Try fossil fuel CEOs for crimes against humanity, NASA scientist says

One of the world's top climate experts says chief executives of big fossil fuel companies should be tried for crimes against humanity for their role in spreading disinformation on the climate crisis.

James Hansen, who heads NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, will brief Congress today -- the 20th anniversary of his historic speech before that body warning of the need for action on what he calls the "global warming time bomb." Hansen will speak before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming at 3 p.m.

In an interview that appears today in the British newspaper The Guardian, Hansen said his testimony will accuse the CEOs of companies including Texas-based ExxonMobil and Peabody Energy of Missouri of being fully aware that they're spreading disinformation about climate change:

"When you are in that kind of position, as the CEO of one the primary players who have been putting out misinformation even via organisations that affect what gets into school textbooks, then I think that's a crime."

This morning, Hansen repeated his call for trying fossil fuel executives involved in spreading disinformation on WAMU's Diane Rehm Show. He pointed to the companies' continuing efforts to dispute what science knows about human impact on climate and to fund contrarians that help disseminate disinformation.

As we reported in our investigation last year into efforts by fossil fuel-funded think tanks to cast doubt on climate science, a Peabody Energy lobbyist participated in a conference call organized by the John Locke Foundation of North Carolina and the Chicago-based Heartland Institute that was aimed at disrupting state-level efforts to address the climate crisis. Both of those market fundamentalist think tanks have been generously funded by fossil fuel interests, with Heartland taking at least $791,500 from Exxon since 1998.

ADDENDUM: A presentation Hansen made to the National Press Club as well as his briefing to the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming is available online here. The Powerpoints used are available as a PDF here.

(Photo of James Hansen from Goddard Institute for Space Studies' website)

Labels: climate, energy policy, Exxon Mobil, global warming, James Hansen, Peabody Energy