The Power of Big Oil Part One: Denial (full documentary) | FRONTLINE

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19 Apr 202284:19

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TLDRThis powerful documentary from Frontline explores the fossil fuel industry's decades-long campaign to spread misinformation and sow doubt about climate change science, even as their own researchers confirmed the threat. With unprecedented access to internal documents and interviews, it exposes how industry giants like Exxon understood the gravity of the issue as early as the 1970s but chose to prioritize profits over addressing the looming crisis. The film reveals the sophisticated tactics employed to undermine scientific consensus, influence policymakers, and delay meaningful action, ultimately leaving the world to grapple with the catastrophic consequences today.

Takeaways

😬 Exxon and other fossil fuel companies were aware of the scientific evidence for human-caused climate change since the 1970s and 1980s, based on their own internal research and that of academia.
🤥 Despite this internal knowledge, companies like Exxon publicly spread disinformation and emphasized scientific uncertainty about climate change to protect their business interests.
💸 Fossil fuel companies funded skeptic scientists and third-party organizations to cast doubt on climate science and oppose policy action, such as through the Global Climate Coalition.
🗳️ Corporate lobbying and advertising campaigns played a significant role in swaying public opinion and influencing policymakers against taking action on climate change, such as the failure of the Kyoto Protocol.
⏱️ Decades of inaction and delay tactics by fossil fuel companies have been described as a squandered opportunity to address climate change earlier when solutions were available.
😡 Some scientists involved in early climate research at companies like Exxon express anger and disappointment at the industry's unethical decision to obfuscate the reality of climate change.
💰 Economic interests, such as fears of job losses and competitive disadvantages, were weaponized by fossil fuel companies to argue against climate policies, often ignoring the long-term costs of inaction.
🤝 Industry coalitions and lobbying groups coordinated efforts to influence policymakers, providing draft resolutions and briefings that emphasized scientific uncertainty and economic risks of climate action.
🌍 The failure to tackle climate change early on has contributed to the scale of the crisis the world now faces, with some effects already deemed irreversible according to the IPCC.
🤷‍♂️ Despite acknowledging climate change as a serious risk, companies like ExxonMobil continue to defend their past actions and maintain that their positions were consistent with the scientific consensus at the time.

Q & A

What was Exxon's initial motivation for research on climate change and greenhouse gases?
-In the late 1970s, Exxon wanted to contribute to the understanding of the global carbon dioxide cycle using their expertise and facilities, specifically with an oil tanker project. They recognized the potential impact of the greenhouse effect on their business and aimed to form a credible team to carry any 'bad news' to the corporation.
What did Exxon's research in the 1970s and 1980s reveal about climate change?
-Exxon's research during that period was consistent with the findings of academia, confirming that the Earth was going to warm significantly due to human activities and increased greenhouse gas emissions. There was a consensus among Exxon's scientists that changes would be necessary to address this issue.
How did Exxon's stance on climate change evolve over time?
-Despite their own scientists' research confirming the reality of human-caused climate change, Exxon began to publicly emphasize scientific uncertainty and cast doubt on the need for action, particularly in the 1990s. This was seen as a strategy to protect their business interests and delay policy action.
What was the role of the Global Climate Coalition (GCC) and other industry groups?
-The Global Climate Coalition, consisting of major fossil fuel companies and trade associations, actively worked to emphasize scientific uncertainty and counter the growing scientific consensus on climate change. They funded and amplified contrarian voices and lobbied against policy action like the Kyoto Protocol.
How did the fossil fuel industry influence policymakers and public opinion?
-The industry employed various tactics, such as funding studies that exaggerated the economic costs of climate action, placing advertorials and op-eds, and lobbying politicians directly. They worked to shape public perception and persuade policymakers that action on climate change would harm the economy and cost jobs.
What was the significance of the Byrd-Hagel Resolution in 1997?
-The Byrd-Hagel Resolution, which passed the U.S. Senate 95-0, effectively killed any chance of the United States ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. It reflected the fossil fuel industry's successful lobbying efforts and the Senate's unwillingness to take action that could disadvantage American industry.
How did Exxon's internal stance differ from their public messaging?
-Internally, Exxon's scientists accepted the reality of human-caused climate change and the need for action. However, the company's public messaging, led by figures like CEO Lee Raymond, continued to emphasize scientific uncertainty and downplay the urgency of the issue, even as the scientific evidence grew stronger.
What were the consequences of the fossil fuel industry's efforts to delay action on climate change?
-By successfully sowing doubt and obstructing policy action for decades, the fossil fuel industry delayed the world's response to climate change, allowing greenhouse gas emissions to continue unabated. This inaction has exacerbated the impacts of climate change and made the challenge of mitigating and adapting to it more severe.
How do scientists featured in the script view the fossil fuel industry's actions?
-Scientists like Dr. James Hansen and Dr. Ben Santer express anger and frustration at the industry's efforts to mislead the public and policymakers, despite having clear scientific evidence of human-caused climate change. They believe these actions have squandered valuable time and made the climate crisis more severe.
What is Exxon's current stance on climate change, according to their statements?
-In recent statements, Exxon acknowledges that climate change is real and poses serious risks. However, they maintain that their position has been consistent with the scientific consensus and that they did not have any unique or superior knowledge about climate science that was unavailable to policymakers or the public.

Outlines

00:00

🛢️ The Evolution of the Oil and Gas Industry

The narrative introduces the oil and gas industry's pivotal role over 150 years in elevating living standards and driving economic growth. Despite its contributions, the industry faces a critical juncture due to its undeniable link to global climate change, highlighted by worsening climate impacts. A special three-part series aims to explore the industry's historical knowledge of climate change effects, beginning over forty years ago, and its strategic response to growing scientific consensus. Initial fascination turns to ethical dilemmas as internal research confirming climate change's reality is juxtaposed with public denial and disinformation campaigns.

05:00

🌍 Scientific Foundations of Climate Change

This section delves into the scientific discovery and understanding of climate change, tracing back to observations of carbon dioxide's role in the atmosphere and its consequential warming effect on Earth. Pioneering scientists and consultants like those working with Exxon began to model and understand the looming climate crisis, acknowledging fossil fuels' significant contribution. Despite early comprehensive research efforts by Exxon into the environmental impact and potential alternative energy sources, economic pressures and strategic decisions led to a shift away from climate science and towards sustaining profitability in fossil fuels.

10:01

🔍 Exxon's Internal Climate Research and Public Denial

In the 1980s, Exxon's internal research aligned with the scientific consensus on climate change, predicting significant warming and advocating for a reduction in fossil fuel consumption. However, as the implications for the business became clearer, Exxon shifted its stance, publicly denying the conclusive evidence and focusing on uncertainty to avoid regulatory actions. This discrepancy between Exxon's internal knowledge and its public disinformation campaign marks a pivotal ethical breach, deeply impacting global climate policy and delaying action.

15:02

📉 Economic Arguments Against Climate Action

This segment uncovers the strategic pivot of Exxon and other fossil fuel companies towards economic arguments to counter climate action. By emphasizing the potential negative impact on jobs and the economy, these companies sought to undermine the scientific consensus on climate change. Notably, Exxon, despite having conducted extensive internal research confirming the anthropogenic cause of climate change, publicly questioned the validity of the science, directly influencing the narrative and policy approach to global warming.

20:03

🌐 Political and Public Influence Strategies

The narrative exposes the concerted efforts by Exxon and the broader fossil fuel industry to influence political and public opinion on climate change. Through funding skeptical science, mobilizing think tanks, and deploying targeted advertising, the industry aimed to sow doubt about the consensus on climate change and delay regulatory actions. These strategies effectively shaped legislative outcomes and public perceptions, significantly impacting the global response to the climate crisis.

25:05

🚫 Legislative Roadblocks to Climate Policy

Detailing the political aftermath of the fossil fuel industry's influence, this part highlights the legislative challenges in implementing climate policies. Despite the mounting scientific evidence and the urgent calls for action from the environmental community, industry-backed efforts successfully thwarted significant climate legislation. Key figures and coalitions within the Senate, swayed by industry lobbying and misinformation, played pivotal roles in blocking the ratification of international climate agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol.

30:06

🔚 Reflections and Consequences

In closing, the narrative reflects on the long-term consequences of the fossil fuel industry's denial and obstruction of climate science. Key figures express regret over their roles in undermining climate action, acknowledging the missed opportunities for change. The series concludes with a poignant acknowledgment of the irreversible damage done to global climate systems, the ethical breaches committed by industry leaders, and the urgent need for rectifying past mistakes to mitigate future impacts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global or regional climate patterns, primarily driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture. In the video, climate change is portrayed as a critical issue that the fossil fuel industry, particularly ExxonMobil, was aware of since the 1970s but actively sought to create doubt and confusion around, delaying meaningful action to address it. The script highlights the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change and its potential catastrophic effects.

💡Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process where certain gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun, keeping the Earth's surface warmer than it would otherwise be. As mentioned in the script, ExxonMobil conducted research in the late 1970s to understand the role of the ocean in the global carbon dioxide cycle, aiming to assess the potential impacts of the greenhouse effect caused by increasing fossil fuel emissions. The video emphasizes ExxonMobil's early knowledge of the greenhouse effect's consequences.

💡Fossil Fuel Industry

The fossil fuel industry encompasses companies and organizations involved in the exploration, extraction, refining, and distribution of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal. The script primarily focuses on the role of major oil companies like ExxonMobil in funding campaigns to sow doubt about climate science and obstruct policies aimed at reducing fossil fuel emissions. The industry's efforts to protect its business interests and delay action on climate change are central to the video's narrative.

💡Scientific Uncertainty

Scientific uncertainty refers to the inherent limitations and unknowns that exist in scientific research and understanding. The script highlights how the fossil fuel industry, particularly through organizations like the Global Climate Coalition, strategically emphasized scientific uncertainties surrounding climate change to undermine the urgency for action. Despite growing scientific consensus on human-caused climate change, the industry amplified remaining uncertainties to create doubt and delay policy responses.

💡Disinformation

Disinformation refers to the deliberate spread of false or misleading information. The video suggests that the fossil fuel industry, particularly ExxonMobil, engaged in a campaign of disinformation by publicly denying or downplaying the scientific evidence on climate change, despite having internal knowledge of its validity. The script highlights how the industry funded third-party sources to spread doubt and contrarian views, effectively disseminating disinformation to undermine public understanding and policy action on climate change.

💡Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty adopted in 1997, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. As discussed in the script, the fossil fuel industry, led by organizations like the Global Climate Coalition, mounted a significant campaign to oppose the Kyoto Protocol, citing potential economic impacts and exemptions for developing countries. The industry's efforts, including lobbying and advertising campaigns, played a crucial role in undermining U.S. support for the treaty and preventing its ratification.

💡Lobbying

Lobbying refers to the practice of influencing decision-makers, such as legislators and policymakers, to promote specific interests or positions. The script highlights how the fossil fuel industry, through organizations like the American Petroleum Institute and the Global Climate Coalition, engaged in lobbying efforts to sway politicians and lawmakers against taking action on climate change. This included providing briefings, drafting resolutions, and presenting data and arguments that emphasized economic risks and scientific uncertainties.

💡Public Relations (PR)

Public relations (PR) refers to the strategic management of communication and information to shape public perception and opinion. The video reveals how the fossil fuel industry employed PR firms and tactics, such as placing op-eds, conducting advertising campaigns, and recruiting third-party spokespeople, to promote a narrative of doubt and uncertainty around climate change. These PR efforts aimed to influence public opinion and policymakers, ultimately delaying action on addressing climate change.

💡Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions refer to the release of gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming. The video focuses on the fossil fuel industry's role in increasing greenhouse gas emissions through the burning of fossil fuels and its resistance to policies aimed at reducing these emissions. The script highlights the industry's efforts to cast doubt on the link between human activities, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change.

💡Environmental Regulation

Environmental regulation refers to the laws, policies, and standards set by governments to protect the environment and address issues like climate change. The script depicts the fossil fuel industry's opposition to environmental regulations that would limit greenhouse gas emissions or transition away from fossil fuels, citing potential economic impacts and scientific uncertainties. The industry's lobbying and PR campaigns aimed to influence policymakers and prevent the adoption of stricter environmental regulations related to climate change.

Highlights

Exxon scientists conducted rigorous peer-reviewed research in the 1980s and were aware that climate change was a serious issue caused by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.

Exxon's own scientists warned the company that climate change posed an 'existential threat' to its business, but the company made an 'unethical decision' to spread misinformation and obfuscate the reality.

Despite internal knowledge of the human impact on climate change, Exxon publicly maintained a position of uncertainty, with CEO Lee Raymond falsely stating that 'scientific evidence remains inconclusive' in 1996.

The fossil fuel industry, through organizations like the Global Climate Coalition, actively emphasized scientific uncertainty and recruited third-party spokespersons to cast doubt on climate change, even as the science became more certain.

The industry successfully lobbied against climate legislation, such as the BTU tax proposed by the Clinton administration, by funding grassroots campaigns, influencing policymakers, and portraying economic impacts as catastrophic job losses.

The Byrd-Hagel Resolution, which passed 95-0 in the Senate, effectively killed the Kyoto Protocol in the U.S., with the fossil fuel industry playing a significant role in influencing senators through briefings and draft resolutions.

The fossil fuel industry's denial campaign successfully delayed action on climate change for decades, despite the growing scientific consensus and evidence of its impacts.

Former Exxon scientist Ed Garvey expresses anger and frustration at the company's decision to prioritize its business interests over addressing climate change, calling it a 'squandered time' with severe consequences for the planet.

The internal documents and evidence from the Exxon archives reveal a pattern of deception, where the company knowingly spread misinformation and obfuscated the reality of climate change, despite having a sophisticated understanding of the issue.

The fossil fuel industry's strategy evolved from emphasizing scientific uncertainty to recruiting economists to highlight the potential economic impacts of climate action, portraying it as a threat to jobs and competitiveness.

The industry's efforts to cast doubt on climate change extended beyond Exxon, with companies like Shell and the coal industry also having a sophisticated understanding of the issue by the late 1980s.

The involvement of public relations firms and third-party organizations allowed the fossil fuel industry to amplify its messaging and create the appearance of independent voices opposing climate action.

The U.S. automobile industry became an 'active, aggressive ally' of the fossil fuel industry in opposing climate action, aligning interests to protect their respective businesses.

The Clinton administration's failure to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, due in part to industry opposition and the Byrd-Hagel Resolution, was a significant missed opportunity for global action on climate change.

The fossil fuel industry's tactics, including funding climate denial, spreading misinformation, and influencing policymakers, effectively delayed action on climate change for decades, despite the growing scientific consensus and evidence of its impacts.

Transcripts

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