94
While it downplayed some of the effects of atmospheric CO2, it still concluded that
“it is rather obvious that we are unsure as to what our long lived pollutants are doing
to our environment; however, there seems to be no doubt that the potential damage
to our environment could be severe.”448 From then on, as the documents submitted to
the Commission show, many of the Carbon Majors’ own scientists not only affirmed
the findings of the US President’s Science Advisory Committee’s report throughout the
succeeding years, but the Carbon Majors themselves also began to acquire much more
detailed knowledge and extent of the climate risks associated with carbon dioxide from
fossil fuels, including everything that we already know today.
All these demonstrate that the Carbon Majors have known since 1965 that their products,
when used as intended, result in various harms to the climate system.
C. Willful Obfuscation of Climate Science and
Obstruction of Global Initiatives toward Decarbonization
The fossil fuel industry, including the Carbon Majors, engaged in measures to convince
the public that the use of their products would not lead to significant harms. This was
done through a combination of actions, the most notable of which are mentioned below.
Through the API, the industry perpetrated massive climate denial campaigns. In 1996,
the API published a book, entitled Reinventing Energy: Making the Right Choices, which
attempted to show that “when facts–not commonly held misconceptions–are used, there
is no persuasive basis for forcing Americans to dramatically change their lifestyles to use
less oil.”449 In arguing for government inaction and discouraging the further development
of alternative energy sources, contrary to the findings in all the studies it commissioned
over the years, it deceptively stated that:
Currently, no conclusive–or even strongly suggestive–scientific
evidence exists that human activities are significantly affecting sea
levels, rainfall, surface temperatures or the intensity and frequency
of storms. After all, a conclusion that the global climate is changing
as a result of human activity would require much more scientific
448
Id. at 25.
449
American Petroleum Institute, Reinventing Energy: Making the Right Choices, 2 (1965) from
Exhibit AAAAAAA to AAAAAAA-1, Climate Files Post Index prepared by Climate
Investigations Center with links to copies of the actual documents, available at
http://www.climatefiles.com/trade-group/american-petroleum-institute/1996-reinventing-energy/
(last accessed Mar. 5, 2020).
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