ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Renewable Energy

Wikileaks reveals US bribes and cyber-espionage stop climate change action

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
December 10, 2012 - Updated on December 12, 2012
in Renewable Energy, World Problems
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Research station in East Antarctica reports its first heatwave
This 1985 video of Carl Sagan warning Congress about climate is just as sobering now
Scientists find out way to map CO2 emissions – for individual buildings
The Amazon is on its way to becoming a full carbon source, researchers claim

Negotiating an official climate change pact is an extremely high-stake game, not only due to the threats posed to our entire civilization, but also because re-engineering the global economy to a low-carbon model will redirect a massive, multi billion dollar sum towards different sources.

Of course, behind all the “save the planet” rhetoric lies the mucky realpolitik: money and threats buy political support, while cyberespionage is used as a way to seek leverage.

“The elites continue to discredit themselves at every opportunity,” South African Professor Patrick Bond, the director of the Centre for Civil Society at the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, told IPS. “The only solution is to turn away from these destructive conferences … and build the world climate justice movement and its alternatives.”

Seeking to gain as much negotiation advantage as possible, the US state department sent a secret cable on 31 July 2009 seeking human intelligence from UN diplomats across a range of issues, including climate change. Diplomats were asked to provide evidence of UN environmental “treaty circumvention” and deals between nations and negotiate certain wanted positions.

But this was just the first stone; on 19 June 2009, the state department sent a cable detailing a “spear phishing” attack on the office of the US climate change envoy, Todd Stern, while talks with China on emissions took place in Beijing. Here’s how this goes: five people received emails, personalised to look as though they came from the National Journal. An attached file contained malicious code that would give complete control of the recipient’s computer to a hacker. This specific attack was unsuccessful, but it is by no mean a singular one.

The point was to get as many countries as possible to back US interests; a massively offensive diplomatic campaign was launched, leaving the Copenhagen summit in ruins. It deeply saddens me to write news like this, which seem to be taken out of bad spy movies, but apparently, this is the reality we live in, so whenever you read or hear something about climate change negotiations, bare in mind that behind the rhetoric, many shady things happen.

Sources: GreenLeft, Guardian

Tags: climate changeclimate change denialclimate skepticsglobal warmingwikileaks

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Climate

Climate Change Unleashed a Hidden Wave That Triggered a Planetary Tremor

byMihai Andrei
2 weeks ago
Champiñón Hongos Naturaleza Setas Reino Fungi
Animal facts

What do Fungi, Chameleons, and Humans All Have in Common? We’re all Heterotrophs

byShiella Olimpos
1 month ago
Climate

Climate Change Is Rewriting America’s Gardening Map and Some Plants Can’t Keep Up

byGrace van Deelen
1 month ago
Climate

Scientists Create “Bait” to Lure Baby Corals Back to Dying Reefs

byMihai Andrei
2 months ago

Recent news

Your gut has a secret weapon against ‘forever chemicals’: microbes

July 3, 2025

High IQ People Are Strikingly Better at Forecasting the Future

July 3, 2025

Newborns Feel Pain Long Before They Can Understand It

July 3, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.