Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again

The front page of The Times this morning is just the latest sign that the tide is once again turning against the climate denial community. The newspaper reports that ExxonMobil gave £1 million to fund “organisations that campaign against controls on greenhouse gas emissions” – including several of those which made the outspoken attacks on climate scientists at the University of East Anglia.

Big-Oil-money It reports:

The scientists were exonerated this month by an independent inquiry but groups funded by Exxon have continued to lambast them. The Media Research Centre, which received $50,000 from Exxon, called the inquiry a “whitewash” and condemned “climate alarmism”.

The paper adds:

Some of Exxon’s largest donations were to groups that lobbied against a global deal on emissions being reached at the climate summit last December in Copenhagen.

This is not the first time Exxon have been caught using dirty tricks to smear climate science and climate scientists. As The Times remind us today:

In 2002 it was revealed that Exxon sent a memorandum to the Bush White House to call for the removal of Robert Watson, the atmospheric scientist who was the first chair of the IPCC. The Bush administration did subsequently lobby for Dr Watson to be replaced, which he was.

Later, in 2006, the prestigious Royal Society told Exxon to stop funding climate denial groups.

Also in their editorial today, The Times says:

The IPCC assessment reports are made available for comment in an open review process to which anyone may contribute. They attract scientists of the highest calibre and list of scientific bodies that endorse their findings should give pause to anyone whose expertise in this issue is lacking.

The IPCC is, however, a skeletal organisation… this is a global authority operating out of a broom cupboard. There is, therefore, a serious question if the huge weight of scientific opinion, on the one hand, is ranged against the huge weight of corporate funding on the other.

This exposé comes after NASA reported that this year is very likely going to be the hottest on record, and comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) said that last month was the fourth month in a row of record global temperatures, and that the ten warmest years on record have all been since 1995.

The Times report follows an editorial in the New York Times describing “the debunking of climategate”. It also comes after the retraction of both the “Amazongate” story and the “Africagate” story, and follows news that climate denial websites have seen their readership drop significantly. And as Left Foot Forward has already reported, public concern about climate change – both in the UK and the US – remains very high.

Even the right-wing Canadian National Post newspaper, which has championed climate sceptic arguments in recent years, now says:

Most climate-change deniers (or “skeptics,” or whatever term one prefers) tend to inhabit militantly right-wing blogs and other Internet echo chambers populated entirely by other deniers.

Their leader editorial concludes: “Global warming deniers are a liability to the Conservative cause”, and warns that “the (Conservative) movement will come to be defined – and discredited – by its noisiest cranks and conspiracists.” (This is something I wrote about last year for the Independent on Sunday, here.)

http://twitter.com/david_ritter/status/18920072896 David Ritter

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/danielnobody/status/18920078294 Daniel Nobody

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/jossgarman/status/18920122314 Joss Garman

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/samcarson/status/18920436064 Sam Carson

Oh dear. Not again. RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/campaigncc/status/18920465733 Climate Campaign

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/skatingviking/status/18920794654 Rhys Howell

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/jruddy99/status/18921253220 John Ruddy

“Global warming deniers are a liability to the Conservative cause” RT @leftfootfwd Exposed-Exxon funding climate denial http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/paddymorris/status/18922303895 paddymorris

RT @jossgarman RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/greenrupertread/status/18922732841 RupertRead

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/greendan/status/18923065621 Greendan

RT @GreenRupertRead: RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/theneweconomics/status/18923074579 nef

@ExxonMobil still funds climate change denial. In other news, bears still use wooded areas to relieve themselves. http://bit.ly/9ETX2e
http://twitter.com/katyduke/status/18925031496 Katy Duke

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again: http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/noreen1/status/18925575729 Noreen1

RT @LCVoters: Big shock: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/rl_miller/status/18925704026 RLMiller

Sigh. RT @LCVoters: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/racco/status/18925757573 Racco

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/kombiz/status/18925763199 Kombiz Lavasany

RT @RL_Miller: Sigh. RT @LCVoters: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/twirrim/status/18925764040 Twirrim

Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/caFpjt
http://twitter.com/jfellrath/status/18925777932 Jamie Fellrath

RT @LCVoters: Big shock: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/android_dreams/status/18925780396 Of electric sheep

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/skinola7/status/18925809135 Chris Skinner

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/zaphod64/status/18925880374 Martin Robinson

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/embraagain/status/18925927812 Iain Lowson

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/bentonstrong/status/18926102398 Benton Strong

RT @LCVoters: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/consequence09/status/18926101490 CO2NSEQUENCE

RT @LCVoters: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/femmekatz/status/18926213821 Kathe Garbrick

RT @Consequence09 RT @LCVoters After promising 2 stop funding #climate sci. deniers,Exxon gives $1 billion 2 denier grp http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/bpdobson/status/18926263625 Benjamin Dobson

And now for something a bit less cheery: Exxon funding climate-change denial—again http://bit.ly/be3vLR
simon

What’s the problem with Exxon funding these groups?

Exxon is a private company owned by its shareholders, so effectively it is the shareholders who are deciding to fund them. In free society people can usually fund what they like so long as it is legal.

Bob Ward, mentioned in the Times article, works at the LSE. That university has accepted £12 million from wealthy financier Jeremy Grantham because he likes the views it pushes on climate change.

If people like Grantham can give cash to push one side of an argument then why shouldn’t others be allowed to give cash to push the other?

I detect the usual green illiberalism here.
http://twitter.com/co6dem/status/18926473746 Colorado06Democrat

RT @LCVoters: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/yesrj/status/18926676243 Rachel Jane Danson

RT @co6dem RT @LCVoters: After promising 2 stop funding #climate science deniers Exxon gives $1 billion 2 denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/shortymcstompy/status/18927029957 Emma Just Emma

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/reginacowles/status/18927041567 Regina Cowles

RT @co6dem: RT @LCVoters: After promising to stop fund #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1 billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/jimmyshoey/status/18930075874 James Farrier

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/jonnyardern/status/18930366896 Jonny Ardern

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/1sky/status/18930446834 1Sky

RT @LCVoters Big shock: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/yannanth/status/18930638924 Γιάννης Ανθυμίδης

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/lordsplodge/status/18930815805 Marcus Boyce

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/elliottja/status/18931190217 James Elliott

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/yannanth/status/18931490105 Γιάννης Ανθυμίδης

@DuncanBannatyne I don't know how much you are interested,but… exposed: Oil company funding climate denial. Yes,again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/dereklacroix/status/18931849601 Derek LaCroix

RT @LCVoters Big shock: After promising to stop funding #climate science deniers, Exxon gives $1billion to denier group http://bit.ly/akzQFx
http://twitter.com/adio_26/status/18932869531 Adam Saunders

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/grovie/status/18933016088 Aardeegeedubya

Fecking wankers, what hope is there for the future with these tossers http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO #climatechangeisreal
http://www.democracyforum.co.uk/environment-energy/79151-exxon-still-funding-agw-deniers.html#post900903 Exxon still funding AGW deniers

[...] [...]
http://twitter.com/zaphod64/status/18936070878 Martin Robinson

@SophiaBush Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/igrannie/status/18936358766 Mary Beith

RT @jossgarman: RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
Thomas Hobbes

Hey you know who else is funded by the evil Big Oil Industry?

http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/about/history/

quite openly funded by BP and Shell!

I trust you will be as quick to denounce everything they have ever submitted on this subject?
http://twitter.com/taliessin/status/18939170722 Dave Ellwood

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/andytoo/status/18939747457 Big Andy

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/ralfnausk/status/18940629583 Ralf Neugebauer

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/giskaard/status/18940637219 Robert Grúber

RT @jossgarman: RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/deadders459/status/18945946905 Stephen Dennehy

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/deadders459/status/18945946905 Stephen Dennehy

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/rhiannon__rose/status/18979429614 Rhiannon Lowton

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/katherine368/status/19073372753 Katherine Gallagher

RT @bobbyllew: Just in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about the battle ahead. http://bit.ly/d9YMr2 and http://bit.ly/cxrvmO
http://twitter.com/repoweramerica/status/19084382002 Repower America

Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/psygalaxy/status/19084485793 psyGalaxy

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/maxblaushild/status/19084561660 Max Blaushild

RT @repoweramerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/marabout40/status/19085248646 Dionne J.

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/scifyre/status/19086085763 Laurie Leeper

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/sejorg/status/19086452470 SEJ.ORG

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/greenforyou/status/19088384240 Green For You

Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
http://twitter.com/wineworm_mitch/status/19088592413 Mitchell S. Park

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
http://twitter.com/lemonadebylaura/status/19088666570 Laura Lamond

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
http://twitter.com/jackdetate/status/19088712970 Jack WhoSayin O’Bama

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt / Promoting lies 4 personal gain is Criminal
http://twitter.com/macdade/status/19088754982 bill davidson

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
http://twitter.com/mahhkk/status/19088787976 Mark B. Nolan

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
http://openparachute.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/liability-of-scientific-denialism-to-political-conservativism/ Liability of scientific denialism to political conservativism « Open Parachute

[...] Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again (leftfootforward.org) [...]
http://twitter.com/co2mment/status/19089355370 CO2mment

Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo via @leftfootfwd:
http://twitter.com/envirospace/status/19089910875 Green Blog

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/amitjain310/status/19092641745 Amit Jain

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
http://twitter.com/trendy_ink/status/19096422554 zOnk oNe

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/massagedocmi/status/19097914690 Dr Dick Nelson cmt

RT @repoweramerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/tnipl/status/19107679239 Douglas B. Hunt

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/learnfromnature/status/19107726072 Henricus Peters

RT @repoweramerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/socialistviews/status/19108585694 Socialist Worker

Exxon is funding propaganda denying the reality of #climate change — again. http://bit.ly/bd9Ve5 #green
http://twitter.com/healhealthcare/status/19108852703 Living Democracy

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/guthriesmachine/status/19109408869 Guthrie’s Machine

RT @SocialistViews: Exxon is funding propaganda denying the reality of #climate change — again. http://bit.ly/bd9Ve5 #green
http://twitter.com/camsam05/status/19111994514 CamSam

RT @greenforyou: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. #green http://bit.ly/bZyeyt
someone

A common charge leveled against global warming skeptics is that they are on the payroll of transnational oil companies, when in fact the opposite is true, oil companies are amongst the biggest promoters of climate change propaganda, emphasized recently by Exxon Mobil’s call for a global carbon tax.
http://twitter.com/redundantryan/status/19114410286 Ryan Nielsen

RT @SocialistViews: Exxon is funding propaganda denying the reality of #climate change — again. http://bit.ly/bd9Ve5 #green
http://twitter.com/loralie01/status/19115601850 Lori Tomlin

Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again | Left Foot Forward http://goo.gl/CpoY
http://twitter.com/tlgjames/status/19218153207 James Haro

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again http://bit.ly/bnpndo
http://twitter.com/crypticvalentin/status/19233948002 Vas

RT @SocialistViews: Exxon is funding propaganda denying the reality of #climate change — again. http://bit.ly/bd9Ve5 #green
http://twitter.com/safiakhan/status/19236183011 Safia R Khan

RT @RepowerAmerica: Exxon continues funding #climate deniers to protect big oil profits. http://j.mp/bgRqGF
http://twitter.com/0ranj/status/19244388893 Oranj

RT @SocialistViews: Exxon is funding propaganda denying the reality of #climate change — again. http://bit.ly/bd9Ve5 #green
http://twitter.com/citizensclimate/status/19284103829 CitizensClimateLobby

Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. http://bit.ly/avGGBq #climate #agw #co2
http://twitter.com/psygalaxy/status/19284243421 psyGalaxy

RT @citizensclimate: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. http://bit.ly/avGGBq #climate #agw #co2
http://twitter.com/truthbuster/status/19284819667 Annemarie Cairns

RT @citizensclimate: Exxon funding climate denial. Yes, again. http://bit.ly/avGGBq #climate #agw #co2
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/08/telegraph-forced-to-retract-lies-and-smears-about-climate-scientist/ Telegraph forced to retract lies and smears about climate scientist | Left Foot Forward

[...] The Times exposed Exxon spending £1 million on climate [...]