Why are fossil fuel lobbyists also allowed to work for communities, schools, businesses, and nonprofit organizations being harmed by the climate crisis without declaring their conflict of interest? Why divestment from fossil fuels should include divesting from lobbyists which play for both sides.
James Browning is the founder of F Minus, a research and advocacy group that tracks the extent to which fossil fuel lobbyists also represent victims of the climate crisis. He is also a writer and game designer, and his novel The Fracking King was named one of the best 100 books of 2014 by Amazon.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS · ONE PLANET PODCAST
What is your message for young people? What would you like them to know, preserve, and remember?
JAMES BROWNING
I have two kids. And what I love about kids is how they can immediately spot an adult who is lying or is just saying something that is not real. And I think it's a beautiful thing to have. And young people going to work on the climate crisis or as artists or whatever passion you have - it is just so important to hold on to that. That sense of truth, your north star, what is right for you is the most important thing to hold onto.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS · ONE PLANET PODCAST
By giving lobbyists a grade, you're identifying that they're like a student who is cheating. You've also called them like double agents. They're greenwashing their own activities by doing these other activities with beloved organizations, as you say, or on behalf of environmental organizations and non-profits.
BROWNING
The lobbyists that represent the fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil, Koch companies, and the American Petroleum Institute, they knew for years that the climate crisis would happen, and they've been telling us that it wouldn't. And right now in every state capital, the lobbyists are doing everything they can to slow the transition from fossil fuel to renewables. The sad fact is, these oil and gas lobbyists will never wake up one morning and say: I am worried about the climate crisis. I'm worried about my children. I am going to cut off ties with these oil and gas companies and stop taking their money. That will never happen. And I'm sad to say this, but it's been a long, long road to try to change their behavior with facts or reason.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS · ONE PLANET PODCAST
I'm really excited about this idea of ratings. So before you take on anyone, people can look up their rating? And if they have an F minus, don't deal with them. You can send your money elsewhere. It's also a little bit disturbing that where you feel that your money is being spent by someone who's efficient as an insider, they may be using you to kind of Trojan horse the interests of their larger fossil fuel clients. Like you're the dressing on the cake, a little bit of icing, but you're not the main meal. And you're not being best represented.
BROWNING
The fossil fuel industry is very good at propaganda. They are also very good at targeting students and environmentalists. And they surround themselves with clients like museums, hospitals, charities, public schools, and all of these groups who are doing wonderful work at the local level and who aren't going complain about their oil and gas lobbyist work because they are bringing in money to them as well.
