ExxonMobil Willfully Misleading Public on Global Warming

New advertising push a smokescreen as company continues to push fossil fuels

18 September 2002

From Greenpeace: Greenpeace today said that ExxonMobil's latest misinformation campaign 'Understanding Energy' was evidence that the company was suffering as a result of the global Stop ExxonMobil campaign.

"ExxonMobil is desperately trying to disguise the fact that it is an old fashioned, dirty, fossil fuel company, whose main business is destroying the climate," said James Moore of the Greenpeace Climate Campaign. "Greenpeace has been targeting Exxon for its ongoing sabotage of government action to address global warming. The fact that the company has reacted with this expensive advertising campaign shows that it is running scared."

ExxonMobil's new campaign touts fuel cells that rely on gasoline, continued seismic exploration for oil and gas and oil and gas drilling in the Arctic. It avoids any mention of the real solutions to global warming, despite the agreement of the international community that corporations must take action to address the problem. Greenpeace is calling on the oil giant to support mandatory cuts in the greenhouse gases that scientists say are the cause of the problem.

"ExxonMobil is now trying to paint 'business as usual' as cutting edge and clean but it won't wash with the public," said Moore. "This latest advertising campaign is all about new and more efficient ways of recovering and using fossil fuels. It ignores the problem of global warming and the real energy challenge of the 21st Century - the transition to renewable energy."

Greenpeace launched a global campaign against ExxonMobil over a year ago, targeting ExxonMobil as the number one global warming villain. In the USA, Greenpeace, along with other environmental, human rights and social justice groups, is organizing a national day of action against ExxonMobil on October 19, 2002. Greenpeace activists and volunteers in over 20 cities across the country will be organizing protests at their local Exxon or Mobil gas stations.

"ExxonMobil must stop interfering in international and domestic efforts to address climate change and support mandatory greenhouse gas reductions. Until it does, Greenpeace will continue to work with activists, scientists, politicians and business leaders to make sure the public is aware of ExxonMobil's irresponsible corporate behavior and what it will cost the United States and the planet," Moore added.

Greenpeace has built its own web site to counter ExxonMobil's public relations effort at http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/exxonmobil. ExxonMobil site: http://www.understandingenergy.com.