A British scientific group, the Royal Society, contends that Exxon Mobil is spreading “inaccurate and misleading” information about climate change and is financing groups that misinform the public on the issue. The Royal Society, a 1,400-member organization that dates back to the 1600 s and has counted Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein as members, asked Exxon Mobil in a letter this month to stop financing these groups and to change its public reports to reflect more accurately the opinions of scientists on the issue.

There is a "false sense somehow that there is a two-sided debate going on in the scientific community” about the origins of climate change, said Bob Ward, the senior manager for policy communication at the Royal Society. The reality is that “thousands and thousands” of scientists around the world agree that climate change is linked to greenhouse gases, he said, with “one or two professional contrarians” who disagree.

Dozens of lobbying groups, some of them receiving financing from Exxon Mobil, are relying on these contrarians as experts, Mr. Ward said. Meanwhile, he said, Exxon Mobil writes in documents it distributes to the public that it is difficult to determine the extent to which climate change can be attributed to human actions, a view that, he said, the vast majority of scientists do not share.

In a statement, Exxon Mobil said the Royal Society had “inaccurately and unfairly described our company.” It added: “We know that carbon emissions are one of the factors that contribute to climate change — we don’t debate or dispute this.” Exxon Mobil said it was taking steps to minimize emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from its operations.

In a letter sent to Exxon Mobil this month, the Royal Society said it was “very difficult to reconcile the misrepresentations of climate change science in these documents with Exxon Mobil’s claims to be an industry leader.” The letter states that Exxon Mobil pledged in July, after a meeting with the society, to stop financing organizations that spread information the society considers misleading, and it asks for proof that the financing has stopped.

In 2005, Exxon Mobil sent $2.9 million to 39 groups active in the United States that spread misleading information about climate change, Mr. Ward said, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the International Policy Network and the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change.

Exxon Mobil said in its statement that it gave financial support to organizations that “research significant policy issues and promote informed discussion on issues of direct relevance to the company.” These organizations do not speak on the company’s behalf, nor does it control their views and messages, Exxon Mobil said.
(Por Heather Timmons, The N.Y. Times, 21/09/2006)