ExxonMobil’s tobacco-like disinformation campaign on global warming

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists offers the most comprehensive documentation to date of how ExxonMobil 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

ExposeExxon has more on Exxon disinfo.

As the world’s largest private oil company, ExxonMobil has the power to direct the energy industry and policy makers toward a smarter, cleaner, and more secure energy future. The solutions to reducing our dependence on oil while strengthening our economy, creating jobs, and protecting the earth are available today. Instead, ExxonMobil is using its profits and power to take America backwards and keep us addicted to oil.

We need an economic system that puts the needs of the people before the profits of corporations, that respects and believes in science, and doesn’t allow companies to buy political influence to further their own short-sighted ends.

We need renewable energy because it’s cleaner and emits less greenhouse gases. Yet Exxon is the only major oil company that has not invested in renewables. In 10-20 years, when the world has passed them by, they may well find themselves loathed and detested, as well as being a tiny shadow of the huge corporation they once were. In the meantime, like a dying dinosaur, they can still do considerable damage.

Think about it. Which oil companies will survive? Reactionary relics like Exxon or forward thinking companies like British Petroleum who are moving as fast as they can into renewables. I mean, just look at the Exxon home page, then look at the BP home page. BP gets it, Exxon doesn’t, it’s as simple as that.

I’m not saying BP isn’t every bit as capitalistic as Exxon, but they do appear less overtly greedy and they genuinely understand that the future of energy means less reliance on petroleum and more use of renewable energy. That’s why they will survive and Exxon won’t.