Energy Secretary Disbands Group Behind Contrarian Climate Report

The US Energy Department has disbanded the research group behind a controversial climate report released by the agency.

The Climate Working Group was comprised of five researchers outside of government who reject the consensus view of global warming. They were handpicked by Energy Secretary Chris Wright to produce a critique of mainstream climate science. The group’s July 29 report argued that climate change impacts are less severe and costly than commonly thought. It was cited by the Environmental Protection Agency to support its proposed rollback of the endangerment finding, the legal determination giving the agency authority to regulate greenhouse gas pollution.

Emissions rise from a coal power plant in Kentucky in 2019.

Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg

The report sparked ...