Oil Lobby to Fund Campaign Against Obama's Climate Change Strategy
Email from American Petroleum Institute outlines plan to create appearance of public opposition to Obama's climate and energy reform
The US oil and gas lobby are planning to stage public events to give the appearance of a groundswell of public opinion against legislation on climate change strategy, according to campaigners. that is key to Barack Obama's
A key lobbying group will bankroll and organise 20 ''energy citizen'' rallies in 20 states. In an email obtained by Greenpeace, Jack Gerard, the president of the American Petroleum Institute
(API), outlined what he called a "sensitive" plan to stage events
during the August congressional recess to put a "human face" on
opposition to climate and energy reform.
After the clamour over healthcare, the memo raises the possibility of a new round of protests against a key Obama issue.
"Our
goal is to energise people and show them that they are not alone," said
Cathy Landry, for API, who confirmed that the memo was authentic.
The
email from Gerard lays out ambitious plans to stage a series of
lunchtime rallies to try to shape the climate bill that was passed by
the house in June and will come before the Senate in September. "We
must move aggressively," it reads.
The API strategy also extends
to a PR drive. Gerard cites polls to test the effectiveness of its
arguments against climate change legislation. It offers up the "energy
citizen" rallies as ready-made events, noting that allies - which
include manufacturing and farm alliances as well as 400 oil and gas
member organisations - will have to do little more than turn up.
"API
will provide the up-front resources," the email said. "This includes
contracting with a highly experienced events management company that
has produced successful rallies for presidential campaigns."
However,
it said member organisations should encourage employees to attend to
command the attention of senators. "In the 11 states with an industry
core, our member company local leadership - including your facility
manager's commitment to provide significant attendance - is essential,"
said the email.
Greenpeace
described the meetings as "astroturfing" - events intended to exert
pressure on legislators by giving the impression of a groundswell of
public opinion. Kert Davies, its research director, said: "It is the
behind the scenes plan to disrupt the debate and weaken political
support for climate regulation."
The rally sites were chosen to
exert maximum pressure on Democrats in conservative areas. The API also
included talking points for the rallies - including figures on the
costs of energy reform that were refuted weeks ago by the congressional
budget office.
The API drive also points to a possible fracturing
of the US Climate Action Partnership (Uscap), a broad coalition of
corporations and energy organisations which was instrumental in
drafting the Waxman-Markey climate change bill that passed in the House
of Representatives in June.
Passage of the legislation is seen as crucial to the prospects of getting the world to sign on to a climate change treaty at Copenhagen next December.
Five
members of Uscap are also in API, including BP which said its employees
were aware of the rallies. Conoco Phillips, which was also a member of
the climate action partnership, has also turned against climate change,
warning on its website that the legislation will put jobs at risk, and
compromise America's energy security. The company is also advertising
the energy rallies on its website, urging readers: "Make your voice
heard."
However, Shell, also a member of both groups, said it
did not support the rallies. Bill Tenner, a spokesman, said: "We are
not participating."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
The US oil and gas lobby are planning to stage public events to give the appearance of a groundswell of public opinion against legislation on climate change strategy, according to campaigners. that is key to Barack Obama's
A key lobbying group will bankroll and organise 20 ''energy citizen'' rallies in 20 states. In an email obtained by Greenpeace, Jack Gerard, the president of the American Petroleum Institute
(API), outlined what he called a "sensitive" plan to stage events
during the August congressional recess to put a "human face" on
opposition to climate and energy reform.
After the clamour over healthcare, the memo raises the possibility of a new round of protests against a key Obama issue.
"Our
goal is to energise people and show them that they are not alone," said
Cathy Landry, for API, who confirmed that the memo was authentic.
The
email from Gerard lays out ambitious plans to stage a series of
lunchtime rallies to try to shape the climate bill that was passed by
the house in June and will come before the Senate in September. "We
must move aggressively," it reads.
The API strategy also extends
to a PR drive. Gerard cites polls to test the effectiveness of its
arguments against climate change legislation. It offers up the "energy
citizen" rallies as ready-made events, noting that allies - which
include manufacturing and farm alliances as well as 400 oil and gas
member organisations - will have to do little more than turn up.
"API
will provide the up-front resources," the email said. "This includes
contracting with a highly experienced events management company that
has produced successful rallies for presidential campaigns."
However,
it said member organisations should encourage employees to attend to
command the attention of senators. "In the 11 states with an industry
core, our member company local leadership - including your facility
manager's commitment to provide significant attendance - is essential,"
said the email.
Greenpeace
described the meetings as "astroturfing" - events intended to exert
pressure on legislators by giving the impression of a groundswell of
public opinion. Kert Davies, its research director, said: "It is the
behind the scenes plan to disrupt the debate and weaken political
support for climate regulation."
The rally sites were chosen to
exert maximum pressure on Democrats in conservative areas. The API also
included talking points for the rallies - including figures on the
costs of energy reform that were refuted weeks ago by the congressional
budget office.
The API drive also points to a possible fracturing
of the US Climate Action Partnership (Uscap), a broad coalition of
corporations and energy organisations which was instrumental in
drafting the Waxman-Markey climate change bill that passed in the House
of Representatives in June.
Passage of the legislation is seen as crucial to the prospects of getting the world to sign on to a climate change treaty at Copenhagen next December.
Five
members of Uscap are also in API, including BP which said its employees
were aware of the rallies. Conoco Phillips, which was also a member of
the climate action partnership, has also turned against climate change,
warning on its website that the legislation will put jobs at risk, and
compromise America's energy security. The company is also advertising
the energy rallies on its website, urging readers: "Make your voice
heard."
However, Shell, also a member of both groups, said it
did not support the rallies. Bill Tenner, a spokesman, said: "We are
not participating."
The US oil and gas lobby are planning to stage public events to give the appearance of a groundswell of public opinion against legislation on climate change strategy, according to campaigners. that is key to Barack Obama's
A key lobbying group will bankroll and organise 20 ''energy citizen'' rallies in 20 states. In an email obtained by Greenpeace, Jack Gerard, the president of the American Petroleum Institute
(API), outlined what he called a "sensitive" plan to stage events
during the August congressional recess to put a "human face" on
opposition to climate and energy reform.
After the clamour over healthcare, the memo raises the possibility of a new round of protests against a key Obama issue.
"Our
goal is to energise people and show them that they are not alone," said
Cathy Landry, for API, who confirmed that the memo was authentic.
The
email from Gerard lays out ambitious plans to stage a series of
lunchtime rallies to try to shape the climate bill that was passed by
the house in June and will come before the Senate in September. "We
must move aggressively," it reads.
The API strategy also extends
to a PR drive. Gerard cites polls to test the effectiveness of its
arguments against climate change legislation. It offers up the "energy
citizen" rallies as ready-made events, noting that allies - which
include manufacturing and farm alliances as well as 400 oil and gas
member organisations - will have to do little more than turn up.
"API
will provide the up-front resources," the email said. "This includes
contracting with a highly experienced events management company that
has produced successful rallies for presidential campaigns."
However,
it said member organisations should encourage employees to attend to
command the attention of senators. "In the 11 states with an industry
core, our member company local leadership - including your facility
manager's commitment to provide significant attendance - is essential,"
said the email.
Greenpeace
described the meetings as "astroturfing" - events intended to exert
pressure on legislators by giving the impression of a groundswell of
public opinion. Kert Davies, its research director, said: "It is the
behind the scenes plan to disrupt the debate and weaken political
support for climate regulation."
The rally sites were chosen to
exert maximum pressure on Democrats in conservative areas. The API also
included talking points for the rallies - including figures on the
costs of energy reform that were refuted weeks ago by the congressional
budget office.
The API drive also points to a possible fracturing
of the US Climate Action Partnership (Uscap), a broad coalition of
corporations and energy organisations which was instrumental in
drafting the Waxman-Markey climate change bill that passed in the House
of Representatives in June.
Passage of the legislation is seen as crucial to the prospects of getting the world to sign on to a climate change treaty at Copenhagen next December.
Five
members of Uscap are also in API, including BP which said its employees
were aware of the rallies. Conoco Phillips, which was also a member of
the climate action partnership, has also turned against climate change,
warning on its website that the legislation will put jobs at risk, and
compromise America's energy security. The company is also advertising
the energy rallies on its website, urging readers: "Make your voice
heard."
However, Shell, also a member of both groups, said it
did not support the rallies. Bill Tenner, a spokesman, said: "We are
not participating."