Nike, Johnson & Johnson Latest to Rebuke Chamber on Climate

The US Chamber of Commerce's head-in-the-sand, climate change-denying, disregard the science stance on the hazards of a warming planet is finally drawing justifiably scathing criticism from its members, several of whom are now jumping ship while others publicly rebuke the organization. The latest outbursts come from Nike and Johnson & Johnson. 

"Nike fundamentally disagrees with the US Chamber of Commerce's position on climate change and is concerned and deeply disappointed with the US Chamber's recently filed petition challenging the EPA's administrative authority and action on this critically important issue," said the company in a statement. "Nike believes that climate change is an urgent issue affecting the world today and that businesses and their representative associations need to take an active role to invest in sustainable business practices and innovative solutions to address the issue. It is not a time for debate but instead a time for action and we believe the Chamber's recent petition sets back important work currently being undertaken by EPA on this issue."

Johnson & Johnson, meanwhile, demanded that the Chamber not to make comments on climate change that do not reflect the views of all Chamber members. According to Grist, 19 companies on the Chamber’s board support federal climate legislation and just four companies oppose it.

Last year, the Chamber reportedly spent $62 million lobbying Congress on behalf of businesses. 

-- Suzanne Bopp