Cooler Heads Coalition
The Cooler Heads Coalition is a group founded in May 1997, initially as a project of the National Consumer Coalition, which itself was part of the nonprofit Consumer Alert. The coalition is composed of approximately twenty-five organizations and aims to challenge prevalent narratives about global warming by questioning the underlying scientific research and economic implications associated with climate policies. Central to their mission is the belief that the impacts of global warming policies may disproportionately affect consumers, leading to increased costs and reduced living standards.
The Cooler Heads Coalition contends that the science surrounding global warming remains uncertain, with some members suggesting that the extent of human contribution to climate change is debatable. They focus on disseminating information through various channels, including a biweekly newsletter and a dedicated website that serves as a resource for global warming science and policy discussions. Their activities encompass publishing research, conducting consumer surveys, and participating in media outreach to voice their perspective on climate change issues, particularly emphasizing the economic consequences of climate policies. The coalition engages in debates and discussions related to global warming treaties, advocating for consumer interests in the face of regulatory measures.
Cooler Heads Coalition
- DATE: Established May 6, 1997
Mission
Originally a project of the National Consumer Coalition, which was itself a project of the nonprofit group Consumer Alert, the Cooler Heads Coalition strives to dispel the “myths of global warming by exposing flawed economic, scientific, and risk analysis.” The coalition, consisting of about twenty-five groups, was established in May 1997, in response to a concern that Americans were not being adequately informed about the economic impact of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and about the pros and cons of global warming. A major focus of the group is the consumer impact of global warming policies that restrict energy use drastically and that would raise consumer costs. Cooler Heads also maintains that the science of global warming is uncertain and that global warming policies have a negative impact on consumers.
The Cooler Heads Coalition publishes a biweekly newsletter, The Cooler Heads Newsletter, which provides updates on scientific, economic, and political issues relating to global climate change. The coalition maintains a global warming Web site as a clearinghouse for information on global warming science and policy proposals. The New York Times listed this site among fifteen top environmental websites; it was the only market-oriented site listed. In 2016, the Cooler Heads Coalition supported the presidential campaign of President Donald Trump. During the late 2010s and early 2020s, it continued to campaign against policies that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Significance for Climate Change
Members of the Cooler Heads Coalition hold the view that the science of global warming is uncertain, while the negative impacts of policies addressing global warming are not. One statement on the issue maintains that “global warming may or may not be a problem” and that “man may or may not be driving it.” Members of the Cooler Heads Coalition publish reports, research studies, and briefs on scientific, economic, and political aspects of global warming policy and sponsor press conferences, hold rallies, conduct consumer surveys, participate in debates, make television and radio talk show appearances, and write newspaper and magazine articles. Several of its groups involve themselves in the global warming treaty negotiations at the United Nations.
The primary focus of the coalition is economic rather than environmental, as evidenced by comments by the executive director of Consumer Alert:
Policies disguised as middle-of-the-road instead will be leading us down the road to national industrial policy and a planned economy. The losers will be American consumers, who will bear the brunt of restrictions on energy use in their everyday lives. They’ll have to pay the costs, not just in higher prices, but in a drastically lower standard of living.
Cama, Timothy. "Loud and Proud Climate Denier Hangs It Up." Politico, 12 Dec. 2023, www.eenews.net/articles/loud-and-proud-climate-change-denier-hangs-it-up/. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.