Oil Industry Attorney Says, Under Oath, Neither He Nor Industry Aware Of Atmospheric CO2 Levels
The lead attorney for U.S. manufacturers and oil and gas companies on a climate change lawsuit didn't know the answer to a measurement fact when asked in court two weeks ago, court papers show. At a Feb. 7 hearing of Juliana, et al v. United States of America, et al — a case a group of kids, young adults and environmentalists brought in 2015 against the U.S. government — Frank Volpe said he didn't know whether carbon dioxide levels had reached 400 parts per million, a measurement of atmospheric concentration.
Asked by Judge Thomas Coffin whether the groups he represents “acknowledge that the CO2 levels in the atmosphere are currently at 400 ppm,” Volpe did not answer. “Do you deny that, or do you not know?” Coffin asked, according to a transcript. “I would say that as we said in our answer, we don't know,” Volpe said. “You don't know,” Coffin replied. Volpe said that determination would be up to an expert witness. Coffin tried again.
“So as we sit here today, do you have an expert witness that the intervenors intend to call that you can identify that will opine that the CO2 levels are not 400 ppm, but are something other than that and, if so, what?” he asked. “I don't know, your honor,” Volpe responded.
Volpe is representing the American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and National Association of Manufacturers in the case. The groups intervened in the case to block it, and they have used similar language challenging widely accepted facts of climate science in their court filings.
EDIT
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/oil-industry-in-court-claims-ignorance-about-co2/
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