This week, US green groups have shed light on shady lobbying activities of BP and Shell against the new US climate bill. They harshly criticised green washing tactics of companies pledging more green investments while spending millions on “human face” campaigns against the US’ first serious attempt halt global warming.

While both oil companies have committed to investing more resources in renewable energies, their membership to the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the amounts spent this year on lobbying activities is seen as mere green washing.

$8 million in lobbying since early 2009

In letters sent to Tony Hayward (BP) and Peter Voser (Shell), the green groups question the $8 million spent on lobbying in Washington since early 2009. The letter argued that such attitude was going against the commitment made by Lord Browne, BP’s former boss, 2002 commitment to "make no political contributions from corporate funds anywhere else in the world".

"BP maintains its membership of the API through paying substantial fees based on the large size of BP's business. It is our concern that these fees are used by the API to undermine US government action on climate change and that BP's membership of the API contradicts its position on the issue," argued John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK.

Lobby group organising rallies against climate bill

An email intercepted by Greenpeace states Jack Gerard, the president of the American Petroleum Institute (API), outlining a "sensitive" plan to stage events during the August congressional recess to put a "human face" on opposition to climate and energy reform. "In the 11 states with an [oil] industry core, our member company local leadership – including your facility manager's commitment to provide significant attendance – is essential," it said.

API has called on an experienced events management company, with past experience in presidential campaigns, to set up lunch time rallies to try to “shape” the bill. Kert Davies, Greenpeace US research director, described it as: "behind the scenes plan to disrupt the debate and weaken political support for climate regulation."

Past lobby success against Kyoto Protocol

In the letters sent to both oil magnas, the green groups reminded the two directors that their oil companies were once part of the API-backed Global Climate Coalition which successfully lobbied against the US signing the 1997 CO2 reduction Kyoto Protocol by arguing that global warming was not a man-made problem.

Sign Greenpeace’s Climate Fraud Funded by Big Oil petition:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/oil-industry-action180809