CEO DATELINE - Exxon pulls out of American Geophysical Union event after protests
CEO DATELINE - Exxon pulls out of American Geophysical Union event after protests
- December 9, 2016 |
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Walt Williams
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Energy giant ExxonMobil has decided not to sponsor an American Geophysical Union student event after several of the group's members complained about the company's involvement in the past.
More than 100 scientists signed an open letter in February asking AGU not to accept sponsorships from Exxon as was done in the past because of the company's alleged role in trying to discredit research showing that human activities drive modern-day climate change. Many climate scientists are AGU members.
AGU's board of directors agreed to review its policy and in April decided to continue its partnership with Exxon to encourage open dialogue and an exchange of ideas, according to AGU's blog. The board reaffirmed that decision in September. However, the organization recently announced that Exxon decided not to sponsor a student breakfast at its fall meeting, which kicked off Friday in San Francisco.
AGU did not give Exxon's reasons for dropping the sponsorship but said the board communicated its thanks to the company for its support in previous years. http://bit.ly/2hbOGPh
Exxon's critics counted the company's pullout as a win even though it is unclear whether the protests were the motivating factor behind the decision.
"This is a victory for science over money. No longer is ExxonMobil buying AGU's social license to greenwash its attacks on climate science and policy," Geoffrey Supran, a climate scientist and AGU member, said in a statement released by the environmental group ClimateTruth. http://bit.ly/2htPiPl
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