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The Power of Big Oil (Part Two: Doubt)
FRONTLINE examines the fossil fuel industry’s history of casting doubt and delaying action on climate change. Part Two of this three-part series explores the industry’s efforts to stall climate policy, even as evidence about climate change grew more certain in the new millennium.
FRONTLINE examines the fossil fuel industry’s history of casting doubt and delaying action on climate change. Part Two of this three-part series explores the industry’s efforts to stall climate policy, even as evidence about climate change grew more certain in the new millennium.
Part Two: Doubt
KERT DAVIES, Director, Climate Investigations Center:
In 1998, there was this meeting in D.C. It's convened by the American Petroleum Institute. Exxon is in the room, Chevron, Southern Company, with various think tank officers, communications professionals and right-wing libertarian professionals. They're hatching a plan to stop people from worrying about climate change.
NARRATOR:
Less than a year earlier, some of those in the room had helped block American participation in a major international attempt to combat climate change. They feared more threats on the horizon.
KERT DAVIES:
The plan is a wide and concerted effort to install uncertainty around climate science, to decrease political pressure by sowing doubt around the science. Their targets include media, members of Congress, schoolteachers, average citizens. The plan right at the top says, "Victory will be achieved when recognition of uncertainties becomes part of the quote, conventional wisdom." They said that it was never implemented, but what it shows is an intentionality—we need people to not care so much about climate change. We need uncertainty to rule the day.
KERT DAVIES, Director, Climate Investigations Center:
In 1998, there was this meeting in D.C. It's convened by the American Petroleum Institute. Exxon is in the room, Chevron, Southern Company, with various think tank officers, communications professionals and right-wing libertarian professionals. They're hatching a plan to stop people from worrying about climate change.
NARRATOR:
Less than a year earlier, some of those in the room had helped block American participation in a major international attempt to combat climate change. They feared more threats on the horizon.
KERT DAVIES:
The plan is a wide and concerted effort to install uncertainty around climate science, to decrease political pressure by sowing doubt around the science. Their targets include media, members of Congress, schoolteachers, average citizens. The plan right at the top says, "Victory will be achieved when recognition of uncertainties becomes part of the quote, conventional wisdom." They said that it was never implemented, but what it shows is an intentionality—we need people to not care so much about climate change. We need uncertainty to rule the day.
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