Anthony Lupo

* Profile image a screenshot of Anthony Lupo speaking at the America First Energy Conference, November 9, 2017 via YouTube.

Anthony Lupo

Credentials

  • Ph.D., Atmospheric Science, Purdue University (1995).1“Anthony R. Lupo” (PDF), CV at the University of Missouri.
  • M.S., Atmospheric Science, Purdue University (1991).2“Anthony R. Lupo” (PDF), CV at the University of Missouri.
  • B.S., Meteorology, State University of New York at Oswego (1988).3“Anthony R. Lupo” (PDF), CV at the University of Missouri.
  • A.S., Mathematics/Science, Cayuga County Community College (1986).4“Anthony R. Lupo” (PDF), CV at the University of Missouri.

Background

Anthony Lupo is a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has also been a speaker at the Heartland Institute‘s International Conference on Climate (ICCC).

According to leaked documents Anthony Lupo receives $750 per month from the Heartland Institute.

Stance on Climate Change

Lupo agrees that temperatures have been rising over the past thirty years, stating that โ€œanyone who denies this [climate change] isnโ€™t a very good scientist.โ€

But he has also said that โ€œThe Earth goes through phases of warming and cooling, and though all the computer models we have show that we are in a warming phase, there is no way to differentiate between a natural warming and one that is human-caused.โ€5 Michael Amantea, “Effects of Climate Change in Missouri Take Root,” Missourian Online, March 9, 2009.

As an โ€œexpert reviewerโ€6Annex III: Reviewers of the IPCC WGI Fourth Assessment Report,” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Accessed January, 2012. of the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Lupo disputed the report’s consensus that โ€œthe balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate.โ€7Sure, global warming has skeptics. But how many teach science at Mizzou?“, The Pitch: Kansas City News, March 18, 2008.

Key Quotes

โ€œ’In my mind, I hope that I’m keeping those two things separate,’ he says. ‘But I’m a person like anyone else, and I think I wouldn’t be surprised if my thoughts are a little bit colored. But, you know, I try to keep my science independent of my politics as much as possible’.โ€8Sure, global warming has skeptics. But how many teach science at Mizzou?“, The Pitch: Kansas City News, March 18, 2008.

Key Actions

February 16, 2021

The Independent Institute announced the release of an update to Fred Singer’s book, Hot Talk, Cold Science. “Dr. Singer passed away in April 2020, but not before updating and expanding his much-discussed book with the co-authors, and atmospheric scientist Anthony R. Lupo (University of Missouri) and climatologist David R. Legates (University of Delaware),” the press release noted.9(Press Release). “New Book Explores the Inaccuracies in Historical Climate Data,” The Independent Institute, February 16, 2021. Archived March 31, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/092wD

“In the new edition (twice the size of the previous edition) the authors explore the inaccuracies in historical climate data, the limitations on and failures of climate models, solar variability along with the effects of clouds, ocean currents, and sea levels on global climate, plus factors that could mitigate any human impact on world climate.

“‘Over the years and despite all the invectives poured upon him by climate alarmists, Dr. Singer has stood his ground for scientific integrity and adherence to the scientific method. For that, he is to be greatly commended,’ said climatologist David R. Legates.”

October 2019

Lupo signed the โ€œRealist Catholic Climate Declaration,โ€ drafted by Heartland Institute policy analyst William Briggs, which stated, โ€œthe earthโ€™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,โ€ and that, โ€œthe salvation of souls is of more pressing concern than the air temperature. Pray to God and pray for your neighbor, not to the planet.โ€10 โ€The Declaration,โ€ Realist Catholic Climate Declaration, Archived October 29, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.is/O2m5D 11 โ€William Briggs,โ€The Heartland Institute, Archived October 26, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/bDHXU

The declaration was endorsed by Anthony Wattsโ€™ blog Watts Up With That, in a post by Charles Rotter, which stated, โ€œplease 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.โ€12 Charles Rotter,โ€œRealist Catholic Climate Change Declaration,โ€ Watts Up with That, October 13, 2019. Archived October 23, 2020. Archive. URL: https://archive.vn/aieXw

According to a post at William Briggsโ€™s website: โ€œThis statement is to be in contradistinction to the hyperbolic and inaccurate ‘U.S. Catholic Climate Declaration’,โ€ Briggs wrote of the draft. โ€œThe goal is to have something short, sweet, certain, and Catholic.โ€13 โ€œDraft Realist Catholic Climate Declaration: Please Share!โ€ William M. Briggs, October 7, 2019. Archived October 8, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/yveCN

November 9, 2017

Lupo was a speaker at the Heartland Institute’s โ€œAmerica First Energy Conferenceโ€ at the Marriott Hotel in Houston, Texas. Lupo’s speech, on the โ€œClimate Scienceโ€ panel, was titled โ€œClimate, Climate Change, and Climate Modelingโ€:14ANTHONY LUPO,” America First Energy Conference. Archived November 21, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/wIEXQ

The event description read as follows:15 โ€œAbout,โ€ America First Energy. Archived October 11, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8bTTJ

โ€œAt the America First Energy Conference, we plan to examineโ€”one year and one day after Trumpโ€™s shocking Election Day victoryโ€”the following:

โ€œWhere does Trumpโ€™s America First Energy Plan stand?

โ€œHow much progress has been made in implementing it, and what remains to be done?

โ€œWhat scientific and economic evidence is there that the plan is putting the nation on the right path for economic growth, environmental protection, or both?โ€16 โ€œAbout,โ€ America First Energy. Archived October 11, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8bTTJ

In a fundraising letter obtained by DeSmog, Fred Palmer had promoted the event as having the goal to โ€œreview the scientific and economic evidence that exposes the fraud inherent in the Obama-era regulation regimeโ€ while discussing โ€œthe overwhelming benefits of fossil fuels to us all.โ€17 October 2017 Fundraising letter by Fred Palmer. On file at Desmog.

Many of the other speakers have regularly spoken at the Heartland Institute’s past ICCCs. Notable speakers listed so far include Joe Bast, Fred Palmer, Roger Bezdek, H. Sterling Burnett, Hal Doiron, Paul Driessen, John Dale Dunn, Myron Ebell, Heartland’s new President Tim Huelskamp, Craig Idso, David Legates, Jay Lehr, Anthony Lupo, Ross McKitrick, Steve Milloy, Todd Myers, John Nothdurt, David Schnare, and numerous others.18 โ€œSPEAKERS,โ€ America First Energy. Archived October 10, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/OJWeX

As reported at the Houston Chronicle, speakers notably included two Trump Administration officials: Richard W. Westerdale II of the State Department and Vincent DeVito of the Department of Interior. David Bernhardt, deputy secretary of the Interior Department, was also formerly listed as a Heartland conference speaker, but apparently withdrew.19 James Osborne. โ€œTrump officials to appear at Houston event hosted by climate skeptics,โ€ Houston Chronicle, November 2, 2017. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/XPtYc

Scott Pruitt also addressed the conference in a recorded video, personally thanking Heartland for โ€œwhat you’re doing to advance energyโ€ and โ€œfor what you’re doing to advance natural resources.20 โ€œScott Pruitt,โ€ America First Energy Conference. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/X4F6m

The Climate Investigations Center put up a parody of the America First Energy conference website, complete with profiles on the individual speakers and highlighting their corporate funding and ties to groups such as the Cooler Heads Coalition (CHC).21 โ€œAmerica First Energy Conference Stacked with Climate Change Deniers,โ€ Climate Investigations Center, November 6, 2017. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mISrd

January 5, 2017

Anthony Lupo was a signatory to a Cornwall Alliance open letter supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator under the Trump administration.22 โ€œOpen Letter Supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator,โ€ Cornwall Alliance, January 5, 2017. Archived January 19, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xMash

โ€œMr. Pruitt has also demonstrated understanding of and open-mindedness toward scientific insights crucial to the formulation and implementation of environmental regulation. He is prepared to hear all sides in debates over the risks and benefits of various activities that come under the purview of the EPA,โ€ reads the letter.

On January 12, 2017, Senate Democrats raised conflict of interest concerns regarding Scott Prutt’s fossil fuel ties. Pruitt had spent years working to combat the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan.23 Ben Jervey. โ€œMapping EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Many Fossil Fuel Ties,โ€ DeSmog, January 13, 2017.

In an open letter to the Office of Government Ethics, members of the Senate’s environmental panel commented:

โ€œDuring his tenure as Attorney General of Oklahoma, Mr. Pruitt has blurred the distinction between official and political actions, often at the behest of corporations he will regulate if confirmed to lead EPA,โ€ the letter said. โ€œPublic reporting based on documents produced by Freedom of Information Act requests illustrate how Mr. Pruitt and members of his staff have worked closely with fossil fuel lobbyists to craft his office’s official positions.โ€

Pruitt was further grilled on his fossil fuel ties at his confirmation hearing on January 18.24 Ben Jervey and Steve Horn. โ€œEPA Nominee Scott Pruitt Gets Grilled on Fossil Fuel Ties at Confirmation Hearing,โ€ DeSmog, January 18, 2017.

Some notable signatories of the Cornwall Alliance letter, as of January 5, 2017, included:

August 2016

Anthony Lupo is listed as a โ€œFounding Memberโ€ of group named Climate Exit (Clexit) led by climate change denier Christopher Monckton. According to Clexit’s founding statement (PDF), โ€œThe world must abandon this suicidal Global Warming crusade. Man does not and cannot control the climate.โ€25 โ€œThe Clexit Committee comprisesโ€ (PDF), Clexit.net. Archived.pdf on file at Desmog. 26 โ€œAfter Brexit, Clexitโ€ (PDF), Clexit.net. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.

DeSmog reports on how the group grew in the wake of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. A key member of Clexit’s โ€œ60 well-informed science, business and economic leadersโ€ is Hugh Morgan, a former board member of the Reserve Bank of Australia and former CEO of Western Mining Corporation with close ties to Australia’s Liberal party.27 Graham Readfearn. โ€œAfter Brexit, Climate Science Denialists Form New Group to Call for a Clexit,โ€ Desmog, August 3, 2016. 28 โ€œHugh Morgan AO,โ€ Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived February 22, 2002. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/1ObOB

According to Clexit’s founding statement:

โ€œIf the Paris climate accord is ratified, or enforced locally by compliant governments, it will strangle the leading economies of the world with pointless carbon taxes and costly climate and energy policies, all with no sound basis in evidence or science [โ€ฆ]โ€29 โ€œAfter Brexit, Clexitโ€ (PDF), Clexit.net. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.

June 10, 2016

Anthony Lupo was a signatory to a Cornwall Alliance open letter written by Calvin Beisner and addressed to U.S. attorneys general about climate change.30 E. Calvin Beisner. “Open Letter to Attorneys General about Climate Change,” Cornwall Alliance, June 10, 2016. Archived June 24, 2016. WebCite URL: http://www.webcitation.org/6iVmM7y0O

The letter responds to recent investigations by U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and members of Attorneys General United for Clean Power into what ExxonMobil knew about climate change and when, started by a coalition of attorneys general in the US.31 David Hasemyer. “Climate Fraud Investigation of Exxon Draws Attention of 17 Attorneys General,” InsideClimate News, March 30, 2016. Archived June 24, 2016. WebCite URL: http://www.webcitation.org/6iVncbdxJ 32 Ben Jervey. “State Investigations Into What Exxon Knew Double, and Exxon Gets Defensive,” Desmog, April 1, 2016.

Calvin Beisner writes that the attorneys generals’ actions are โ€œa dead giveaway that youโ€™re ignorant about climate science and related climate and energy policy.โ€33 Ben Jervey. “State Investigations Into What Exxon Knew Double, and Exxon Gets Defensive,” Desmog, April 1, 2016.

โ€œ[U]nlike in the case of tobaccoโ€™s health risks, there are innumerable and enormous holes in the case (not for human contribution to global warming but) for manmade global warming dangerous enough to justify spending trillions of dollars reinventing the worldโ€™s energy system to mitigate it, particularly when competing use of those trillions might bring far greater benefit,โ€ Beisner addresses the attorneys general. And you, intelligent and learned all, are ignorant of those enormous holes.โ€34 Ben Jervey. “State Investigations Into What Exxon Knew Double, and Exxon Gets Defensive,” Desmog, April 1, 2016.

The Cornwall Alliance lists the following signatories to its open letter:35 Ben Jervey. “State Investigations Into What Exxon Knew Double, and Exxon Gets Defensive,” Desmog, April 1, 2016.

July 7โ€“9, 2014

Anthony Lupo was a speaker at the Heartland Instituteโ€™s Ninth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC9) in Las Vegas, Nevada.36Return of Climate Denial-a-Palooza: Heartland Institute Hitches Anti-Science Wagon to Vegas FreedomFest,” DeSmog, July 7, 2014. Archived July 14, 2014.

DeSmog has done in-depth research on the other speakers and sponsors from Heartland’s ICCC9, which can be found here.

May 21โ€“23, 2012

Anthony Lupo was a speaker at the Heartland Institute‘s 7th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7).37Anthony Lupo, ICCC7,” International Conferences on Climate Change. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/qjOoz

DeSmog researched the co-sponsors behind Heartland’s ICCC7 and found that they had collectively received over $67 million from ExxonMobil, the Koch Brothers and the conservative Scaife family foundations.

May 27, 2011

Anthony Lupo was one of fourteen Amici, described as โ€œwell-qualified climate scientists,โ€ who claimed that the โ€œEPA’s endangerment finding is not ‘rational’ and therefore arbitrary and capricious.โ€38 COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE REGULATION, INC., ET AL. (Petitioners) v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND LISA P. JACKSON, ADMINISTRATOR, Respondents (PDF). Retrieved from World Climate Report. Archived.pdf on file at Desmog.

According to the petitioners, representing the Coalition for Responsible Regulation, Inc.:39 COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE REGULATION, INC., ET AL. (Petitioners) v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND LISA P. JACKSON, ADMINISTRATOR, Respondents (PDF). Retrieved from World Climate Report. Archived.pdf on file at Desmog.

โ€œ[T]he Earth’s climate is not changing in an unusual or anomalous fashion. The EPA relied on instrumental data that were adjusted to exaggerate the increase in global temperatures.โ€40 COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE REGULATION, INC., ET AL. (Petitioners) v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND LISA P. JACKSON, ADMINISTRATOR, Respondents (PDF). Retrieved from World Climate Report. Archived.pdf on file at Desmog.

Petitioners listed were:

June 2009

Anthony R. Lupo was a contributing author (chapter six) to the Heartland Institute’s report, โ€œClimate Change Reconsidered: The Report of the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC).โ€ The report was edited by fellow skeptics Craig Idso and S. Fred Singer.

According to a description of the book at Amazon, โ€œChapter 6 investigates and debunks the widespread fears that global warming might cause more extreme weather.โ€

March 2009

Anthony R. Lupo was a speaker at the Heartland Institute‘s 2009 International Conference on Climate Change. 412009 International Conference on Climate Change,” The Heartland Institute, February 1, 2009. Republished by Instituto Liberdade. Lupo’s speech was titled โ€œInter-Annual Temperature Variationsโ€:42Anthony Lupo, ICCC2,” International Conferences on Climate Change. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/5ulDN

2005

Sent a letter to the The Kansas City Star in 2005 where he said that while โ€œthe climate is warming,โ€ the hot and dry conditions the region was experiencing were โ€œnot unprecedented.โ€43Sure, global warming has skeptics. But how many teach science at Mizzou?“, The Pitch: Kansas City News, March 18, 2008.

2000

Lupo sent a letter to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, noting that oceanographer Roger Reville was urging that we study the impacts of global warming before making drastic measures to counter it.44Sure, global warming has skeptics. But how many teach science at Mizzou?“, The Pitch: Kansas City News, March 18, 2008.

Don Wuebbles, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Illinois, pointed out in a rebuttal letter that Reville wasn’t in a position to make โ€œrecent statementsโ€ on climate change, having died in 1991.

1998

Back in 1998, he wrote a letter to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that claimed: โ€œThere is no scientific consensus whether global warming is a fact and is occurring.โ€

In another 1998 letter, this one to the Columbia Daily Tribune, he wrote that skeptics outnumbered believers of man-made climate change. Lupo says today that the numbers have shifted, but that in 1998 the statement was โ€œprobably true.โ€ But this wasn’t the case, as by 1995, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had concluded that โ€œthe balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate.โ€45Sure, global warming has skeptics. But how many teach science at Mizzou?“, The Pitch: Kansas City News, March 18, 2008.

Nov 16, 2004

Lupo was a signatory to a letter to senator John McCain (R-AZ).

According to the press release, โ€œThe signers of the letter point out that sediment and ice core samples show that the arctic has experienced past warming that can not be attributed to greenhouse gas concentrations.โ€46Climate Experts Respond to Arctic Climate Impact Assessment,” PR Newswire, November 16, 2004. Republished by the Frontier Center for Public Policy, November 20, 2004. Archived January 24, 2016.

Affiliations

Publications

The following is a sample of Lupo’s publications relating to climate. His full CV is available on his website.

  • Lupo, A.R. (Contributing Author Ch 6 only), 2009: Heartland Institute, 2009: Climate Change Reconsidered: The Report of the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC), edited by Craig Idso and S. Fred Singer.
  • Lupo, A.R., 2008. โ€œReply to: ‘In Defense of a Theory of Anthropogenic Global warming.’ Journal of Missouri Medicine, 105:3, 186.
  • Lupo, A.R., 2008. โ€œAnthropogenic Global Warming: A Skeptical point of view.โ€ Journal of Missouri Medicine, 105:2, 22-26.
  • J.C. Hagen, and A.R. Lupo, 2008. โ€œRebuttal Global Warming Landers.โ€ American Medical News, in press.
  • Hussain, A., and A.R. Lupo, 2009: Scale and Stability Analysis of Selected Atmospheric Blocking Events. The 21st Conference on Global Climate Change. 89th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society. 14 โ€“ 19 January, 2009, Phoenix, AZ.
  • Limpert, G.L., B.L. Perrin, and A.R. Lupo, 2009. โ€œSimulating the effects of climate change on parameters for tropical cyclone development in the Atlantic basin.โ€ The 21st Conference on Global Climate Change. 89th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society. 14 โ€“ 19 January, 2009, Phoenix, AZ

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Resources

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