The Power of Big Oil Part Two: Doubt (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
FRONTLINE PBS | Official・2 minutes read
The fossil fuel industry, including companies like ExxonMobil and Koch Industries, actively worked to sow doubt about climate change and prevent action on climate legislation, influencing political decisions and public opinion. Efforts to combat climate change were hindered by industry interests, leading to a lack of action and ultimately the failure of climate legislation in Congress.
Insights
- ExxonMobil, including CEO Lee Raymond, played a significant role in spreading disinformation to create doubt about climate science, hindering climate legislation by influencing political decisions.
- Koch Industries, alongside Exxon Mobil, opposed climate change regulations like cap and trade, with the Koch political machine intensifying efforts against such measures, leading to the failure of climate legislation in Congress and a shift in the Republican Party's stance on the issue.
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Recent questions
What role did ExxonMobil play in climate change denial?
ExxonMobil spread disinformation to sow doubt about climate science, hindering climate legislation. They pressured scientists to downplay climate change risks, leading to internal skepticism and conflicts within the company. Despite acknowledging the risks, ExxonMobil's stance was influenced by industry interests, ultimately delaying urgent action on combating climate change.
How did the Bush administration's stance on climate action change?
President Bush initially supported carbon emission limits but later abandoned the plan due to concerns about energy costs. The administration's U-turn was influenced by industry pressure, particularly from ExxonMobil and CEO Lee Raymond. This shift in stance highlights the impact of industry interests on political decisions regarding climate change.
Who opposed cap and trade legislation in the US?
Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, and other companies opposed cap and trade legislation in the US. Koch Industries, as the second-largest privately held company in the US in 2009, played a significant role in intensifying efforts against climate change regulation. Their involvement in the fossil fuel industry made any reduction in demand or price increase a threat to their business, leading to opposition to climate legislation.
What tactics did Americans for Prosperity use to oppose climate change regulation?
Americans for Prosperity, funded by the Kochs, mobilized opposition to climate change regulation by targeting vulnerable Republicans and framing it as socialist tyranny. They capitalized on the Tea Party movement's energy, leading to a surge in opposition to cap and trade. By using primary challenges to replace lawmakers who supported climate change legislation, Americans for Prosperity effectively ended the debate on the issue in Congress.
How did the fossil fuel industry influence climate change discussions?
The fossil fuel industry, including companies like ExxonMobil and Koch Industries, aimed to control the climate change discussion to delay urgent action for profit. They spread disinformation, pressured scientists to downplay climate change risks, and lobbied against legislation like cap and trade. By prioritizing industry interests over addressing climate change, these companies hindered progress in combating the environmental crisis.
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Summary
00:00
Fossil Fuel Industry's Role in Climate Change
- Oil and gas have been crucial for society for over 150 years, but the industry faces challenges due to climate change intensifying.
- A three-part series delves into the failure to combat climate change, focusing on the fossil fuel industry's role.
- Big oil, including Exxon, spread disinformation to sow doubt about climate science, hindering climate legislation.
- Efforts were made to install uncertainty around climate science to decrease political pressure and prevent action on climate change.
- President Bush initially supported carbon emission limits but later abandoned the plan due to concerns about energy costs.
- The administration's U-turn on climate action was influenced by industry pressure, particularly from ExxonMobil and CEO Lee Raymond.
- ExxonMobil's internal disconnect was evident as scientists understood climate change but were pressured to downplay its significance.
- The company's chief geoscientist dismissed concerns about climate change, leading to internal skepticism among scientists.
- ExxonMobil acknowledged climate change risks but faced internal conflicts regarding addressing them.
- The company's stance on climate change was influenced by industry interests, leading to a lack of action on combating climate change.
19:01
ExxonMobil's Climate Change Controversy and McCracken's Critique
- 25 people died in mudslides in southern Italy due to two days of heavy rain with no warning
- Record temperatures in Italy, Kosovo, and France led to wildfires
- Michael McCracken, a senior scientist, worked on climate change during the Bush administration
- McCracken's work highlighted rising CO2 levels as a key factor in climate change
- In 2001, McCracken contributed to a report by the IPCC attributing warming to human activities
- ExxonMobil lobbied to remove scientists like McCracken for bias, leading to their retirement or replacement
- ExxonMobil aimed to control the climate change discussion and delay urgent action for profit
- McCracken wrote a letter criticizing ExxonMobil's stance on climate change
- ExxonMobil denied misleading the public about climate change, emphasizing uncertainties in the science
- The fossil fuel industry's allies, like ExxonMobil, started having doubts about climate change denial tactics
38:56
Koch Industries: Opposing Climate Change Legislation
- Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, and other companies opposed cap and trade, with Koch Industries being the second-largest privately held company in the US in 2009, with sales surpassing Goldman Sachs, U.S. Steel, and Facebook combined.
- Koch Industries is deeply involved in the fossil fuel industry, trading, shipping, and transporting natural gas, oil, and gasoline, making any reduction in demand or price increase a significant threat to their business.
- The Koch political machine intensified efforts against climate change regulation in the US, targeting vulnerable Republicans to prevent the passage of the cap and trade bill.
- Americans for Prosperity, funded by the Kochs, mobilized opposition to the bill, growing into a massive organization with 800,000 activists.
- The Kochs capitalized on the Tea Party movement's energy, framing climate change regulation as socialist tyranny, leading to a surge in opposition to cap and trade.
- The US Senate backed away from climate legislation due to pressure, with the bill failing to reach a vote, marking the end of climate legislation in Congress for a significant period.
- Koch Industries and Americans for Prosperity focused on purging the Republican Party of lawmakers who supported climate change legislation, using primary challenges to replace them with skeptics.
- The newly elected Republicans in the 2010 midterms, many supported by Americans for Prosperity, opposed climate change legislation, effectively ending the debate on the issue in Congress.
