Corporate Europe Observatory
Press release
Immediate release: Tuesday 7 December
Challenging the secrecy over funding for Europe's climate deniers
Brussels, 7 December 2010 – Funding for the European think tanks
promoting denialist views on the science of climate change remains
clouded in secrecy, a new investigation by Corporate Europe
Observatory (CEO) published today has revealed [1].
CEO asked eight prominent European climate sceptic think tanks to
disclose their sources of funding for climate-related activities, but
all refused. Eleven EU companies, all heavy polluters with an interest
in limiting legislation to tackle climate change, were then asked
whether they funded the eight think tanks. Only one, BP, declared any
funding – for the UK-based free market think tank the Institute of
Economic Affairs (IEA).
BP boasts a decade-long track record of advocating and taking
precautionary action to address climate change. Given that the IEA
clearly promotes the denial of climate change, the report asks how BP
can defend its support for such a group. BP is effectively supporting
the promotion of some of the most reactionary publications on climate
change and radical deniers among its ranks. BP and IEA both refused to
disclose how much BP contributed.
The report also gives a snapshot of some of the most influential
climate denying think tanks in Europe and the web of connections with
US groups [2]. All the other think tanks surveyed (the International
Policy Network (IPN), the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF),
Spanish Instituto Juan de Mariana, Danish CEPOS, French Institut
Économique Molinari, the Austrian Hayek Institute and Germany based
CFACT Europe) refused to give details of their funding sources. None
are registered in the EU Commission's transparency register.
CFACT Europe coorganised a gathering of climate sceptics in Berlin
last weekend, supposedly promoting 'scientific findings' which
challenged the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
How such events are funded remains a secret. Current EU transparency
rules do not oblige lobbyists to disclose their funding.
CEO researcher Belen Balanya commented:
"Climate sceptics play a prominent role in Europe, influencing both
the media and the wider public debate – yet the public have no way of
knowing who is paying for the promotion of these views. In the US,
industry has been found to be behind many of these think tanks. Who
funds the EU's think tanks should also be exposed."
The Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell and steel giant Arcelor Mittal refused
to give any information about who they funded. Spanish oil company
Repsol and GDF Suez did not reply.
French oil giant Total did respond, saying it did not fund any of the
think tanks listed – although it said it did contribute to other
groups such as European Roundtable of Industrialists (ERT), which the
report notes does lobby on climate change policy.
Lafarge, E.ON, Solvay and BASF also said that they did not contribute
to any of the eight think tanks, but all acknowledged membership of
industry associations working on climate change – including the World
Business Council on Sustainable Development, the International
Emissions Trading Association and ERT. Bayer said it did not give any
money to think tanks for work on climate change.
Contact:
Belen Balanya, belen@corporateeurope.org or tel +31 6 33090386
Notes:
[1] See Concealing their sources – who funds Europe's climate change
deniers? Corporate Europe Observatory, December 2010 -
www.corporateeurope.org/climate_change_deniers
[2] See illustration –
http://www.corporateeurope.org/system/files/files/article/climate_denial_web.pdf
www.groenfront.nl
Press release
Immediate release: Tuesday 7 December
Challenging the secrecy over funding for Europe's climate deniers
Brussels, 7 December 2010 – Funding for the European think tanks
promoting denialist views on the science of climate change remains
clouded in secrecy, a new investigation by Corporate Europe
Observatory (CEO) published today has revealed [1].
CEO asked eight prominent European climate sceptic think tanks to
disclose their sources of funding for climate-related activities, but
all refused. Eleven EU companies, all heavy polluters with an interest
in limiting legislation to tackle climate change, were then asked
whether they funded the eight think tanks. Only one, BP, declared any
funding – for the UK-based free market think tank the Institute of
Economic Affairs (IEA).
BP boasts a decade-long track record of advocating and taking
precautionary action to address climate change. Given that the IEA
clearly promotes the denial of climate change, the report asks how BP
can defend its support for such a group. BP is effectively supporting
the promotion of some of the most reactionary publications on climate
change and radical deniers among its ranks. BP and IEA both refused to
disclose how much BP contributed.
The report also gives a snapshot of some of the most influential
climate denying think tanks in Europe and the web of connections with
US groups [2]. All the other think tanks surveyed (the International
Policy Network (IPN), the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF),
Spanish Instituto Juan de Mariana, Danish CEPOS, French Institut
Économique Molinari, the Austrian Hayek Institute and Germany based
CFACT Europe) refused to give details of their funding sources. None
are registered in the EU Commission's transparency register.
CFACT Europe coorganised a gathering of climate sceptics in Berlin
last weekend, supposedly promoting 'scientific findings' which
challenged the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
How such events are funded remains a secret. Current EU transparency
rules do not oblige lobbyists to disclose their funding.
CEO researcher Belen Balanya commented:
"Climate sceptics play a prominent role in Europe, influencing both
the media and the wider public debate – yet the public have no way of
knowing who is paying for the promotion of these views. In the US,
industry has been found to be behind many of these think tanks. Who
funds the EU's think tanks should also be exposed."
The Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell and steel giant Arcelor Mittal refused
to give any information about who they funded. Spanish oil company
Repsol and GDF Suez did not reply.
French oil giant Total did respond, saying it did not fund any of the
think tanks listed – although it said it did contribute to other
groups such as European Roundtable of Industrialists (ERT), which the
report notes does lobby on climate change policy.
Lafarge, E.ON, Solvay and BASF also said that they did not contribute
to any of the eight think tanks, but all acknowledged membership of
industry associations working on climate change – including the World
Business Council on Sustainable Development, the International
Emissions Trading Association and ERT. Bayer said it did not give any
money to think tanks for work on climate change.
Contact:
Belen Balanya, belen@corporateeurope.org or tel +31 6 33090386
Notes:
[1] See Concealing their sources – who funds Europe's climate change
deniers? Corporate Europe Observatory, December 2010 -
www.corporateeurope.org/climate_change_deniers
[2] See illustration –
http://www.corporateeurope.org/system/files/files/article/climate_denial_web.pdf
www.groenfront.nl
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