This November 1997 memo to the Global Climate Coalition’s (GCC) “Coordinating Council Participants and State Leaders” was sent by former lobbyist Susan Moya regarding coordination of an astroturf campaign. The industry-funded GCC opposed greenhouse gas regulations through direct engagement and collaboration with affiliated climate deniers from 1989 to 2002. Its membership spanned across the automotive, utility, manufacturing, petroleum, and mining industries. Uncovered by Mother Jones’ Keith Hammond, this document shows how the GCC advanced its mission through leveraging its corporate funds and allies.
The memo was drafted for the GCC to prepare its response to the upcoming Kyoto Protocol negotiations and a December 5th “‘Strike for Liberty’ to protest the climate change treaty.” Moya promised their “stateside” spokespeople daily updates from the negotiations and attached a list of media contacts and “In the States – Grassroots” allies. The majority of the groups on the list are organizations associated with the “Wise Use” movement, a coalition of industry-funded groups that oppose environmental regulation and federal government land ownership.
The following is a list of some of the persons and entities named as ‘grassroots’ supporters:
- Carol Jones, Peggy Venable, and Genie Short; Texas Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE)
- CSE was a conservative political group established by Charles and David Koch of Koch Industries. In 2004, CSE split into Americans for Prosperity (AfP) and FreedomWorks.
- Peggy Venable stayed on through the break-up of CSE, becoming the Texas State Director of AfP.
- Diane Steed, Ron DeFore, Jeff Miller, Lydia Robertson, John Federico, Don Morrison, Bob Underwood, and Pat Nolan; Consumers for Vehicle Choice (CVC)
- CVC is a now-defunct automobile industry advocacy group, established by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM), a GCC member. AAM formed CVC through a $500,000 grant to veteran science denial PR firm E. Bruce Harrison & Cowas. E. Bruce Harrison also advised the GCC.
- Sen. Malcolm Wallop (former); Frontiers of Freedom Institute
- Chuck Cushman; American Land Rights Association
- Cushman earned the name “Rent-A-Riot,” with the ability to incite “audiences to the verge of violent civil disobedience,” according to ScienceCorruption.com.
- Steve Miller and Randy Eminger; The Center for Energy and Economic Development
- Susan Christy; People for the West
- Michael Coffman; Sovereignty International
- H. Sterling Burnett; National Center for Policy Analysis
- Bruce Vincent; Alliance for America
- Bruce Vincent; Alliance for America
Interested in more GCC documents? See more in the full Global Climate Coalition collection.