By Simpson
05-09-07
Duke University is the latest institution to join Big Oil U with a pledge of $1 million from ConocoPhillip’s for the school’s Climate Change Policy Partnership (CCPP).
The university describes the CCPP as "a four-year initiative launched last year by Duke University and Duke Energy to pool the expertise of the university’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, and Center on Global Change with other concerned partners in the corporate and academic worlds."
Here’s the explanation of the deal by a Conoco exec quoted in the university’s news release:
“ConocoPhillips welcomes the opportunity to participate in Duke University’s Climate Change Policy Partnership,” said Phil Frederickson, executive vice president of Planning, Strategy and Corporate Affairs for ConocoPhillips. “We believe the partnership will play an important role in devising practical, equitable and cost-effective approaches to addressing global climate change issues.”
What he means is: these profs could come up with some important stuff here and we want to be at the table when those "equitable and cost-effective approaches" are drafted.
Also in the news release a university administrator waxed eloquent about the need to provide decision-makers with solid information:
Tim Profeta, director of Duke’s Nicholas Institute, said, “ConocoPhillips shares a common conviction with Duke University and its partners that the purpose of this partnership must be to apply, not merely accrue, knowledge. Providing decision-makers with factual, timely counsel, free of political spin, is critical.”
I couldn’t agree more. However, it’s difficult to believe the counsel will be "free of political spin" when a key funder has a vested interest in the outcome. You can’t drink the water even if it tastes pure once the well has been poisoned. That’s why we are so concerned about Big Oil U.
Instead of blindly sucking up to Big Oil for a few million bucks, which is usually just pocket change for the companies, the folks in the ivory towers need to ensure adequate controls are in place to maintain their institutions’ integrity.
Do you hear that UC Berkeley, Stanford, UC Davis, Iowa State, University of Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, Princeton…?