As 110 world leaders arrive in Copenhagen today and tomorrow, I noticed a few ads in international newspapers at our hotel. The ads show support from major industry that will no doubt feel the effect of any agreement signed here. Big auto and big electricity are publicly supportive, but no big oil that I can find.
Big Auto: “We in the auto industry support the Copenhagen conference paving the way for a comprehensive, global framework for sustainability in the world market.”
According to Sustainable Mobility, members of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (www.ACEA.be) are BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler, FIAT Group, Ford of Europe, General Motors Europe, Jaguar Land Rover, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, Porsche, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault, Scania, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen and Volvo.
Members of the United States Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers are BMW Group, Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz USA, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen Group of America.
Members of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association are Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Suzuki and Toyota.
From their Website: What do you want to see in any UN climate agreement? Answer: The auto industry supports an ambitious yet attainable outcome. Sound long-term targets provide long-range clarity and direction for manufacturers. This is critical in the auto industry, where developing and deploying power trains can take 5-10 years and more. We also welcome the acknowledgement that consumers play an important role in achieving results, as do energy providers and government infrastructure policies. And we encourage the UN to support economy-wide approaches that engage everyone in some way.
The group agrees there should be GHG emission reduction targets, but only says that 50 percent seems like a stretch.
Big Electricity: Created in the wake of the 1992 Rio Summit, the e8 is a non-profit international organization, composed of 10 leading electricity companies from the G8 countries. From the US, both Duke Energy and American Electric Power are members.
From their quarter-page ad in today’s International Herald-Tribune: “The Electricity Sector Affirms its Key Role in Resolving Climate Change.” The e8 “calls on heads of governments and international institutions in Copenhagen to negotiate an international agreement on climate change that will deliver clear, long-term, ambitious, realistic and internationally enforceable targets, including clear interim milestones.” They also support government funding for research and development of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS), addressing deforestation and energy efficiency.
Even the Big Coal folks behind the “celebrate clean coal” TV ads in the U.S. appear to be moving a bit:
A Dec. 11 statement by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity “supports the adoption of a federal mandatory program that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, ensures continued access to affordable, reliable electricity for American businesses and working families, and promote s greater energy independence through the use of coal and other domestic energy resources. ACCCE looks forward to working with Senators Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman and others in pursuit of legislation that will achieve these goals.”
How About Big Oil?
Exxon-Mobil’s American lobbyist is a regular at COPs, but in Copenhagen his influence is visibly reduced. In Bali, we were in the room when he was the most talkative of the ten business/industry reps were briefed by the Bush Administration. In Copenhagen, there are no less than 90 business reps present for the same meetings from the U.S. State Department.
A quick search of the newspapers being read by world leaders arriving in Copenhagen revealed no similar industry ads like the ones above. Shell Oil bought a half-page ad with the headline, “For The New Energy Future We Need To Make It All Add Up.” Missing were any supportive statements to world leaders here.
A statement by the American Petroleum Institute seems to contradict itself by saying regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act “poses a threat to every American family and business.” Yet four sentences later, acknowledges, “A fit-for-purpose climate law is a much preferred solution.”
Shell, BP America and ConocoPhillips are all members of the US Climate Action Partnership, which favors cap and trade legislation.
