The Foundations of the Climate Change Counter Movement: United States of America

Abstract

In the late 1950s, the fossil fuel industry began its coordinated effort to undermine environmental and later climate-related legislation to protect the industry from increasing regulation, oversight, and accountability. Headed by fossil fuel companies including ExxonMobil and the industry association the American Petroleum Institute, a multi-decadal campaign would emerge to undermine climate legislation and influence public opinion on the issue of climate change. This chapter recounts and describes the formation of the CCCM, first looking at the early and organized opposition from coalition groups of fossil fuel companies and other interested parties, to the emergence of a network of think tanks predominantly funded by fossil fuel corporations and conservative donors. It then explores how these organizations successfully helped create doubt that led to inaction during the George H.W. Bush administration before escalating their campaign throughout the Obama administration.