Vic Svec

Climate Change Denial Business Vic Svec

Vic Svec was the Senior Vice President of Global Investor and Corporate Relations at Peabody, formerly Peabody Energy, for over 6 years. Svec worked at Peabody for almost 22 years, and is currently a Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal.

Climate change:

Vic Svec has stated Peabody’s “view is that the worst human and environmental crisis is not climate change.” Svec has claimed there is no basis for greenhouse gas regulations or the EPA “restructuring the U.S. economy by declaring this public element of CO2 a public danger.”

Peabody has funded “at least two dozen groups that cast doubt on man made climate change and oppose environmental regulations.” Some of these groups include the American Legislative Exchange Council, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, and National Black Chamber of Commerce. Their climate denial lobbying dates back to Fred Palmer in the 1990s when he “promoted the notion that climate change was a net positive, with benefits for plants and public health.” Palmer has also opposed EPA rules and “limits on carbon pollution to deal with what he dismissed as “climate theory.” In 2010, Peabody spent over $4.5 million on lobbying, including half a million dollars to Larry Tribe to argue against the Clean Power Plan Act.

In a letter to the US government Peabody described C02 as, “a benign gas that is essential for all life.” In 2015 they sent another letter stating “While the benefits of carbon dioxide are proven, the alleged risks of climate change are contrary to observed data, are based on admitted speculation, and lack adequate scientific basis.” Vic Svec, Senior VP for Global Investors, has stated “our view is that the worst human and environmental crisis is not climate change.”

Alaska:

In 2008, Peabody was sued by a native Alaskan village over erosion damage and greenhouse gas emissions. The village was forced to relocate because of the environmental damage.