Newly revealed documents show how ExxonMobil collaborated with free-market think tanks to delay global climate policies in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Anne-Sophie Simpère reports for DeSmog.
In short:
- ExxonMobil funded Atlas Network to support think tanks promoting market-friendly approaches to climate issues.
- The network’s activities included conferences, media campaigns and materials aimed at sowing doubt on climate science.
- Some beneficiaries, like Argentine officials, now influence climate policy in right-leaning governments.
Key quote:
“those donations from the late 1990s and early 2000s reflect the perspective of our leadership at the time that overzealous environmental regulation, premised on climate change, would be harmful for economic growth in general, and especially for the opportunity to increase living standards in the Global South."
— Brad Lips, CEO of Atlas Network
Why this matters:
Corporate-funded disinformation campaigns have delayed meaningful climate action for decades. These collaborations undermined public trust in science and influenced policymakers to prioritize industry interests over environmental protection.
Read more: Oil companies pushed ineffective carbon capture while reaping tax benefits
