Using America to Thwart Action on Climate Change

Guess who is pouring money into the election coffers of U.S. candidates opposed to climate change initiatives?  Major European polluters, that's who.

Climate Action Network Europe has issued a report outing prominent European industrial polluters who've figured out the best way to derail global climate change measures is to buy help elect a Congress that will block action.   If the U.S. won't act, the rest of the world probably won't do anything meaningful either.


polluting European companies are funding climate legislation blockers in US politics. Their overseas support is all the more galling because the same companies argue that additional emissions reductions in Europe cannot be pursued until the United States takes action. 

“It’s disturbing that these European polluters fund anti-climate crusaders in the US while simultaneously fighting against strong climate legislation in Europe,” said Tomas Wyns, CAN Europe Senior Policy Officer. “This newly released data proves the anecdotal rumours about European companies that have been circulating for some time.”

 Big European emitters BAYER, BASF, Solvay, Lafarge, BP, GDF-SUEZ, Arcelor-Mittal and EON supported senators blocking climate change legislation in the US for a combined total of $240,200. To put it in perspective, in 2009 these seven firms emitted 130 million tones of greenhouse gas pollution, roughly the same as the annual emissions of Belgium. Support from these European companies is going to numerous US candidates who not only block climate legislation, but also actively deny the scientific consensus that climate change is happening and is caused by humans.

Ever since the radical rightwing U.S. Supreme Court ruled that money, even corporate money, is protected speech, the doors have been flung open to foreign corporate influence peddling - and meddling - in American elections.  Well, as Mussolini said, corporatism is fascism.  I'll bet he would have loved the Roberts court.

These Eurotrash companies are even helping our homegrown Petro-Pols who will use American inaction as a cover for their own unwillingness to combat climate change.