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Richard Littlemore

20 September 06

Royal Society Launches Direct Attack Against Exxon

Tags: General

In this sharp rebuke to ExxonMobil, the Royal Society's senior manager of policy communications, Bob Ward, charges that the oil giant is 1) actively misrepresenting the state of climate science in its own communications and 2) aggressively subsidizing other organizations that also deny or dissemble on the truth of greenhouse-gas induced global warming.

For example, Ward says:

"I have carried out an ad hoc survey on the websites of organisations that are listed on the ExxonMobil 2005 Worldwide Giving Report for 'public information and policy research,' which is printed on your website. Of those organisations whose websites feature information on climate change, I found that 25 offered views that are consistent with the scientific literature. However, some 39 organisations were featuring information on their websites that misrepresented the science of climate change, by outright denial of the evidence that greenhouse gases are driving climate change, or by overstating the amount and significance of uncertainty in knowledge, or by conveying a mesleading impression of the potential impacts of anthopogenic climate change. My analysis indicates that ExxonMobil last year provided more than $2.9 million to organisations in the United States which misinformed the public about climate change through their websites."

Ward notes that the Royal Society has brought this matter to ExxonMobil's attention in the past and that Exxon promised to stop giving money to such groups. We all await that development with interest.

In the meantime, it's gratifying to see one of the world's oldest and most prestigious scientific organizations so firmly stating the obvious: that ExxonMobil and client "think tanks" like the Competitive Enterprise Institute are misleading the public on a matter of science that is objective and clear.

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#552

matthew. +0; Wed, 2006-09-20 16:13; that'll get their attention!

matthew (not verified)

F-ing awsome, the RS is the very definition of the "big guns", to me they're like the Super Friends of the scientific community.

#553

Anonymous. +0; Wed, 2006-09-20 18:27; UK to lead a charge?

Anonymous (not verified)

Maybe more Academies around the world will jump on this bandwagon and really put the screws to Exxon!

About the climate cover-up

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

Although all public relations professionals are bound by a duty to not knowingly mislead the public, some have executed comprehensive campaigns of misinformation on behalf of industry clients on issues ranging from tobacco and asbestos to seat belts.

Lately, these fringe players have turned their efforts to creating confusion about climate change. This PR campaign could not be accomplished without the compliance of media as well as the assent and participation of leaders in government and business.

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