Leaked tape exposes ExxonMobil’s duplicity on climate change

Jul 04, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – A leaked recording of an interview with an ExxonMobil lobbyist has exposed the American oil giant’s duplicity on climate change. The interview was done by an undercover reporter attached to Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organisation established since 1971 with offices in over 55 countries. The organisation since its genesis has been dedicated to peaceful protest and creative exposure of global environmental problems.

Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, Darren Woods

ExxonMobil Lobbyist, Keith McCoy

In the interview that has gone viral, Keith McCoy, one of ExxonMobil’s top lobbyists is heard saying that the oil company’s support for carbon tax is nothing more than a public relations stunt that is intended to decrease the actions aimed at curbing climate change. He said, “Nobody is going to propose a tax on all Americans and the cynical side of me says ‘yea we kind of know that’ but it gives us a talking point. We can say well what is ExxonMobil for? Well we’re for a carbon tax.” Following this, he dropped a bombshell statement: “Carbon tax is never gonna happen.”
A carbon tax is imposed on companies that burn carbon-based fuels, including coal, oil, gasoline and natural gas.Following the release of the interview, ExxonMobil’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Darren Woods, rushed to do damage control as he said in a statement that McCoy’s comments do not represent his company’s views. “We condemn the statements and are deeply apologetic for them, including comments regarding interactions with elected officials,” he said.
Woods also said the comments are “entirely inconsistent with the way we expect our people to conduct themselves.”
ExxonMobil he reminded supports the goals of the Paris climate agreement and is committed to addressing climate change. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty that seeks to limit global warming to at least 1.5 Degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
The lobbyist was also in damage control mode as he published a note on his LinkedIn Page saying, “I am deeply embarrassed by my comments and that I allowed myself to fall for Greenpeace’s deception.”
He added, “My statements clearly do not represent ExxonMobil’s positions on important public policy issues.”