Following the Money That Undermines Climate Science

The New York Times

Following the Money That Undermines Climate Science

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Also this week, why you should talk about global warming and and Its difficult to figure out whos funding climate denial, because many of the think tanks that continue to question established climate science are nonprofit groups that arent required to disclose their donors. Thats true of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free-market research organization in Washington that . So, , which included a list of corporate donors, offered a rare glimpse into the money that makes the work of these think tanks possible. The dinner program, with its Game of Thrones theme, reveals some of the groups major funders. Among the sponsors for were groups that have long been aligned with fossil fuel interests, including the Charles Koch Institute and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. The fuel and petrochemical group, which lobbies for gasoline producers, , one of the Obama administrations landmark climate policies. But the program for the event, obtained by The New York Times and verified by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, also included major corporations, like Google and Amazon, that have made their commitment to addressing climate change a key part of their corporate public relations strategies. Those companies both for the Paris Agreement and joined that vowed to stick to the climate pacts goals after President Trump announced the United States would withdraw from it. A Google representative said the tech giants support of the gala did not necessarily mean it supports climate denial. Weve been that Googles sponsorship doesnt mean that we endorse that organizations entire agenda, said a spokesman for the tech giant, whose manager for outreach was listed on the dinners host committee. A spokeswoman for Amazon, where employees have been , said the company may not agree with all of the positions of each organization, but believed that its $15,000 contribution to the event will help advance policy objectives aligned with our interests. Analysts at C.E.I. do advocate on a wide range of policies, including opposing antitrust laws, an issue dear to tech and telecom giants as well as other major corporations. Still, the organization is arguably best known for its work disputing the science of climate change, and the corporations support comes at a time when the think tank has played an outsized role in the Trump administration. The head of the environment program at the C.E.I., , led the Trump administrations transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency, spearheaded the opposition to the Paris Agreement. How does the C.E.I. itself view corporate Americas support? In a statement, the organizations president, Kent Lassman, was clear. The institute asks support from those, he said, that share our values. So, youre committed to reducing your carbon footprint and youve identified the . Great! But what next? Try talking to others about climate change. Family and friends are our most trusted source of information, said Connie Roser-Renouf, an associate professor at George Mason University who specializes in science communication. Talking about what you do and giving people a sense that they can do to make a difference is extremely important. One example, Dr. Roser-Renouf said, is the strong link between parents and children in terms of attitudes toward climate change. A recent study found that children talking to their parents about the issue can have a big influence. The parents get more engaged, she said, and everyone does more. Another found that people were better at conserving electricity when the power company informed them of their neighbors energy usage. Research concluded that perceived social consensus is associated with a higher percentage of people who believe climate change is real and human-caused. Yale Climate Connections has guides on how to talk about climate , and . The Times also has advice on . Dr. Roser-Renouf says the first step in talking to others is to find out how they feel about the issue, then you talk about why you care about the issue. Connecting climate change to your local community often provides a good point of reference, she said. Asking someone to become part of a group that you participate in can also be effective, she noted, pointing out that such a request is among the . Regardless, Dr. Roser-Renouf says that being a climate communicator is a critical contribution. Interpersonal communication is much more powerful than mass media information, she said. Its the people we talk to and care about that persuade us. reports on climate and environmental policy in Washington. A former editor at Climatewire, she has covered nine international climate talks. is a climate reporter. She joined The Times in 2008, and was part of the team awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. She previously wrote about Japanese economics, business and technology from Tokyo.