following: [10] 

• Robert Giegengack
• Judith Curry
• Richard Tol
• Caleb Rossiter
• Ivar Giaever
• Roy Spencer
• Daniel B. Botkin
• Patrick Moore
• Don J. Easterbrook
• Robert M. Carter
• John Theon
• Dennis Rancourt
• William M. Briggs
• Roger Pielke Sr.
• Walter Cunningham
• Patrick J. Michaels
• Lord Christopher Monckton
• Anthony Watts
• Leighton Steward
• Philip Stott
• Will Happer

Marc Morano’s Climate Hustle was released in U.S. theatres on May 2, 2016. Bill Nye described it as  “not in our national interest and the world’s interest.” [11]

The film was produced by the Committee for Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) and CDRCommunications. As noted at Desmog’s project, ClimateHustler.org,  CFACT has received funding from ExxonMobil, Chevron, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars from foundations associated with Richard Mellon Scaife. CFACT has also received at least $7.8 million in “dark money” through DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund.  [12], [13]

CDR Communications was behind the 2010 video by the Cornwall Alliance titled Resisting the Green Dragon, which claimed environmentalism was a “false religion” and a “global government” power grab. Chris Rogers of CDR Communictions is also chairman of The James Partnership, the umbrella arm that includes the Cornwall Alliance as one of its projects and pays the salary of Calvin Beisner, Cornwall’s founder and spokesperson. [14]

Climate Hustle initially premiered on December 7, 2015 in Paris, France during the COP21 United Nations summit on climate change. [15], [16]

“We are putting together what I think is the most comprehensive, unique, entertaining and humorous climate documentary that has ever been done or attempted,” Morano had said before the film was released. [17]

“The reason that this is a unique film,” Morano has said, “is that we are going for a pop culture-friendly… sarcastic approach and we actually give both sides in this movie.” 

In an interview with Ezra Levant, Morano said:

“I am not interviewing a lot of the main climate sceptical scientists because I feel like they have been interviewed by many other people and their stories have been told. I am trying to find another layer of scientist whose stories have not been out there yet. You will see a lot of new names in this.”  [17]

See a preview of the film below:

At the Paris premier of the film, reporters from Desmog and the Irish Times were denied entrance after having their RSVPs accepted days earlier. [18]

July 1, 2015

Ivar Giaever gave a presentation titled, “Global Warming Revisited,” at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings on July 1, 2015. [9] 

Giaver states that “global warming is a non-problem,” “has become a new religion,” and that “we have to stop wasting huge, I mean huge amounts of money on global warming,” according to Marc Morano’s blog post at Climate Depot, “Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist Who Endorsed Obama Now Says Prez. is ‘Ridiculous’ & ‘Dead Wrong’ on ‘Global Warming’.” [7]

Giaever goes on to say “If you want to help Africa, help them out of poverty, do not try to build solar cells and windmills … Cheap energy is what made us rich and now suddenly people don’t want it anymore. ”[7]

View Ivar Giaever’s presentation at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, below: [9]

September 14, 2011

Giaever announced his resignation from the American Physical Society (APS) after disagreeing with their stance on climate change. 

According to the APS,

“The evidence is incontrovertible: Global warming is occurring. If no mitigating actions are taken, significant disruptions in the Earth’s physical and ecological systems, social systems, security and human health are likely to occur. We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases beginning now.” [19]

March 2009

Ivar Giaever’s name appears on a full-page ad funded by the CATO Institute that was featured in numerous newspapers including the Washington Post, New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune in 2009. [20]

The advertisement criticizes President Obama’s declaration that “few challenges facing America and the world are more urgent than combating climate change,” by saying “with all due respect Mr. President, that is not true.” [20]

According to ad, “there has been no net global warming for over a decade,” and the dangers of global warming are “grossly overstated.” [20]

The Cato Institute has received $125,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998, and lists Phillip Morris as one of its “national allies.” They have also received undisclosed amounts of funding from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Koch Family Foundations. [21]

July 2008

Giaever served on the climate change discussion panel at the 51st convention of Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine. [6]

The panel discussed solutions to climate change by using technologies such as nuclear energy, solar power, and photovoltaic cells.

Gaiver was described as “the panel’s self-proclaimed ‘skeptic’ in regard to the importance of global warming,” and he questioned the likelihood of obtaining such a feat. Since the Kyoto agreement, ‘I don’t see much change in these years when we were supposed to have done something about this already,’ he said. ‘If we are really worried about this thing why don’t we talk about nuclear power?’ [6]

Affiliations  

• The Climate Intelligence Foundation (CLINTEL) — ambassador. [26]
• Heartland Institute — “Global warming Expert.” [22]
• Cato Institute — Endorser of Cato Institute’s global warming advertisement. [20]

Publications

Based on a review of his publications at Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute and at Google Scholar, Dr. Giaever has not published any work in the area of climate science.

Resources

1. “Ivar Giaever – Biographical,” Nobelprize.org. Archived September 10, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/yRMqh
2. “Press Release: The 1973 Nobel Prize in Physics,” Nobelprize.org.” Archived February 5, 2005. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/jdRfS
3. “Who We Are,” Applied BioPhysics. October 6, 2020. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/n5fQE
4. “Ivar Giaever,” Profile at the Physics Department of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Accessed January, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/MI6DE
5. Marc Morano. “Exclusive: Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist Who Endorsed Obama Dissents! Resigns from American Physical Society Over Group’s Promotion of Man-Made Global Warming,” Climate Depot, September 14, 2011.  Archived September 10, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/n8reZ
6. “Nobelists talk energy,” Climate Feedback, July 15, 2008. Archived September 10, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/LGrCX
7. Marc Morano. “Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist Who Endorsed Obama Now Says Prez. is ‘Ridiculous’ & ‘Dead Wrong’ on ‘Global Warming’,” Climate Depot, July 6, 2015. Archived July 27, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/7rQ3T
8. “Nobel Prize Winner for Physics Declares Himself Dissenter,” EPW Blog, July 2, 2008. Archived September 10, 2016. Archive.is URL:  https://archive.is/ag61C
9. “Ivar Giaever: Global Warming Revisited (2015),” Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, July 1, 2015. Archived July 27, 2015. 
10. “Background on Key Scientists Appearing in Climate Hustle” (PDF), ClimateHustle.org. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.
11. “‘Climate Hustle’ debuts as skeptics take on global-warming ‘consensus’,” The Washington Times, May 1, 2016. Archived August 26, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/XtLXp
12. “Background on Climate Hustle Host and Producers,” ClimateHustle.org. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.
13. Homepage, climatehustler.org. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/NB9qn
14. Graham Readfearn. “The Evangelical Christian Climate Deniers Behind Marc Morano’s Climate Hustle Documentary,” Desmog, November 19, 2015.
15. Matthew Kasper, “Climate Hustle, Latest Global Warming Denial Documentary, Set For World Premiere In Paris During COP21,” Republic Report, November 13, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/s7OHs
16. “Climate Hustle,” SourceWatch, accessed November 14, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/bOG35], [“Background on Key Scientists Appearing in Climate Hustle,” Climate Hustle. Archived January 11, 2016.
17. Graham Readfearn. “Marc Morano’s Climate Hustle Film Set For Paris Premiere With Same Old Denial Myths,” Desmog, November 12, 2015.
18. Graham Readfearn. “The Fakery of the Paris ‘Red Carpet’ Premiere of Marc Morano’s Climate Hustle Film,” Desmog, December 30, 2015.
19. “National Policy: 07.1 CLIMATE CHANGE,” APS Physics. Archived September 10, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Yu6PD
20. “With all due respect Mr.President, that is not true (PDF),” The Cato Institute.
21. “Cato Institute 2006 Annual Report” (PDF), Cato Institute. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.
22. “Ivar Giaever,” The Heartland Institute. Archived September 10, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/bjL2j
23. Robin 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
24. Graham Readfearn. “Climate Science Deniers Defend New York’s American Museum of Natural History From Calls to Drop Trustee Rebekah Mercer,” DeSmog, February 6, 2018.
25. mnh18-feb4-petitionletter (PDF – Untitled). Retrieved from Watts Up With That.
26. “Fight virus not carbon,” Climate Intelligence Foundation, March 23, 2020. Archived April 6, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/BmRkD
27. Richard Collett-White. “Climate Science Deniers Planning European Misinformation Campaign, Leaked Documents Reveal,” DeSmog, September 6, 2019.
28. “Prominent scientists warn UN Secretary-General Guterres,” Climate Intelligence Foundation, September 23, 2019. Archived April 6, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/PNSdC

Other Resources