Dr. R. L. Hirsch:
The attached memorandum presents the results of a study on the
potential impact of fossil fuel combustion on the CO, concentration in the
atmosphere. this study was made by Steve Knisely a summer employee in
Planning Engineering Division.The study considers the changes in future energy sources which
would be necessary to control the atmospheric CO, concentration at different leve1ls. The principle assumption for the CO2 balance is that 50% of the CO. generated by fossil fuels remains in the-atmosphere. This corresponds
to the recent data on the increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere compared to the quantity of fossil fuel combusted.
Present climatic models predict that the present trend of fossil
fuel use will lead to dramatic climatic changes within the next 75 years.However, it is not obvious whether these changes would be all bad or all good.
The major conclusion from this report ls that, should it be deemed necessary
to maintain atmospheric CO,, levels to prevent significant climatic changes,
dramatic changes in patterns of energy use would be required. World fossil
fuel resources other than oil and gas could never be used to an appreciable
extentNo practical means of recovering and disposing of CO, emissions has
yet been developed and the above conclusion assumes that recovery will not
be feasible.It must be realized that there is great uncertainty in the existing climatic models because of a poor understanding of the atmospheric/
terrestrial/oceanic CO. balance. Much more study and research in this area
is required before roaj6r changes in energy type usage could be recommended.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: ExxonMobil lobbying tactics ‘used against’ climate legislation ‘shameful’
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: ExxonMobil lobbying tactics ‘used against’ climate legislation ‘shameful’
Exxon oil lobbyist in sting video identifies 11 senators ‘crucial’ to its lobbying
A senior official with U.S. oil and gas giant ExxonMobil was captured on video revealing the identities of 11 senators “crucial” to its lobbying on Capitol Hill, including a host of Democrats.
The footage was obtained by Unearthed, an investigative unit of environmental group Greenpeace UK, which posed as headhunters to obtain the information from Exxon lobbyist Keith McCoy.
Among the senators listed as allies, McCoy calls Joe Manchin the “kingmaker” on energy issues because of his status as a Democrat representing West Virginia, a key natural gas-producing state. McCoy says he speaks with Manchin’s staff every week. Manchin is also chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
BIDEN CAN’T PLEASE ANYONE WITH MOVES ON PIPELINES
McCoy also named Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the top GOP member of the Energy Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the Republican ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee.
Other lobbying targets of Exxon include centrist Democrats Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Jon Tester of Montana.
McCoy also singles out Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, as an important contact because of his close relationship with President Joe Biden.
Other Exxon contacts are up for reelection in 2022, McCoy notes: Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Mark Kelly of Arizona.
McCoy also name-checks traditional Republican allies John Cornyn of Texas, Steve Daines of Montana, and Marco Rubio of Florida.
In the leaked video, McCoy also suggested that Exxon is only publicly supporting a carbon tax to appear to be environmentally friendly with little consequence because it sees the policy as politically impossible to pass and thus unlikely to affect the company. Exxon is one of many large oil and gas companies and their lobby groups that have endorsed the concept of a carbon tax as preferable to mandates and regulations.
“I will tell you, there is not an appetite for a carbon tax. It is a non-starter. Nobody is going to propose a tax on all Americans,” McCoy said. “And the cynical side of me says, ‘Yeah, we kind of know that. But it gives us a talking point. We can say, ‘Well, what is ExxonMobil for? Well, we’re for a carbon tax.’”
Among other revelations, McCoy acknowledges Exxon “aggressively” fought against climate science in the past to protect its oil and gas business and joined “shadow groups” to push back against the science underpinning global warming.
“We were looking out for our investments. We were looking out for our shareholders,” McCoy said.
And he claims that Exxon lobbied Congress to limit climate provisions in infrastructure negotiations over Biden’s American Jobs Plan and to focus on roads and bridges.
“If you lower that threshold, you stick to highways and bridges, then a lot of the negative stuff starts to come out,” McCoy said. “Why would you put in something on emissions reductions on climate change to oil refineries in a highway bill?”
Exxon CEO Darren Woods issued a statement Wednesday afternoon condemning the lobbyist’s comments and apologizing for them, specifically those “regarding interactions with elected officials.”
Woods stressed Exxon’s “firm commitment” to supporting carbon pricing to address climate change.
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McCoy posted his own apologetic statement declaring himself “deeply embarrassed” and saying his comments “clearly do not represent ExxonMobil’s positions on important public policy issues.”