The US is Listening: But they are Paying Thousands of Dollars to get others not to

As Juan stated below the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change has just released their 4th assessment on global climate change and it’s foreseeable impacts. On my more pessimistic days, when thinking of the US government in climate change, I see, me as a child, when my brother Trevor was saying something I didn’t want to hear, I’d put my hands over my ears, sing some obnoxious tune over and over, all the while stomping my feet (I was the youngest of six, allowing me to get away with tantrums like this).

However, while the right wing appears to be opening their ears a bit, American Enterprise Institute, a right wing think tank, is offering thousands of dollars to scientists and economists to cause confusion and about the legitimacy of the report. AEI is one of the most powerful and influential think tanks in American domestic and foreign policy and of course that includes global warming. And thus far, AEI has received 1,625,000 from Exxon Mobil since 1998. As you can see their interests are unbiased.

It’s very intriguing to me that AEI says that the IPCC report is “poorly supported by analytical work,” as the report is a result of a four day meeting of 500 scientists debating with each other on an issue they have studied collectively for nearly ten years. It’s especially funny, since the general issue with “scientists” funded by folks at AEI or Exxon, is that their science isn’t peer-reviewed, let alone, debated with 500 other scientists from around the world.

Nice Try AEI. It’s sad that for some people, AEI’s actions, or should I say Exxon Mobil’s actions will cause confusion. But it is up to us to educate, activate, and mobilize our peers, our peoples, and our communities.

About Shadia Fayne

Shadia began at age seven as an advocate for justice and the environment, in an eight year campaign to pass state legislation that, without it, was responsible for cancer clusters and deaths that existed in her community. In response to her efforts she has received the Yoshiyama Award from the Hitachi Foundation, and the Brower Youth Award from the Earth Island Institute. At age fifteen, She attended the World Summit on Sustainable Development, joining the youth energy caucus' efforts to create the Official Global Youth Energy Policy Statement. Months later, Shadia attended the Second National People of Color Summit and there she helped create the Environmental Justice Youth Platform. She is a member of the Environmental Justice Climate Coalition Youth Committee and is on the Kids Against Pollution National Board of Trustees. Shadia graduated from West Canada Valley High School in 2005, where she then took two years off before entering a career in higher education to work as a leader in the Global Youth Climate Movement. She finished working for the EJCC as the youngest Campus Climate Challenge Coordinator in the Energy Action Coalition, in October 2007. She is currently attending American University of Beirut, studying Arabic and Communications.

4 Responses to “The US is Listening: But they are Paying Thousands of Dollars to get others not to”

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1 Juan Hoffmaister Feb 2nd, 2007 at 3:50 pm

in fact, the three working groups of the IPCC have been working on the report for months, compiling the science and research completed in years. I wonder for how long oil money will be enough to cover the inevitable. I guess if the AEI is ok with publishing reports stressing how Wal-Mart is the best for the american economy, they will be ok with writing accounts of how all scientists in the world are wrong expect for pitiable soul that answer to their letters.

Thanks Shadia!

-j
2 Matt Stern Feb 2nd, 2007 at 4:16 pm

Thanks for writing about this Shadia. I heard about it this morning was burning to get the news out.

These types of actions are criminal.
3 libhomo Feb 3rd, 2007 at 2:05 am

The AEI really isn’t the “think tank” they present them to be. They are a PR/lobbying firm for the corporate interests that finance them.
4 Robert J Young Feb 3rd, 2007 at 12:21 pm

Considering how much money ExxonMobil (and others) have raked in over the past several years, I was shocked at how little they were offering to “scientists” willing to sow confusion. It also raises a set of questions I find intriguing: How much are they willing to pay for a President, a Vice-President, half a Congress, or a major network? I’ll bet that’s where the big bucks are going.

Thanks for shining a brighter light on this, Shadia. Matt Stern says these actions are criminal; I agree. When can we prosecute?

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