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This news story originally provided by The Progress Report
January 4, 2007
EXXON SPENT $16 MILLION TO 'MANUFACTURE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING: Exxon "gave $16 million to 43 ideological groups between 1998 and 2005 in an effort to mislead the public by discrediting the science behind global warming," a new Union of Concerned Scientists report finds. The company, according to the report, "has adopted the tobacco industry's disinformation tactics, as well as some of the same organizations and personnel, to cloud the scientific understanding of climate change and delay action on the issue." Harvard professor Dr. James McCarthy said Exxon has tried to "create the illusion of a vigorous debate" about global warming. A few of the other tactics the oil giant used are listed in the report: "funded an array of front organizations to create the appearance of a broad platform for a tight-knit group of vocal climate change contrarians who misrepresent peer-reviewed scientific findings; attempted to portray its opposition to action as a positive quest for 'sound science' rather than business self-interest; used its access to the Bush administration to block federal policies and shape government communications on global warming." "A modest but effective investment has allowed the oil giant to fuel doubt about global warming to delay government action just as Big Tobacco did for over 40 years," said Alden Meyer, the Union of Concerned Scientists' Director of Strategy and Policy.
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