Why are Google and Facebook financing climate skeptics?, 2 May 2017

For many years, there's been an overwhelming consensus among scientists that human activity is influencing the climate. But there is a group that vehemently challenges this - so-called climate skeptics....That fossil fuel, automobile manufacturing and chemical companies may seek to undermine efforts to protect the climate could be seen as acting out of self-interest...But why would ostensibly "green" companies like Microsoft, Facebook and Google support climate skeptics?...Google backs not only the hyper-conservative Cato Institute, but also the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), which are among the most influential players of the organized climate skeptic scene...[and] is also a member of the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest economically orientated lobby group worldwide. ...A few companies like Apple have already left the Chamber of Commerce in protest over its approach to climate change....When contacted, Google's only response was to refer to a statement from one of its spokespeople: "We work with dozens of lobby groups from across the whole political spectrum. We can't always agree 100 percent with every organization on every topic...."All these activities suggest that much of Google's committment is just greenwashing: Public relations to get an environmentally friendly image," said [Daniel Dudis of Public Citizen]...