ExxonMobil gave millions to climate-denying lawmakers despite pledge

From:  The Guardian 

Under pressure from shareholders, company promised eight years ago to stop funding climate denial – but financial and tax records tell a different story

ExxonMobil pledged in 2007 to stop funding climate denial. Photograph: Michelle Christenson/AP

ExxonMobil gave more than $2.3m to members of Congress and a corporate lobbying group that deny climate change and block efforts to fight climate change – eight years after pledging to stop its funding of climate denial, the Guardian has learned.

Climate denial – from Republicans in Congress and lobby groups operating at the state level – is seen as a major obstacle to US and global efforts to fight climate change, closing off the possibility of federal and state regulations cutting greenhouse gas emissions and the ability to plan for a future of sea-level rise and extreme weather.

Exxon channeled about $30m to researchers and activist groups promoting disinformation about global warming over the years, according to a tally kept by the campaign group Greenpeace. But the oil company pledged to stop such funding in 2007, in response to pressure from shareholder activists.  MORE