Rockefeller Family Fund

“Read the documents”

The Rockefeller Family Fund (RFF) promotes public education about the risks of global warming. It funds investigative journalism and high-quality research that helps the public understand the realities of climate change.

Historians of science have long known that Exxon has been a leading funder of those who deny the validity of climate science. When investigative journalists at Columbia University and InsideClimate News found internal ExxonMobil documents that acknowledged the "catastrophic" climate risks associated with burning fossil fuels, the company exhorted the public to "read the documents" rather than be deceived by the "allegations" contained in the reports about them.

RFF subsequently made a grant to Harvard University to enable two scholars--Naomi Oreskes and Geoffrey Supran--to comply with Exxon's request and independently review all available documentation, which reflect both the company's internal understanding of climate change and its public statements about the issue. Their peer-reviewed, empirical report examines the internal Exxon memoranda that have already been the subject of media scrutiny as well as every published article by an Exxon scientist about climate change and all the many "advertorials" the company published on the subject in the editorial pages of The New York Times--187 documents in total. This exhaustive report concludes that "ExxonMobil misled the public" about climate change. You can read the full Harvard report here.

The Rockefeller Family Fund still holds out hope that ExxonMobil will decide to come clean with the American public about its role in artificially manufacturing the so-called "debate" over climate science. Perhaps then we can move on with the urgent business of addressing the unfolding climate catastrophe that Exxon has for so long predicted.

(photo by Johnny Silvercloud, https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnysilvercloud/22286952533/)

Updates

Coal-Generated Power Continues to Decline:

Just ten years ago, coal-fired power plants produced 50% of US electricity. Now that figure is down to 29% as of July 2016. According to IEEFA, the market--not regulation--is responsible for the decline. Cheap natural gas and low-priced renewables combined with advanced technologies are replacing an aging coal fleet.

Vermont Passes Statewide Earned Sick Leave Bill:

In March, Vermont's Governor signed the legislation which will guarantee the right to earned sick leave to more than 60,000 residents. It joins Connecticut, California, Massachussetts, and Oregon, as well as 24 cities that have passed paid sick days laws.

Economic Justice Victory in Arizona!:

On November 8, voters in Arizona overwhelmingly approved Proposition 206 – a ballot initiative to establish earned sick leave and increase the minimum wage! Read more about this important success for working women and their families here.