The Independent Institute (TII)
Background
The Independent Institute (TII) is an Oakland, California-based think tank founded in 1986 and describes itself as a “non-profit, non-partisan, scholarly research and educational organization that sponsors in-depth studies of critical social and economic issues.”1“About The Independent Institute,” The Independent Institute. Archived October, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8CtKY
The Independent Institute has been a vocal opponent of the “war on drugs,”2Benjamin W. Powell. “The Economics Behind the U.S. Government’s Unwinnable War on Drugs,” Independent Institute, August 21, 2013. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Ds7dN as well as immigration restrictions,3Benjamin W. Powell and Art Carden. “Why Is Immigration Illegal Anyway?” Independent Institute, November 20, 2011. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xW45Y corporate welfare, censorship,4Paul H. Rubin. “The Health Risks of Censorship,” Independent Institute, October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ronXs and the death penalty,5(Transcript) “The Death Penalty on Trial,” Independent Institute, January 27, 2005. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/InHcU among other issues.
The Independent Institute has also regularly questioned the science behind man-made climate change. They have released policy reports suggesting that reports by mainstream climate science (including the IPCC) have been “misleading, inaccurate, unreliable, or simply wrong.”6“New Perspectives in Climate Change: What the EPA Isn’t Telling Us,” Independent Institute. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/BOZ4o
The Independent Institute publishes a quarterly newsletter titled The Independent, sends out a weekly newsletter titled The Lighthouse and maintains student programs including The Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminars for high school and college students, Student Internships for college students. The Independent Institute maintains seven “research centers”:
- Center on Culture and Civil Society
- Center on Educational Excellence
- Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation
- Center on Global Prosperity
- Center on Health and the Environment
- Center on Law and Justice
- Center on Peace and Liberty
Stance on Climate Change
S. Fred Singer, Research Fellow, writes the following in an American Thinker article republished by the Independent Institute:
“I must confess I never much worried about the supposed dangers of global warming—even if we could rely on the predictions of IPCC climate models. In fact, they seem to be failing miserably, as judged by the ongoing pause in GW—while atmospheric levels of anthropogenic CO2 and other greenhouse gases continue to increase. It seems that our climate is mainly controlled by natural forcings, like solar activity and atmosphere-ocean oscillations that are not included in current models.”7S. Fred Singer. “Protecting Humanity from Ice Ages,” Independent Institute, July 1, 2015. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8KXyB
According to TII’s report, New Perspectives in Climate Change: What the EPA Isn’t Telling Us, climate change is “significantly less than forecast by climate models that are based on bad science. Annual satellite records show no significant change whatsoever.”8“New Perspectives in Climate Change: What the EPA Isn’t Telling Us,” Independent Institute. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/BOZ4o
Funding
According to its website, “The Independent Institute receives no government funding. Instead, it draws its support from a diverse range of foundations, businesses, and individuals, and from the sale of its publications.” It is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) charity.
The following information is based on archived data from the Conservative Transparency project and the Media Matters database combined with original 990 research by DeSmog. Note that not all data has been verified by DeSmog.
View the attached spreadsheet for additional information on the Independent Institute’s funding by year (.xlsx).9“The Independent Institute,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed October 20, 2015.
| Donor | Total |
| John Templeton Foundation | $808,360 |
| Charles D and Frances K Field Fund | $655,000 |
| The Rodney Fund | $414,925 |
| DonorsTrust | $402,500 |
| Lowndes Foundation | $312,300 |
| Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation | $220,000 |
| Armstrong Foundation | $212,500 |
| Jaquelin Hume Foundation | $173,309 |
| David H. Koch Charitable Foundation | $160,000 |
| Castle Rock Foundation | $125,000 |
| Earhart Foundation | $123,095 |
| William E. Simon Foundation | $106,000 |
| The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation | $101,500 |
| Adolph Coors Foundation | $100,000 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund | $80,975 |
| Exxon Mobil | $80,000 |
| Chase Foundation of Virginia | $76,000 |
| Dunn’s Foundation for the Advancement of Right Thinking | $71,000 |
| Stiles-Nicholson Foundation | $70,000 |
| John M. Olin Foundation | $65,000 |
| JM Foundation | $60,000 |
| Cato Institute | $60,000 |
| William H. Donner Foundation | $39,905 |
| Atlas Economic Research Foundation | $29,425 |
| The Legett Foundation | $26,500 |
| Charles Koch Institute | $25,000 |
| Charles G Koch Charitable Foundation | $25,000 |
| Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust | $25,000 |
| Dodge Jones Foundation | $22,500 |
| John P and Kathryn G Evans Foundation | $21,000 |
| Richard Seth Staley Educational Foundation | $20,200 |
| Robert P. Rotella Foundation | $20,000 |
| Thomas B. Fordham Foundation | $20,000 |
| Ed Uihlein Family Foundation | $15,000 |
| Charles and Ann Johnson Foundation | $14,500 |
| Kickapoo Springs Foundation | $10,000 |
| John William Pope Foundation | $10,000 |
| Windway Foundation | $10,000 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | $5,695 |
| Arthur N. Rupe Foundation | $4,000 |
| Joyce and Donald Rumsfeld Foundation | $3,000 |
| Edward L & Addie M Soule Foundation | $1,500 |
| Grand Total | $4,825,689 |
ExxonMobil Funding
Greenpeace’s ExxonSecrets reports that The Independent Institute (TII) has received a total of $85,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998.10ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Indepentent Institute. Archived August 15, 2019.
Koch Funding
According to data compiled by Greenpeace USA, the Independent Institute received $200,000 from Koch foundations from between 1997 and 2017.11“Independent Institute: Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/UdY3R
| Year | David H. Koch Charitable Foundation | Charles Koch Institute | Charles G Koch Charitable Foundation | Grand Total |
| 1995 | $10,000 | $10,000 | ||
| 1997 | $50,000 | $50,000 | ||
| 1999 | $50,000 | $50,000 | ||
| 2001 | $50,000 | $50,000 | ||
| 2016 | $10,000 | $25,000 | $35,000 | |
| 2017 | $15,000 | $15,000 | ||
| Grand Total | $160,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $210,000 |
990 Forms
Key People
Scroll to the right to view all years and details in the tables below.
Board of Directors
In Memoriam Board of Directors
Board of Advisors
In Memoriam Board of Advisors
Senior Fellows
Research Fellows
In Memoriam Research Fellows
Authors
In Memoriam Authors & Fellows
Staff
In Memoriam Staff
Key People Sources
Tobacco Industry Ties
According to SourceWatch, members of TII’s Board of Advisors including Robert D. Tollison, Richard E. Wagner and Thomas Gale Moore, TII Research Fellows Gary Anderson, Robert Ekelund, Dwight R. Lee, Mark Thornton, and S. Fred Singer, as well as Seneior fellow Richard Vedder have a “long history” of working with the Tobacco Institute and/or Philip Morris.12“Independent Institute,” SourceWatch. Archived October 20, 2015.
They were all members of the ‘Academic Advisory Board’ for the pro-tobacco report “Science, Economics, and Environmental Policy: A Critical Examination” published by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution (AdTI) on August 11, 1994. S. Fred Singer has also published numerous articles and commentary on TII’s website, most of them skeptical of climate change.
Actions
August 17, 2021
Independent Institute senior fellow John C. Goodman wrote an op-ed suggesting economists should be more involved in environmental discussions. While Goodman admitted average economists probably know “no more than any other reasonably educated person” about environmental science, he suggested:13John C. Goodman. “Where Have All The Economists Gone? (Environment) – OpEd,” Eurasia Review, August 17, 2021. Archived August 24, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/sCRrt
“[E]conomists have three talents that are sorely missing from most discussions of environmental policy—particularly policies related to climate change. They understand (1) the scientific method, (2) cost-benefit analysis and (3) how costs and benefits affecting different generations can be evaluated over time.”
Goodman goes on to claim the “real science” suggests heat waves aren’t increasing, wildfires are declining, there are fewer floods, and global warming due to climate change saves lives overall—largely citing Bjorn Lomborg.
He also cites debunked claims that warming would be beneficial overall, this time citing a Wall Street Journal article by Matt Ridley:14John C. Goodman. “Where Have All The Economists Gone? (Environment) – OpEd,” Eurasia Review, August 17, 2021. Archived August 24, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/sCRrt
“[L]ooking forward, [Ridley] says moderate warming (up to 3.5°C over the next century) can be beneficial for the world on net. For example, carbon dioxide causes crops and wild ecosystems to grow greener and become more drought-resistant,” Goodman wrote.
October 2, 2015
In their fall, 2015 issue of The Independent Review (the Independent Institute’s primary magazine), authors suggest that Climate Science is experiencing a “boom” that will eventually undergo a subsequent “bust.”15“Causes and Consequences of the Climate Science Boom,” The Independent Institute, October 2, 2015. Archived April 26, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/aePrh
The article’s abstract reads:
“Like an economy, fields of scientific research undergo periods of boom and bust. The boom in climate science is driven by a confluence of factors: scientific uncertainty, political opportunism, ideological predispositions, a sustained push from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and massive funding from various government entities.”
April 20, 2015
S. Fred Singer, a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute (and prominent climate change skeptic who runs the Science and Environmental Policy Project), published an article suggesting an impending ice age. The article, originally published in the American Thinker, was cross-posted by the Independent Institute.16S. Fred Singer. “Preventing a Coming Ice Age,” Independent Institute, April 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nNqAi
According to Singer, we need to invest millions of dollars to prepare for a cyclical ice age:
“Stopping the next ice age appears to be well within our technical capability and carries a huge benefit-to-cost ratio. An investment of millions would prevent the loss of trillions of dollars.”17S. Fred Singer. “Preventing a Coming Ice Age,” Independent Institute, April 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nNqAi
Fred Singer is a prolific contributor to commentary articles18S. Fred Singer. “For Sustainable Energy, Choose Nuclear,” Independent Institute. Archived October 1, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/3npep on climate change and energy issues published at the Independent Institute. Singer has also promoted nuclear energy as a “sustainable” alternative to fossil fuels.19“Research Fellow: S. Fred Singer,” Independent Institute. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/UJn4v
May 21–23, 2012
The Independent Institute (TII) is listed as a Co-sponsor (PDF) of the Heartland Institute‘s 7th International Conference on Climate Change in Chicago, Illinois.20“Seventh International Conference on Climate Change: Sponsored by the Heartland Institute” (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived August 15, 2015.
June–July 2011
The Independent Institute (TII) was a sponsor (PDF) of the Heartland Institute‘s Sixth International Conference on Climate Change.21“Sixth International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program” (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived July 25, 2015.
DeSmogBlog found that sponsors for ICCC6 had collectively received over $46 million from either Scaife Foundations, Koch Foundations, or ExxonMobil and its foundation.22Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-Palooza 6: Heartland’s Sixth International Conference on Climate Change, Courtesy of Koch, Scaife & Exxon,” DeSmog, June 30, 2011.
July 14, 2011
S. Fred Singer, Research Fellow at The Independent Institute, gave a talk at a TII event titled “Hot Talk and Cold Science of Global Warming.”23“Hot Talk and Cold Science of Global Warming,” Independent Institute, July 14, 2011. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
The event description read as follows:
“Is global warming real, imminent, and a threat to human life, especially with the evidence that global temperatures have been dropping since 1998? What predictions have now been established scientifically? What is the truth regarding Climategate and other revelations regarding the claims of man-made global warming? The proposed Global Climate Treaty and California state mandates call for extensive government controls to reduce fossil fuel use. Yet, is there scientific evidence to support such measures? Would the proposed massive “carbon” taxes and other controls put our society and countries around the world—especially those most disadvantaged—at greater risk? Based on the latest research, renowned astrophysicist Fred Singer will separate fact from fiction in this raging global warming debate.”24“Hot Talk and Cold Science of Global Warming,” Independent Institute, July 14, 2011. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qb8tk
May 16–18, 2010
The Independent Institute (TII) was a co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute’s Fourth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC4).25“4th International Conference on Climate Change,” Conference Program (PDF), The Heartland Institute, May, 2010.
DeSmogBlog investigated sponsors of the event, and found they had collectively received a total of over $40 million in funding since 1985 from ExxonMobil (who funded 13 of the organizations), and/or Koch Industries family foundations (funded 10 organizations) and/or the Scaife family foundations (funded 10 organizations).26Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-palooza Round 4: ‘International Conference on Climate Change’ Groups Funded by Exxon, Koch Industries,” DeSmog, May 13, 2010.
March 2008
The Independent Institute (TII) was a sponsor organization for the Heartland Institute‘s 2008 International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC1).27“Sponsorships,” The 2008 International Conference on climate Change. Archived June 10, 2011.
RealClimate reported on the conference, concluding that the “conference is not aimed at understanding, it is a PR event aimed at generating media reports.”28“What if you held a conference, and no (real) scientists came?“ RealClimate, January 30, 2008. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ubSr5
July 2003
The Independent Institute (TII) released a report titled New Perspectives in Climate Change: What the EPA Isn’t Telling Us written by climate change skeptics S. Fred Singer, John R. Christy, Robert E. Davis, David R. Legates, and Wendy M. Novicoff.29“Nation’s Leading Global Warming Experts Unveil New Findings on Climate Change,” (Press Release), the Independent Institute, July 28, 2003. Archived February 5, 2005. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/x3Nqv
The Independent Institute Contact & Location
As of June 2016, the Independent Institute listed the following contact information on its website:30“About The Independent Institute,” The Independent Institute. Archived June 29, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fI550
Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA 94621-1428510-632-1366 Phone
510-568-6040 Fax
Related Organizations
- Cooler Heads Coalition — Member.31“About,” Cooler Heads Coalition. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ppMgB
Social Media
- @IndependentInst on Twitter.
- “Independent Institute” on Facebook.
- “Independent Institute” on LinkedIn.
Other Resources
Resources
- 1“About The Independent Institute,” The Independent Institute. Archived October, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8CtKY
- 2Benjamin W. Powell. “The Economics Behind the U.S. Government’s Unwinnable War on Drugs,” Independent Institute, August 21, 2013. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Ds7dN
- 3Benjamin W. Powell and Art Carden. “Why Is Immigration Illegal Anyway?” Independent Institute, November 20, 2011. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xW45Y
- 4Paul H. Rubin. “The Health Risks of Censorship,” Independent Institute, October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ronXs
- 5(Transcript) “The Death Penalty on Trial,” Independent Institute, January 27, 2005. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/InHcU
- 6“New Perspectives in Climate Change: What the EPA Isn’t Telling Us,” Independent Institute. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/BOZ4o
- 7S. Fred Singer. “Protecting Humanity from Ice Ages,” Independent Institute, July 1, 2015. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8KXyB
- 8“New Perspectives in Climate Change: What the EPA Isn’t Telling Us,” Independent Institute. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/BOZ4o
- 9“The Independent Institute,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed October 20, 2015.
- 10ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Indepentent Institute. Archived August 15, 2019.
- 11“Independent Institute: Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/UdY3R
- 12“Independent Institute,” SourceWatch. Archived October 20, 2015.
- 13John C. Goodman. “Where Have All The Economists Gone? (Environment) – OpEd,” Eurasia Review, August 17, 2021. Archived August 24, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/sCRrt
- 14John C. Goodman. “Where Have All The Economists Gone? (Environment) – OpEd,” Eurasia Review, August 17, 2021. Archived August 24, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/sCRrt
- 15“Causes and Consequences of the Climate Science Boom,” The Independent Institute, October 2, 2015. Archived April 26, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/aePrh
- 16S. Fred Singer. “Preventing a Coming Ice Age,” Independent Institute, April 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nNqAi
- 17S. Fred Singer. “Preventing a Coming Ice Age,” Independent Institute, April 18, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nNqAi
- 18S. Fred Singer. “For Sustainable Energy, Choose Nuclear,” Independent Institute. Archived October 1, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/3npep
- 19“Research Fellow: S. Fred Singer,” Independent Institute. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/UJn4v
- 20“Seventh International Conference on Climate Change: Sponsored by the Heartland Institute” (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived August 15, 2015.
- 21“Sixth International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program” (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived July 25, 2015.
- 22Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-Palooza 6: Heartland’s Sixth International Conference on Climate Change, Courtesy of Koch, Scaife & Exxon,” DeSmog, June 30, 2011.
- 23“Hot Talk and Cold Science of Global Warming,” Independent Institute, July 14, 2011. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
- 24“Hot Talk and Cold Science of Global Warming,” Independent Institute, July 14, 2011. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qb8tk
- 25“4th International Conference on Climate Change,” Conference Program (PDF), The Heartland Institute, May, 2010.
- 26Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-palooza Round 4: ‘International Conference on Climate Change’ Groups Funded by Exxon, Koch Industries,” DeSmog, May 13, 2010.
- 27“Sponsorships,” The 2008 International Conference on climate Change. Archived June 10, 2011.
- 28“What if you held a conference, and no (real) scientists came?“ RealClimate, January 30, 2008. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ubSr5
- 29“Nation’s Leading Global Warming Experts Unveil New Findings on Climate Change,” (Press Release), the Independent Institute, July 28, 2003. Archived February 5, 2005. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/x3Nqv
- 30“About The Independent Institute,” The Independent Institute. Archived June 29, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fI550
- 31“About,” Cooler Heads Coalition. Archived October 20, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ppMgB
