Gernot Patzelt
Credentials
- PhD in Geography from the University of Innsbruck.1“Univ.Prof. Gernot Patzelt, kM,” Commission for Quarternary: Austrian Academy of Sciences. December 27, 2010. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/MRG2E
Background
Gernot Patzelt is an Austrian glaciologist. He graduated in 1968 with a PhD in Geography from the University of Innsbruck, and in the following years worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Meteorology (1968-70), Assistant Professor at the Institute of Geography (1970 – 79), achieved Habilitation in geography at the Faculty of Science, University of Innsbruck (1979), was Head of the Research Institute for High Mountain Research and Alpine Research Centre Obergurgl (1980 – 99), and Associate Professor of High Mountain Research (1992). According to his website, Patzelt has been retired since October of 2004.2“Gernot Patzelt,” Profile at University of Innsbruck. Archived March 29, 2005. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/DiWU9
According to his archived profile at the Austrian Academy of Sciences website, Patzelt’s research focus is in “Glacier and climate history research,” “Mass movements (landslides, fluvial Sedimentationsereignisse),” “Historic natural and cultural landscape development in alpine areas,” and “Participation in projects of Antarctic Research.”3“Univ.Prof. Gernot Patzelt, kM,” Commission for Quarternary: Austrian Academy of Sciences. December 27, 2010. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/MRG2E
Stance on Climate Change
Speaking with Tirol Online, Pazelt discussed his retirement and climate change.
“I am absolutely convinced that it will not give the great climate catastrophe. This is pure scaremongering. The system is not so fragile!”4Stefan Dietrich. “Fascinated by rock and ice,” Tirol Online. Archived December 13, 2004. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/F8cSS
Key Quotes
October 4, 2009
An article published on Tyrol Online featured a number of quotes on glaciers by Patzelt. In regards to the complete disappearance of Austria’s Glaciers, he stated:
“[For] the great glaciers [to] disappear completely, the temperature would have to increase by ten degrees, and that really is not in sight.”5“Continued glacier retreat – only four grow,” Tirol. Archived December 4, 2009. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/b1vmo
Key Deeds
May 14, 2019
Patzelt appeared at a climate change denial symposium staged in the German parliament by the far right AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) party. Other featured speakers at the event included Christopher Monckton, Thomas Wysmuller, and Henrik Svensmark.6Kate 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
The European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE) promoted the event on its website to “set facts against CO2 hysteria and climate activism.”7Von 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
Germany’s 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 “PRprofessionals seeking to bedevil the plant-nutrient carbon dioxide.”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 9Jonathan 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
Speaking to the Guardian, a representative of Greenpeace Germany said of the event:
“The AfD is using the Bundestag as a stage for its dissemination of climate lies. They invite fake experts to a so-called symposium on climate change to generate content for mass dissemination via social media channels and stir up hatred and anger on the internet. We are experiencing a shift to the right on social media and in society. In a short period of time, the new right has established its own counter-society on climate issues. With troll armies, agitating magazines and the support of climate skeptics like EIKE, it has created its own sphere that is massively underestimated.”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
November 23–24, 2018
Patzelt was listed on the program for the 12th conference of the European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE), also billed as the Heartland Institute‘s 13th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC13). According to a translation of the agenda, he spoke on “The Climate Development of the Late Ice Age” on November 23.11“Program – 12th International Climate and Energy Conference” EIKE. Translated via Google Translate. Archived November 23, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/NndcT
January 2013
When asked about the 2012 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Doha, Quatar, Patzelt said:
“Doha has been a pure political issue, a political and not a factual event. You should stick to the facts and concentrate on the field investigations. It is a fact that the temperature has not increased for 15 years.”12Wolfhard H. A. Schmid. “Facts are not taken into account,” Junge Freiheit. Archived April 14, 2017. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/d3Zxi
December 1, 2012
Gernot Patzelt was a speaker (PDF) at 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 the European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE). Patzelt’s speech is titled “Glaciers and forest development in high altitude alpine areas during the last 10,000 years.”13“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. Archived December 15, 2012.
November 25–26, 2011
Gernot Patzelt was a speaker at the Fourth International Conference on Climate and Energy in Germany, hosted by the European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE). He spoke on “Climate, glaciers and forest development” (PDF).14“IV. Internationale Klimaund Energiekonferenz” (PDF), EIKE. Accessed November, 2012. Archived October 27, 2011.
Affiliations
- European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE) — Past speaker at EIKE events.
Publications
A search of Google Scholar turns up a number of publications for Patzelt in peer reviewed journals. A full list of Gernot Patzelt’s publications is available The Austrian Library Network and Service GmbH (OBVSG). He has published a number of studies in Geology and Archeology journals.15“Google Scholar Search for author “Gernot Pazelt.” Performed April 14, 2017. Archived .PDF on file at DeSmog.
Some of his publications include:
- Collective report on the glacier measurements of the Österr. Alpenvereins in 1994.
- Reconstructing Glacier History in Tyrol by Means of Tree-Ring Investigations.
- The glaciers and the post-ice climate change in the Alps.16“Publications of the Institute,” Institute of High Mountain Research. Archived March 28, 2005. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/4SRdS
Other Resources
- “Gernot Patzelt,” de.wikipedia. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/oxruI
Resources
- 1“Univ.Prof. Gernot Patzelt, kM,” Commission for Quarternary: Austrian Academy of Sciences. December 27, 2010. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/MRG2E
- 2“Gernot Patzelt,” Profile at University of Innsbruck. Archived March 29, 2005. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/DiWU9
- 3“Univ.Prof. Gernot Patzelt, kM,” Commission for Quarternary: Austrian Academy of Sciences. December 27, 2010. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/MRG2E
- 4Stefan Dietrich. “Fascinated by rock and ice,” Tirol Online. Archived December 13, 2004. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/F8cSS
- 5“Continued glacier retreat – only four grow,” Tirol. Archived December 4, 2009. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/b1vmo
- 6Kate 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
- 7Von 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
- 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
- 9Jonathan 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
- 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
- 11“Program – 12th International Climate and Energy Conference” EIKE. Translated via Google Translate. Archived November 23, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/NndcT
- 12Wolfhard H. A. Schmid. “Facts are not taken into account,” Junge Freiheit. Archived April 14, 2017. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/d3Zxi
- 13“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. Archived December 15, 2012.
- 14“IV. Internationale Klimaund Energiekonferenz” (PDF), EIKE. Accessed November, 2012. Archived October 27, 2011.
- 15“Google Scholar Search for author “Gernot Pazelt.” Performed April 14, 2017. Archived .PDF on file at DeSmog.
- 16“Publications of the Institute,” Institute of High Mountain Research. Archived March 28, 2005. Translated from German with Google. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/4SRdS
