Big Oil Against a Better Environment

As if you didn't already know it, big oil are against safeguarding the environment.

Is that alarmist? Propagandist? Or is it just another big lie because all of us environmentalists "hate cars" and are suckered by "peak oil" which is all a big scam to give governments more control over our lives?

Actually, big oil railing against the environment is totally true, and here's the proof:

In a communication to lobbyists, Jack Gerard, the President of the American Petroleum Institute, wants to "move aggressively" to counter any efforts at climate change legislation.

The oil industry aims to turn public opinion against limitations on environmental destruction by exaggerating the figures that environmental reforms will cost. Big oil and the industries that continue to consume oil and damage the environment are quite happy to disseminate lies in order to derail important environmental protection legislation.

This is all quite disconcerting when the big oil companies are already greenwashing public opinion in to believing that they are the way forward in the future of renewable energy whilst actually stifling investment and innovation in such areas.

The main point is that legislation in the United States will pave the way for positive action s to protect the environment and combat climate change at the Copenhagen climate change summit in December 2009.

Back in March, Gerard said:

I have no doubt that as the new administration and new Congress take office, energy policy will be a topic of renewed and even more intense debate. It is up to us to lead the way in forging a new path forward.

Reading between the lines, the oil industry is concerned that it will lose power as oil reserves decline, even though oil prices would rise for an ever-more scarce natural resource. The "new path forward" is that it wishes to control energy in the future too.

Our challenges will be great, but I strongly believe that this is the time for us to create an effective partnership involving industry, government and consumers to nurture and sustain sound energy policies for our country’s future.

The challenges are the loss of revenue and loss of control with the "partnership" being a cynical attempt to hoodwink consumers into believing the oil companies are the future, even if they currently oppose anything that will threaten or damage their present near-monopoly.

Watch out for the rallies, apparently planned to "exert maximum pressure on Democrats in conservative areas".
http://www.api.org/Newsroom/apipresident/presidentsmessage/index.cfm