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Politics

Gore accuses energy companies

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published August 8, 2007

SINGAPORE - Former Vice President Al Gore said Tuesday that some of the world's largest energy companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp., are funding research aimed at disputing the scientific consensus on global warming as part of a campaign to mislead the public.

Exxon Mobil, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, rejected the allegation.

"There has been an organized campaign, financed to the tune of about $10-million a year from some of the largest carbon polluters, to create the impression that there is disagreement in the scientific community" about global warming, Gore said at a forum in Singapore. "In actuality, there is very little disagreement."

Gore likened the campaign to that of the millions of dollars spent by U.S. tobacco companies years ago on creating the appearance of uncertainty and debate within the scientific community on the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes.

"Some of the tobacco companies spent millions of dollars to create the appearance that there was disagreement on the science," Gore said.

Exxon Mobil spokesman Gantt Walton said Tuesday that Exxon Mobil believes the risk that greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to climate change warrants taking action to limit them.

[Last modified August 8, 2007, 01:49:46]