Holger J. Thuss

Credentials

• PhD, modern history, University of Jena, Germany (2005).¹“Curriculum Vitae Dr. Holger Thuss” (.doc), retrieved from policyexperts.org, November, 2012.
• MA, modern history, public law and political science, University of Jena, Germany (2000).²“Curriculum Vitae Dr. Holger Thuss” (.doc), retrieved from policyexperts.org, November, 2012.

Background

Holger J. Thuss is the current president of the European Institute for Climate and Energy, a group of German climate change skeptics founded in 2007 in Hanover (Europäisches Institut für Klima und Energie in German). Thuss also co-founded CFACT Europe, a group focused on “free market environmentalism” and served as its Executive Director as of 2004. Thuss has also been involved in European Politics, having served as an assistant to the former president of the European Union, Jacques Santer. From 2002 to 2004, Thuss served as Deputy Secretary General of the entrepreneurs association of the European People’s Party, and held various other positions with the European People’s Party from 1996 to 2002.³“Curriculum Vitae Dr. Holger Thuss” (.doc), retrieved from policyexperts.org, November, 2012. ⁴“Impressum,” EIKE. Accessed November 29, 2012. ⁵“CFACT Staff,” Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. Archived March 30, 2009.

Thuss studied modern history and law at the Jena University and finished with a PhD in 2005. Between 1996 and 2004 he worked for various interest organizations in Bonn, Brussels and Berlin. He co-founded CFACT Europe in 2004 and served as its Executive Director. According to his profile at CFACT, “Dr. Thuss carries CFACT’s vision to conferences, seminars, and government meetings throughout the European Union.”

Stance on Climate Change

“[H]umans have had no measurable effect on global warming through CO2 emissions. Instead the temperature fluctuations have been within normal ranges and are due to natural cycles. Indeed the atmosphere has not warmed since 1998 – more than 10 years, and the global temperature has even dropped significantly since 2003.”⁶“Open Letter – Climate Change: To the attention of the Honourable Madam Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany” (PDF), July 26, 2009.

Key Quotes

“If the science is bogus and the economics don’t work, sooner or later policy makers will be forced to develop an exit strategy from their doom-and-gloom scenarios. I don’t see how they can reach any of their objectives at the upcoming UN climate conference in Copenhagen.”⁷Holger Thuss. “The Solar Cycle, Climate, Carbon and Crop Yields: EIKE Berlin,” CFACT, April 19, 2009.

Key Deeds

May 14, 2019

Thuss denied that EIKE was supporting a climate change denial symposium held in the German parliament by the far-right AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) party, despite the fact that it was promoted on EIKE’s website to “set facts against CO2 hysteria and climate activism.”⁸Kate Connolly. “Germany’s AfD turns on Greta Thunberg as it embraces climate denial,” The Guardian, May 14, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/GM8XL ⁹Von Edgar L. Gärtner. “14. Mai 2019 – Bundestagsabgeordnete setzen Fakten gegen CO2-Hysterie und Klima-Aktionismus,” eike-klima-energie.eu, May 4, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.fo/LrXgy

Featured speakers at the event included Christopher Monckton, Thomas Wysmuller, Gernot Patzelt, and Henrik Svensmark.¹⁰Kate Connolly. “Germany’s AfD turns on Greta Thunberg as it embraces climate denial,” The Guardian, May 14, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/GM8XL ¹¹Von Edgar L. Gärtner. “14. Mai 2019 – Bundestagsabgeordnete setzen Fakten gegen CO2-Hysterie und Klima-Aktionismus,” eike-klima-energie.eu, May 4, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.fo/LrXgy

The AfD accelerated its promotion of climate change denial since the emergence of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg in August 2018. A smear campaign against Thunberg mocked her autism as a form of “psychosis” and compared her to a cult leader and a member of a Nazi youth organization. AfD attributed Thunberg’s popularity to the work of “PR professionals seeking to bedevil the plant-nutrient carbon dioxide.”¹²Kate Connolly. “Germany’s AfD turns on Greta Thunberg as it embraces climate denial,” The Guardian, May 14, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/GM8XL ¹³Jonathan Watts. “Great Thunberg, schoolgirl climate change warrior: ‘Some people can let things go. I can’t’,” The Guardian, March 11, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.fo/PItiG

Ongoing

As the President of EIKE, Holger Thuss has been responsible for organizing EIKE’s regular International Conference on Climate and Energy, which is one of the largest gatherings of European climate change skeptics. Most recently, in November/December 2012, Thuss attended the Eighth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-8)/Fifth International Conference on Climate and Energy (ICCE-5) sponsored by both the Heartland Institute and EIKE.¹⁴“8th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-8): V International Conference on Climate and Energy (ICCE-5). Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, November 30 – December 1, 2012” (PDF) retrieved from eike-klima-energy.eu on November 24, 2012.

June 2011

Holger Thuss led a CFACT-EIKE delegation at a scheduled “UNFCCC” press conference. According to the conference description and CFACT Europe, “The global warming scare and the inept and corrupt nature of proposed solutions have fallen far out of favor with the public and policy makers are taking notice and defecting.”¹⁵“UN opens climate conference in Bonn. CFACT press conference: Wednesday 14:00 CET room Haydn,” CFACT Europe, June 6, 2011.

July 26, 2009

Holger Thuss is behind an EIKE open letter to Angela Merkel, Chancellor of  Germany, that tries to convince her that “humans have had no measurable effect on global warming through CO2 emissions.”¹⁶“Open Letter – Climate Change: To the attention of the Honourable Madam Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany” (PDF), July 26, 2009.

According to the letter (PDF),

“[T]here’s a growing body of evidence showing anthropogenic CO2 plays no measurable role. Indeed CO2’s capability to absorb radiation is almost exhausted by today’s atmospheric concentrations. If CO2 did indeed have an effect and all fossil fuels were burned, then additional warming over the long term would in fact
remain limited to only a few tenths of a degree.”

2005

Holger Thuss appears to have been involved in the German translation of “Eco-Imperialism: Green power – black death,” originally authored by climate change skeptic Paul Driessen.

Affiliations

• European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE) — President.¹⁷“Impressum,” EIKE. Accessed November 29, 2012.
• CFACT Europe — Founder and past Executive Director.¹⁸“CFACT Staff,” Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. Archived March 30, 2009.

Social Media

• @HolgerThuss on Twitter

Publications

Thuss has not published any articles in peer-reviewed journals. His other publications and co-publications have included:

• “50 Jahre RCDS” with M. Voigt, German, 240 S. (2001)
• “Students on the Right Way – EDS 1961-2001” English, 288 p. (2002)
• “Eco-Imperialism: Green power – black death” by Paul Driessen, translation to German, 220 p. (2005)

Other Resources

Resources

• 1
  “Curriculum Vitae Dr. Holger Thuss” (.doc), retrieved from policyexperts.org, November, 2012.
• 2
  “Curriculum Vitae Dr. Holger Thuss” (.doc), retrieved from policyexperts.org, November, 2012.
• 3
  “Curriculum Vitae Dr. Holger Thuss” (.doc), retrieved from policyexperts.org, November, 2012.
• 4
  “Impressum,” EIKE. Accessed November 29, 2012.
• 5
  “CFACT Staff,” Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. Archived March 30, 2009.
• 6
  “Open Letter – Climate Change: To the attention of the Honourable Madam Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany” (PDF), July 26, 2009.
• 7
  Holger Thuss. “The Solar Cycle, Climate, Carbon and Crop Yields: EIKE Berlin,” CFACT, April 19, 2009.
• 8
  Kate Connolly. “Germany’s AfD turns on Greta Thunberg as it embraces climate denial,” The Guardian, May 14, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/GM8XL
• 9
  Von Edgar L. Gärtner. “14. Mai 2019 – Bundestagsabgeordnete setzen Fakten gegen CO2-Hysterie und Klima-Aktionismus,” eike-klima-energie.eu, May 4, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.fo/LrXgy
• 10
  Kate Connolly. “Germany’s AfD turns on Greta Thunberg as it embraces climate denial,” The Guardian, May 14, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/GM8XL
• 11
  Von Edgar L. Gärtner. “14. Mai 2019 – Bundestagsabgeordnete setzen Fakten gegen CO2-Hysterie und Klima-Aktionismus,” eike-klima-energie.eu, May 4, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.fo/LrXgy
• 12
  Kate Connolly. “Germany’s AfD turns on Greta Thunberg as it embraces climate denial,” The Guardian, May 14, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/GM8XL
• 13
  Jonathan Watts. “Great Thunberg, schoolgirl climate change warrior: ‘Some people can let things go. I can’t’,” The Guardian, March 11, 2019. Archived May 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.fo/PItiG
• 14
  “8th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-8): V International Conference on Climate and Energy (ICCE-5). Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, November 30 – December 1, 2012” (PDF) retrieved from eike-klima-energy.eu on November 24, 2012.
• 15
  “UN opens climate conference in Bonn. CFACT press conference: Wednesday 14:00 CET room Haydn,” CFACT Europe, June 6, 2011.
• 16
  “Open Letter – Climate Change: To the attention of the Honourable Madam Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany” (PDF), July 26, 2009.
• 17
  “Impressum,” EIKE. Accessed November 29, 2012.
• 18
  “CFACT Staff,” Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. Archived March 30, 2009.