The new chairman of the UK’s principal climate science denier campaign group holds investments in a number of fossil fuel companies, including those building controversial oil and gas pipelines in Canada.
Labour peer Lord Bernard Donoughue, now 84, was handed the reins of the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) after former Chancellor Lord Nigel Lawson (87) stepped down last month.
The GWPF has provided a platform to opponents of action on climate change for almost 10 years. It consistently refuses to provide any details regarding who funds its work.
Donoughue was the senior policy advisor to Harold Wilson’s government during the 1970s. In common with his predecessor, he has no scientific qualifications whatsoever. Donoughue’s 30 shareholdings include four investment funds that list BP and Shell in their top five holdings, while another fund has shares in ExxonMobil.
The House of Lords’ latest Register of Interests also shows another of his fund holdings invests heavily in oil and gas infrastructure in the US and Canada, including the controversial Kinder Morgan and Keystone XL pipelines.
All of which fossil fuel commercial interests will surely never cloud his judgement on the scientific veracity of global warming.
Recommended Reading
Why the UK’s EV charging market is entering its consolidation phase
UK EV charging is consolidating as operators face rising costs, grid delays, tough uptime rules and pressure to prove demand and reliability in 2026.
BESS fire safety in the UK: What commercial and industrial operators need to know
UK BESS fire safety guidance for C&I operators, covering planning, procurement, commissioning, maintenance and emergency response.
Could the UK soon see a gas-free day on the grid?
The UK is increasingly generating its electricity with renewables – that begs the question of when we could see the first gas-free day on the grid?