Kristen Loria ’11 supporting a 350 ppm CO2 limit at Cornell's Campus Sustainability Festival.

By: Vivian Cheng

The coal industry front group American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy (ACCCE) spent nearly $10 million lobbying against progressive climate change legislation over the past 18 months, the Politico recently reported. With the Senate currently considering its version of the clean energy act, and the global Copenhagen climate conference rapidly approaching in one month, we must push back against groups like ACCCE that would rather protect their personal interests than work towards protecting our planet’s future.

Cornell students recently participated in such action at the Campus Sustainability Festival on October 22, 2009. The effort coincided with the international campaign 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action on October 24. The day’s purpose was to raise public awareness of the need for a more ambitious international climate treaty than is currently on the table for the December Copenhagen conference. Although 350.org saw action from all corners of the Earth, the American coal industry’s millions may be pulling more weight.

ACCCE hired the Hawthorn Group as its public affairs firm, which in turn hired lobbying firm Bonner & Associates to advocate their coal interests. Bonner & Associates is the scandal-ridden firm responsible for forging 13 letters that were sent to Congress this June, encouraging undecided Democrats of the House of Representative to vote against the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES). The letters, complete with imitated letterheads and false signatories, claimed to represent minority, senior, and veteran groups including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. As the House bill only passed by a fraction, big industry is clearly gaining ground over true grassroots campaigns organized by everyday citizens who acknowledge the detriment future generations will face if we do not address global climate change now.

The idea of climate change is being challenged not only on the House and Senate floors, but also within the American public. The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press’ latest national survey, conducted September 20-October 4, indicates that fewer Americans see global warming as a “very serious problem.” Only 35 percent of the 1,500 adults surveyed via cell phone and landlines believed this, compared to the 44 percent who did in April 2008. Similarly, the number of Americans who “think there is solid evidence that the average temperature on earth has been getting warmer over the past few decades” saw a 14 point drop from 71 percent in April 2008 to 58 percent today.

“Anti-climate change legislation lobbies will always have more money to throw into this fight, so a widespread grassroots movement that publicly demands an effective, science-based climate change bill from our nation's leaders is pivotal to winning this battle,” Kristen Loria ‘11 said. Loria, a natural resources major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, participated in the Sustainability Festival and posed with an “I support 350” sign on Ho Plaza along with nearly a hundred other students. The number 350 refers to the amount of carbon dioxide in parts per million that scientists determined as the upper limit that is safe for our atmosphere.

Today, the Earth’s atmosphere consists of 390 ppm of carbon dioxide, and the number is rising by about 2 ppm every year, according to 350.org. “A call for real, effective action by our government on climate change, such as the work done for the 350 campaign, is especially relevant given the powerful opposition to climate change legislation,” Loria said.

Bonner & Associates claims to specialize in similar grassroots campaigns, but in reality, the firm is astroturfing—creating fake local campaigns to influence policymakers in the direction of their clients. For example, Philip Morris hired Bonner in the early 1990s to garner support to stop the workplace smoking ban, according to the National Journal. The firm clearly has substantial experience in promoting dangerous substances for corporate gain.

Although ACCCE knew the letters to Congress were forged and instructed the firm to notify the affected Representatives, Bonner dragged its feet until weeks after Congress voted on the energy bill, Frederick Frommer of the Associated Press reported earlier this month. Led by Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), the co-sponsor of ACES, the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming is now investigating ACCCE, the Hawthorn Group, and Bonner & Associates.