UPDATE 12.2.16: The AGU has announced that Exxon does not intend to sponsor the Student Breakfast at the 2016 Fall Meeting. However, we continue to push the AGU to stop accepting sponsorship from fossil fuel companies that have funded, promoted, and disseminated climate science disinformation.
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is the largest association of Earth scientists in the world, of which we are proud members. It is a well-respected institution that works to advance public understanding of science, and holds a strong position on the urgency of climate action. Yet, the AGU continues to accept funding from Exxon Mobil, one of the world's leading funders of climate change denial. This, despite the fact that the AGU's own policy expressly forbids accepting funding from any organization that spreads science misinformation. This policy was put in place for good reason, and the AGU must start abiding by it — starting with Exxon.
Exxon has been deceiving the public on the science of climate change for decades — deception that continues to this day. That's why we Earth scientists and 300 of our colleagues, including hundreds of AGU members, have signed an open letter calling on the AGU to reject sponsorship from Exxon. Despite our pleas, the AGU Board decided at their last two meetings to continue to accept money from Exxon.
Please sign our petition to tell the AGU to drop Exxon sponsorship.
Signed,
Dr. Kim Cobb, Advance Professor and Georgia Power Faculty Scholar, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Tech
Dr. Kerry A. Emanuel, Cecil & Ida Green Professor of Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Catherine Gautier, Professor Emerita, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara
Dr. Charles Greene, Professor of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences; and Director of Ocean Resources and Ecosystems Program, Cornell University
Dr. James Hansen, Director, Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions program in the Columbia Earth Institute; Adjunct Professor, Columbia University Earth Institute; and Former Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Dr. Elisabeth A. Holland, Director of Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development; and Professor of Climate Change, University of the South Pacific
Jennifer A. Logan, Senior Research Fellow (retired), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Dr. Michael E. Mann, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science; and Director, Earth System Science Center, Penn State University
Dr. Nathan Phillips, Professor of Earth and Environment, Boston University
Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics; and Policy and Communications Director, Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy
George M. Woodwell, Founder and Director Emeritus, The Woods Hole Research Center
