The Yes Men Hoax is Nothing Compared to the 20-Year Hoax by Fossil Fuel Companies

"The PR stunt wasn't pulled off by the Yes Men," says author James Hoggan. "The PR stunt is being pulled off by the US Chamber of Commerce and its been going on for decades."

The same can be said for the American Petroleum Institute.

This morning on Democracy Now host Amy Goodman points out that, "the Yes Men aren't the only group accused of pulling off a hoax in the debate over climate change legislation. In August, the American Petroleum Institute -- the oil industry's top lobbying group -- was found to have asked member oil companies to help recruit employees, retirees and contractors for anti-climate bill rallies around the country."

In an interview with James Hoggan, author of the new book Climate Cover Up, Goodman discusses the fact that while the Yes Men's campaign was all in good fun, there is a long history of PR and lobbying efforts to delay and deny action to increase clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This is not a new battle, as Hoggan points out, "Two decades ago there was a group called The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition that was put together by Philip Morris. They were having problems, as you know, with credibility, so they decided to get some friends to join the fight against scientists. And one of the first companies they invited was ExxonMobil. And this was kind of the beginning of these front groups and this war on science."

The US Chamber of Commerce has been at the center of a lot of controversy over their opposition to climate change legislation with high profile companies like Apple canceling their membership with the organization. As Brad Johnson at the Wonk Room points out, the US Chamber has for many years promoted the attack on climate change science.

With a clean energy bill currently making its way through the Senate and the upcoming international summit on climate change in Copenhagen, you can bet that the rhetoric and PR spin from industry and think tanks is only going to get louder and more aggressive.

Disclosure: I, along with my team, was responsible for most of the research for James Hoggan's book Climate Cover Up. The book launches this week across the United States. If you're a blogger and you'd like a review copy email me at: [e-mail].

 

Follow Kevin Grandia on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kgrandia

Comments

[research]

There IS NO CLEAN ENERGY BILL IN CONGRESS!$$^

There is only a bankster derivatives cap and trade bill, the largest new directives market ever create to be gamed by the same banksters,. written by the same bankster who stole 24T$ from TARP and the taxpayers.

a simple pollution tax is what we need:

tax all pollution according to it's scientifically determined damage.

Push rooftop solar at 3 cent and waster biofuels to supply all the energy we need forever, clean cheap and safe.

THERE IS NO CLIMATE BILL IN CONGRESS!!!!!!

It's Subterfuge!

[SonofLiberty1]

Rooftop Solar costs $50,000.00 at least to install here in Pennsylvania and that's just for a south side portion of the roof.

[research]

BS, who many peak watts? grid connected or batteries? what company gave you the quote, who many companies did you get quotes from, did you go online and look for deals.

Go to the site I link., 2$ per peak watt for the panels.

2-3$ per peak watt for commercial rooftop systems fully installed.

What subsidies are available in your ares?

I think you pulled the number out of your hat.

[JShep]

It's interesting that there are very few articles on the expected impact of the proposed cap & trade law on global temperature. Hundreds of articles about global warming and none with a quantitative impact of cap & trade. There have been some reports that analyses using the top climate models indicate a mere temperature reduction of only 0.2 degrees C over the next 100 years. If that's true, it should be revealed more often so the public knows what results to expect from the cap & trade bill. If not true, the real expected results should be revealed. How can you get the nation's support when they are told they need to accept much higher energy prices for a non-descript amount of “less global warming”.

[mogmaar]

Great post - thanks for pulling these pieces together, and I can't wait for the book.

[Evelyn Vincent]

What I would like to know is... 'when' are people going to wake up and get their brains out of their wallets and start doing the 'ethical thing.' For instance, this nonsense about 'clean coal' is absurd. With all the modern technology we have today it's still the most filthy industry out there - and the average person doesn't even realize it. My favorite educational website regarding the truth about 'clean coal' is iLoveMountains.org - I'd LOVE to see The HuffPost staff write an article on how we are severely lied to about what's really going on with that.

Am I one of only a handlful who would rather have mountains and a clean environment, instead of electricity from 'dirty' coal?

Between the fossil fuel industry and Monsanto we may as well just kiss our behinds good-bye right now.

After reading this article, I'm very disappointed with the US Chamber of Commerce.

[Kenny18]

To Evelyn Vincent: Could it be possible that many of us who don't stand to make a penny from the sale of fossil fuels just don't buy the Global Warming theory? It's an unproven theory with lots of holes in it. Read the scientific criticism of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth." A British Court found nine serious errors in Gore's movie. Better yet, see the movie "Not Evil Just Wrong" and critically question your own previously held assumptions.

[SonofLiberty1]

Kenny,

Leave your car in the driveway one sunny day for a few hours. Windows up.

You will find it's pretty warm inside.

And if you make the air inside denser..adding to it...it would be warmer still.

Which is why it's 900 degrees F on the surface of Venus..hotter than it's on Mercury.