Climate change doesn't exist in a vacuum. The political will of nations and states creates the environment where policy can be made and innovations happen. In the United States a few billionaires are holding the political process hostage by their disproportionate financial influence. 350.org and our friends are working hard to uncloak these climate villains.

 

This Sunday, January 30th, an unprecedented coalition of activists, environmentalists, unions, and pro-democracy groups will convene on Palm Springs, California to rally against the infamous Koch brothers, two of the richest men in the world, and huge funders of the anti-climate legislation fight.

 

While Koch industries and their Big Oil cronies meet in a fancy resort, thousands of folks will gather outside to listen to Van Jones, Robert Reich, Jim Hightower and other grassroots leaders as they reveal some of the shocking details of the Koch's influence. For example, a report released by Greenpeace in March last year — “Koch Industries: Secretly Funding the Climate Denial Machine” — exposed Koch Industries for fueling high-profile “debates” about the science of climate change. From 2005 to 2008, Koch Industries-controlled foundations contributed $24.9 million in funding to organizations of the “climate denial machine”. According to the report, “The Koch brothers, their family members, and their employees direct a web of financing that supports conservative special interest groups and think-tanks, with a strong focus on fighting environmental regulation, opposing clean energy legislation, and easing limits on industrial pollution.” 

 

The millions of dollars detailed in the report make Koch Industries the “largest funder of climate change denying organizations and media outlets in the world… Not only have Koch fronts instructed Tea Party groups to kill national legislation to address climate change, but Koch groups have been instrumental in pushing climate change-believers out of the Republican Party.” 

 

Here is an article from Politico that gives background on the issues and spells out the details of the secretive meetings.

 

If you or anyone you know are in the Palm Springs area you can get the details and RSVP for the rally here.