Stop Exxon’s Climate Change Misinformation Campaign

Posted by Tiffany White

Target: Joe Manchin, Chairman of Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources

Goal: Investigate fossil fuel companies for misleading public and for active attempts to sabotage climate-related efforts.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2598521971411695&output=html&h=280&adk=894098213&adf=1557869051&pi=t.aa~a.901905492~i.6~rp.4&w=610&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1626537537&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=5108040983&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=610×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fforcechange.com%2F589848%2Fstop-exxons-climate-change-misinformation-campaign%2F&flash=0&fwr=0&pra=3&rh=153&rw=610&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&fa=27&uach=WyJXaW5kb3dzIiwiMTAuMCIsIng4NiIsIiIsIjkxLjAuODY0LjY3IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&dt=1626537537586&bpp=1&bdt=1917&idt=-M&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D96e7e8f8e68869c4-22b3a51b64ba005c%3AT%3D1626283331%3ART%3D1626283331%3AS%3DALNI_Ma8_S5uVq5-fMoJ7k4lZdNqo4SIaw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C970x250&nras=2&correlator=3216111188198&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2125220887.1626283332&ga_sid=1626537537&ga_hid=1910087314&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-420&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_nplug=3&u_nmime=4&adx=205&ady=1038&biw=1349&bih=657&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31060047%2C44740386%2C44743203%2C31061683&oid=3&pvsid=3434792742260520&pem=565&wsm=1&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1366%2C0%2C1366%2C728%2C1366%2C657&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=RRFxqWkwOq&p=https%3A//forcechange.com&dtd=17

An estimated one billion marine lives boiled to death in the Pacific Northwest heat waves. One town very nearly reached the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, and a raging Oregon wildfire continues its dangerous expansion. Across the world, Europe was hit with an unprecedented amount of flooding that drenched some countries with two months’ worth of rain in just two days. Hundreds have died, and thousands more remain missing in Germany alone. German leaders gravely announced that “climate change has come” and doubled down on a commitment to combat global warming. All of the above real-world tragedies show that climate change is too tame a word. We are in the midst of a climate crisis. Meanwhile, fossil fuel companies in America are giving tutorials on how to derail the fight for climate justice.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2598521971411695&output=html&h=280&adk=894098213&adf=1405481155&pi=t.aa~a.901905492~i.8~rp.4&w=610&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1626537537&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=5108040983&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=610×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fforcechange.com%2F589848%2Fstop-exxons-climate-change-misinformation-campaign%2F&flash=0&fwr=0&pra=3&rh=153&rw=610&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&fa=27&uach=WyJXaW5kb3dzIiwiMTAuMCIsIng4NiIsIiIsIjkxLjAuODY0LjY3IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&dt=1626537537586&bpp=1&bdt=1917&idt=-M&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D96e7e8f8e68869c4-22b3a51b64ba005c%3AT%3D1626283331%3ART%3D1626283331%3AS%3DALNI_Ma8_S5uVq5-fMoJ7k4lZdNqo4SIaw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C970x250%2C610x280&nras=3&correlator=3216111188198&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2125220887.1626283332&ga_sid=1626537537&ga_hid=1910087314&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-420&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_nplug=3&u_nmime=4&adx=205&ady=1629&biw=1349&bih=657&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31060047%2C44740386%2C44743203%2C31061683&oid=3&pvsid=3434792742260520&pem=565&wsm=1&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1366%2C0%2C1366%2C728%2C1366%2C657&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=5&uci=a!5&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=alrRgnzxkX&p=https%3A//forcechange.com&dtd=24

A recent expose with undercover advocates revealed that despite its public support for some clean energy policies, Exxon executives have been very busy behind the scenes lobbying against just about every proposed climate initiative. In secretly taped snippets, the execs seemingly bragged about their recruitment and leveraging of politicians on both sides of the aisle. One of the executives is on video saying: “the 2022 class is focused on reelection, so I know I have them.” Another portion of the recording has the executive lamenting about a proposed large-scale infrastructure package: “green energy and renewable technologies, and…retrofitting federal buildings…it’s going to accelerate the transition to the extent that, I think, four years from now, it’s going to be difficult to unwind that.” The same executive decried that he might lose his big corporate tax break in the process.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2598521971411695&output=html&h=280&adk=894098213&adf=38590521&pi=t.aa~a.901905492~i.10~rp.4&w=610&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1626537537&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=5108040983&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=610×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fforcechange.com%2F589848%2Fstop-exxons-climate-change-misinformation-campaign%2F&flash=0&fwr=0&pra=3&rh=153&rw=610&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&fa=27&uach=WyJXaW5kb3dzIiwiMTAuMCIsIng4NiIsIiIsIjkxLjAuODY0LjY3IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&dt=1626537537586&bpp=2&bdt=1917&idt=-M&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D96e7e8f8e68869c4-22b3a51b64ba005c%3AT%3D1626283331%3ART%3D1626283331%3AS%3DALNI_Ma8_S5uVq5-fMoJ7k4lZdNqo4SIaw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C970x250%2C610x280%2C610x280&nras=4&correlator=3216111188198&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2125220887.1626283332&ga_sid=1626537537&ga_hid=1910087314&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-420&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_nplug=3&u_nmime=4&adx=205&ady=2220&biw=1349&bih=657&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31060047%2C44740386%2C44743203%2C31061683&oid=3&pvsid=3434792742260520&pem=565&wsm=1&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1366%2C0%2C1366%2C728%2C1366%2C657&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=MxMCAuUnNw&p=https%3A//forcechange.com&dtd=32

He also celebrated the company’s successes with the previous administration: “you know, the wins are such that it would be difficult to categorize them all.” Further, the executive admits…“did we aggressively fight against some of the science?…did we join some of these shadow groups to work against some of the early efforts? Yes, that’s true.”

The organization responsible for this expose has called on Congress to launch an immediate investigation into Exxon and other fossil fuel conglomerates for their “climate crimes.”  Sign the petition below to join them in this demand for accountability.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Senator Manchin,

“Exxon vs. the American people”: this is how Greenpeace’s Unearthed branch characterized the recently released recordings of Exxon executives bragging about how they were gaming Washington and its leaders. The characterization is more than fitting. On which side does the Senate rest?

After laying out how they target vulnerable politicians, actively discredit science with disinformation, and sabotage every piece of legislation that might have a chance of succeeding, these special interest super soldiers end their secretly taped confession with, “[climate change] doesn’t affect people’s everyday lives.”  Say that to the families who lost loved ones to heat waves, floods, those supposedly minor forest fires, and too many other man-made tragedies to name.

The House has already called on these bad actors to testify before an investigatory committee. Please join them in these efforts so that this destructive special interest and its toxic influence is rooted out of decision-making that impacts us all.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: ArtHouse Studio