We have put together some examples about think tanks receiving support from ExxonMobil
Centre for the New Europe (Exxon contribution 2003 and 2004: $ 40,000 and $ 80,000 respectively)
“The slight temperature changes recorded in the past century do not demand far reaching
restrictions in order to save the earth's climate. There is no justification for the
suppression of freedom and democracy.”
Centre for the New Europe received $170,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998
International Policy Network (Exxon contribution 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006: $ 50,000, $ 115,000, $ 130,000 and $ 95,000 respectively)
"Some believe climate change is an exceptional environmental problem that requires
global regulation. By reducing emissions now, it is said, we buy insurance against
future catastrophic changes. But against what exactly is Kyoto insuring, and at
what price? By itself, Kyoto will have little if any impact on the global climate."
Heartland Institute has received $ 791, 500 from ExxonMobil since 1998
· European Enterprise Institute (EEI’s Director of Research, Chris Horner, is also a Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute which received $2 million from Exxon between 1998 and 2005)
"In fact, the European Union can no longer credibly blame the United States about
the current state of Kyoto. The question now is whether the European Union will
accept Kyoto's failure, and its own, and accept a more practical rethinking of the
issue for the future. If not, it only has itself to blame."
International Council for Capital Formation (ICCF is the international affiliate – based in Brussels - of the American Council for Capital Formation, which has received $15,000 in 2006 from Exxon)
“At Tuesday's discussion, opponents of mandatory carbon laws said that, since
other big carbon emitters like China and India have not yet signed up, the laws
would do little to fight global warming while costing great deal”.
"Even if we curb emissions and lose jobs, it's not going to make a dent," (…) "Is
the benefit worth the cost?" Margo Thorning, Managing director of ICCF & Senior Vice President of ACCF at
an oil Industry meeting (December 2006)
Margo Thorning also wrote an opinion paper for the European Enterprise Institute:
“The Kyoto Protocol and the much tighter emission reduction targets being discussed for
the second commitment period for developed countries would slow economic growth globally
and have no measurable impact on atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. The
developing countries have no intention of slowing their economic development by curbing
energy use, nor should they.”
Stockholm Network (financial support from Exxon indicated in annual review but exact amounts are not revealed;
Stockholm Network Annual Report)
Tech Central Station Europe
are equally actively trying to influence EU policy making. Their dealings are much more
difficult to trace and their allegiances hard to identify. Most of these think tanks refuse
to disclose their funding sources or only do so under strong public pressure. In some cases,
parallels can be drawn between American think tanks and European ones, for instance with
sister organisations such as the American and International Policy Network, and Tech Central
Station Europe, an affiliate of the American Tech Central Station.