UK Foreign Office Had Contact with Myron Ebell During Trump's Transition

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The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) was in touch with climate science denier Myron Ebell during his time as head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team, DeSmog UK canย confirm.

According to a Freedom of Information Request, the FCO corresponded with Ebell in his role under President Trump prior to Ebell’sย visit to London inย January.

However, the content of their discussions remains unknown. The FCO Climate Diplomacy Team refused to release any details after several requests for clarification and further information about theirย discussions.

Ebell is theย director of energy and environmentย at the libertarianย US dark moneyย think tank, theย Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). He is also chair of theย Cooler Heads Coalition, a group of organizations โ€œthat question global warming alarmism and oppose energyย rationingย policies.โ€

The Trump administration last fall tasked Ebell withย leading his transition teamย on environmental issues, producing a secretive ย ‘Agency Action Plan’ for the EPA. The purpose of the โ€œconfidentialโ€ plan, according to Ebell, was to advise Trump on how to deliver his campaignย promises. The worldย is now waiting to see whether Trump will pull out of the Paris climateย deal.

As the FCOโ€™s response to DeSmog UK explained, the information about their correspondence with Ebell is classified as falling under โ€œinternational relationsโ€ and โ€œpersonal informationโ€ and is therefore exempt from being released byย government.

According to the FCO Climate Diplomacy Team the correspondence between Ebell and the department โ€œwas in the context of his role with President Trumpโ€™s transition team โ€“ therefore affiliated with the incoming US Government โ€“ and not whilst he was affiliated with the US think tank CEI.โ€

Ebell visited London in January where he admitted he had never actually spoken with Trump. During his visit he also met with advisers at Number 10 in his capacity as a director atย CEI. Itโ€™s not known what was discussed during this meeting either. Discussions between Ebell and the FCO took place prior to his January visit, the FCO Climate Diplomacy Teamย confirmed.

The information comes as newย data shows dramatic cuts to FCO climate diplomacy staff โ€“ under the Conservative government the number of employees working on climate issues was halved, with just 72 remaining as of lastย November.

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Kyla is a freelance writer and editor with work appearing in the New York Times, National Geographic, HuffPost, Mother Jones, and Outside. She is also a member of the Society for Environmental Journalists.

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