Contrary to their commitment to climate change, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Disney are backing lobbying groups working against the new landmark climate bill proposed by President Joe Biden’s administration.
The Guardian reports that the new $3.5 trillion budget bill will effectively tackle the climate crisis but business groups backed by major U.S tech giants are fighting to tank it. Lukas Ross, climate program manager at Friends of the Earth said:
“This is a historic chance to end fossil fuel subsidies and invest in a livable future. We can’t waste this opportunity to pass meaningful climate legislation because there might not be another.”
Behind close doors, Apple, Amazon, and others support business groups that want to kill the new climate bill
Worried about the rise in taxes for the wealthy business community, the anti-climate bill groups want to kill the new bill.
The Business Roundtable, has said it is “deeply concerned” about the passage of the bill, largely because it raises taxes on the wealthy. The organization is made up of company chief executives, including Apple’s Tim Cook, who has called for stronger action on the climate emergency from governments and businesses. Other members include Andy Jassy, chief executive of Amazon, Sundar Pichai, who heads Google’s parent company Alphabet, and Darren Woods, chief executive of the oil giant Exxon.
The report clarifies that none of the aforementioned tech companies rebuked the position of the lobby groups and said they would end ties with them. This position by Apple, Amazon, and others makes one question their commitment to climate change and calls out their hypocrisy. Kyle Herrig, president of the watchdog group Accountable.US said:
“Major corporations love to tell us how committed they are to addressing the climate crisis and building a sustainable future, but behind closed doors, they are funding the very industry trade groups that are fighting tooth and nail to stop the biggest climate change bill ever.”
Apple has an ambitious plan to be carbon neutral by 2030 across its operations and supply chain. The company proudly markets that its products are made of recycled materials and recently, it removed power adaptor and EarPods from iPhone and other products’ boxes for environmental reasons.
