According to its website, Timbro’s mission is “to promote and disseminate ideas supporting the principles of free markets, free enterprise, individual liberty, and a free society.”5“About us,” Timbro. Archived June 27, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7spDc
“Timbro is a Swedish free enterprise think tank. Its goal is to mold public opinion favourably toward free enterprise, a free economy, and a free society. Timbro publishes books, papers, reports and the magazine Smedjan. It also arranges seminars and builds human networks. Founded in 1978, Timbro is owned by the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation, which has as its principals a large number of Swedish companies and organizations.”7“ECONOMIC FREEDOM OF THE WORLD: 1997 Annual Report“ (PDF), The Fraser Institute, 1997. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
According to Timbro’s website, its “operations are conducted within the framework of The Free Business Foundation. The foundation was founded in 2003 as a replacement for the Business Fund [Näringslivets Fond] and is funded by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. It aims to promote long-term idea development and opinion formation about the importance of the market economy and free enterprise for economic growth and welfare.”8“Om oss,” Timbro. Archived July 9, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/N0n0f
“The money was passed on via the American think tank Atlas Network, which also granted access to scholarships for top members of the Swedish Moderate Party. This has been revealed through hundreds of emails, faxes, and copies of transactions reviewed by the news sites Supermiljöbloggen and Dagens ETC. And the collaboration between Atlas and Timbro continues.”19Jan Lindsten and Eigil Söderin. “How Oil Giant Exxon Bought Influence Over the Swedish Moderate Party,” DeSmog, June 26, 2024.
“Basically, Exxon is interested in nurturing free-market think tanks outside the United States (through other efforts, we are comfortable with the support we provide to US-based organizations and on US-related issues). Accordingly, we would challenge Atlas to suggest a program which is entirely supportive of non-US groups. It could include elements of ‘flow-through’ funding, work on international information networks, or other activities which would have as their intended result the growth of international groups which have the ability to influence government policies.”
Supermiljöbloggen highlighted a program visit with Atlas’s Leonard Liggio and Carl Helstrom, showing meetings between Timbro representatives, the Swedish Federation of Free Enterprise, the Swedish Employers’ Confederation, and representatives from the Swedish government.22Lukas Frisell. “Dokumenten som bevisar Timbros band till oljejätten Exxon,” Supermiljöbloggen, June 26, 2024. Archived July 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FLcRw
Supermiljöbloggen reported additional ties to the Moderate party, including Gunnar Strömmer, who later became a project manager and is today the Swedish minister for justice. They also previously employed the now-Swedish prime minister shortly after he had become a member of parliament for the Moderate party.29Jan Lindsten and Eigil Söderin. “How Oil Giant Exxon Bought Influence Over the Swedish Moderate Party,” DeSmog, June 26, 2024.
1998 Exxon Funding
The Atlas Economic Research Foundation submitted a proposal to Exxon for $50,000 to “support the work of independent public policy institutes in Asia, the former Soviet republics, Europe, and Latin America.” The Atlas Economic Research Foundation explicitly mentioned Timbro among the proposed $5,000 disbursements for Europe. The Atlas Economic Research Foundation would also divide the funds from Exxon among two other think tanks and two conferences in Paris.30Lukas Frisell. “Dokumenten som bevisar Timbros band till oljejätten Exxon,” Supermiljöbloggen, June 26, 2024. Archived July 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FLcRw
“SWEDEN. Stockholm’s Timbro is a for-profit organization sponsored in part by the Swedish Free Market Federation of the Employers Confederation. It functions much like Atlas’s nonprofit educational institutes; recently added new staff member to prepare an environmental newsletter and handle environmental issues full time; attends most Atlas-sponsored events in Europe; and is very interested in cosponsoring projects on market environmentalism, taxation policy, regulatory reform, ecolabels, private education and Internet policy. Atlas believes Timbro could become a potent ally for disseminating market-oriented ideas throughout Europe, particularly on regulatory and environmental topics. During 1998, we will therefore provide seed money for one or more projects that are likely to attract attention in a number of European countries.”
The proposal also offered additional detail on Atlas Economic Research Foundation’s work in Continental Europe:
In a follow-up report on its 1998 programs, Atlas Economic Research Foundation outlined its progress with Timbro. The report read:34Lukas Frisell. “Dokumenten som bevisar Timbros band till oljejätten Exxon,” Supermiljöbloggen, June 26, 2024. Archived July 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FLcRw“Timbro (Stockholm). Began publishing an environmental newsletter, to address regulatory reform, market environmentalism, eco-labels and related policy issues. Published What Went Wrong in Sweden (in both English and Swedish in the same volume), submitted it for Atlas’s Sir Anthony Fisher International Memorial Award for public policy books, and granted rights to Atlas-supported institutes to translate it into Korean and Turkish.”
According to the grant’s notes on Timbro, “Atlas executive vice president Leonard Liggio recently met with Timbro’s directors, who indicated that they would welcome an opportunity to work with Atlas on environmental, taxation, regulatory reform or other issues that have important implications for Europe.”37Lukas Frisell. “Dokumenten som bevisar Timbros band till oljejätten Exxon,” Supermiljöbloggen, June 26, 2024. Archived July 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FLcRw
In a 1998 report, Exxon suggested its financial support would provide the opportunity to influence “even more opinion leaders and policy makers [sic] – on vitally important issues ranging from global climate change, intellectual property rights and environmental education … to privatization of resources and services … to the social, economic and political components of former Communist nations’ transition from a planned economy to a market economy.”
According to the documents obtained by Supermiljöbloggen, In 1999, Exxon increased European grants to $14,000 in today’s money, with Timbro one of two recipients.
“We continue to appreciate the fine work of your organization, especially with regard to the nurturing and support of free-market policy groups outside the US. As we have mentioned in the past, we hope that as much of this as possible can be passed through to deserving institutions overseas,” a May 19, 1999 document read.39Documents on file at DeSmog.
Stance on Climate Change
2022
In an essay for Timbro in 2022, Gunnar Hökmark former EU parliamentarian and chairman of the think tank Frivärld, wrote:40Gunnar Hökmark. “Hellre avvecklingsskam än flygskam,” Timbro, July 12, 2022. Archived October 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/HmzNG
“So aviation, transport, trade and the expansion of technologies are crucial for a global development towards reduced emissions. These are all things that environmental activists for various reasons wanted to stop because they are ashamed of flying without really knowing why and without doing anything about it. They may have just thought that if you are a little ashamed, the emissions will be lower.”
Further, he critiqued Greta Thunberg for not listening to the science and explained how higher BNP is the solution for dealing with the effects of climate change.42Benjamin Dousa. “Därför är marknadsliberaler de riktiga klimatvännerna,” Timbro, March 8, 2021. Archived October 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oyT76
“Human creativity, which markets are excellent vehicles for harnessing, is the key to addressing climate change in rich and poor countries alike. Therefore, market liberals are the real climate friends,” Dousa wrote.43Benjamin Dousa. “Därför är marknadsliberaler de riktiga klimatvännerna,” Timbro, March 8, 2021. Archived October 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oyT76
February 3, 1997
In the Swedish financial newspaper Dagens Industri in 1997, Timbro CEO Mattias Bengtsson wrote:44“Timbro struntar inte i miljön” (translated to “Timbro don’t disregard the environment”), Dagens Industri, February 3, 1997. Archived image on file at DeSmog.
“Today, we are convinced that parts of the environmental movement’s agenda threaten the values that Timbro is supposed to protect.”
Ekvilibrium
Exxon’s report on 1998 programs mentioned that Timbro “[b]egan publishing an environmental newsletter, to address regulatory reform, market environmentalism, eco-labels and related policy issues.”
The Atlas Economic Research Foundation’s 1998 Proposal for Funding offered details on AERF’s work in Continental Europe, including “broader coverage of free market environmentalism in [the] newsletter,” suggesting this as a potential flow for Exxon’s future funding.
Svenska Dagbladet wrote an editorial titled “Don’t blame the weather.” According to the Ekvilibrium description of the article, “[I]it is wrong to blame the disaster in Venezuela on the weather. The searchlight should instead be directed at the politicians who hinder the development of prosperity. The problem is poverty, rather than bad weather:
“Bad weather does not have to be a disaster. The United States is often hit by severe storms and floods. But the death toll there has dropped significantly over the past nine years. The explanation is simple. In richer countries, there is both more stable infrastructure and resources to help those in need. The solution to Venezuela’s problems spelled growth, not better weather.”47“Ekvilibrium news,” ekvilibrium.nu. Archived August 18, 2000. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/isPMO
“S. Fred Singer comments on a selection of 1999 environmental myths in a current article. Among other things, he addresses the claim that there is a ‘consensus’ among scientists that human emissions lead to climate change. Last year, almost 20,000 scientists signed an appeal, the so-called Oregon Petition, against the Kyoto Protocol. Read more here (see link)”
December 8, 1999
Ekvilibrium offered the following description of an article titled ”Sunspot Maximum 2000”:
“The Sun’s magnetic field naturally varies in strength over eleven-year cycles. We are now moving towards an activity maximum. Perhaps this will also give us more knowledge about Earth’s climate change. One of the theories that exists is that the climate is affected by the solar cycles. Read more about sunspot maximum here (see link,149/a,98913/f,sol.html)”49“Ekvilibrium news,” ekvilibrium.nu. Archived August 18, 2000. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/isPMO
“During the month of August, the global temperature was 0.13 degrees below normal, reports the latest issue of the World Climate Report. The WCL also compares the temperature measurements via satellite with the computer simulations from the UN Climate Panel and finds significant discrepancies. Read more here (see link)”
2000
“It cannot be said that a warmer climate generally is harmful,” Per Ericson wrote in a Timbro book critical of wind power. He added, claiming, “It depends on how big the warming is, where it occurs, during what time of day and during which part of the year. Climate models primarily predict warming at the poles, not in the already warm tropics. A warm climate can be associated with many benefits.”51“Blåsningen” (PDF), Timbro, 2000. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
“Anyone who follows the energy policy debate easily gets the impression that wind power is an unproblematic alternative to nuclear power and fossil fuels. It’s not like that. Firstly, the quantities are not comparable. If we imagine nuclear and oil competing in the elite series of energy, it is doubtful if wind power even ranks in the minor leagues.”
Funding
Timbro’s press secretary Ebba Koril emphasized that Timbro is independent and only receives funding from the Free Enterprise Foundation, which is funded by donations from the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. When asked about contributions during the 1990s, she referred questions “to those who were responsible then.”53Jan Lindsten and Eigil Söderin. “How Oil Giant Exxon Bought Influence Over the Swedish Moderate Party,” DeSmog, June 26, 2024.
According to the Timbro Website, its annual budget is approximately SEK 30 million, and “It is fully funded by the Free Enterprise Foundation.”54“Om oss,” Timbro. Archived July 9, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/N0n0f
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise is a key player behind the growth of think tanks in Sweden. They represent industries ranging from concrete production and forestry to clothing retailers and private healthcare providers. Their promise to member companies reads:
“Our influence makes a difference for all companies, regardless of size and industry. We influence decision-makers and politicians across the country and at all levels. We also give the Swedish business community a voice within the EU.
“Over the years, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise has formed a large network of think tanks and other organizations that shape Swedish opinion. The flagship is the think tank Timbro, which, since the 70s, has been decisive for the spread of free-market ideas in Sweden. They are totally superior when the think tanks fight for space in the social debate.
“Since its inception, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise has invested more than half a billion Swedish crowns in Timbro’s operations.”
Pfizer Funding
In an interview with Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC, former Timbro CEO Mattias Bengtsson admitted Timbro received approximately 2 million Swedish crowns from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer during his time as CEO. The money went to the upstart of Timbro Hälsa (Timbro Health), which was an offshoot of Timbro pushing for the privatisation of the Swedish healthcare system.55Eigil Söderin. “Tidigare Timbro-chefen: ‘Jag ville ta emot mer pengar från Atlas’,” Dagens ETC, June 5, 2024. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
Timbro organised a conference titled “Facts or faith,” in which the seriousness of the climate threat would be discussed, and “dissenting” voices who questioned the reality of climate change would have a chance to come forward.63“Facts or Faith,” Timbro. Archived June 22, 2006. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/cDnuV
“(In 1996, Atlas sponsored John Stossel’s successful trip to Stockholm, where he participated in a conference and met with academicians, government officials and the news media. These valuable links with scholars and overseas institutes could grow substantially with the proper nurturing.)”69Lukas Frisell. “Dokumenten som bevisar Timbros band till oljejätten Exxon,” Supermiljöbloggen, June 26, 2024. Archived July 2, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FLcRw
In an interview in 1990, the book’s author, Stig-Björn Ljunggren, described the environmental movement’s politics as threatening an open, democratic society. A policy that demands far more than the environmental crisis requires. Calling for bans and interventions is dangerous, according to Ljunggren, because “then you risk ending up in a totalitarian society.”76“Två synsätt på soptippen,” Dagens Nyheter, May 11, 1990. Archived image on file at DeSmog.
ECIPE disclosed its funding sources in 2021 correspondence with the research and campaign group Corporate Europe Observatory. Sources included major oil companies such as Shell, BP, Neste Oil, Repsol and Dow Chemicals, as well as government sponsors from countries such as the UK, Taiwan, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Thailand and South Korea.”
“Timbro struntar inte i miljön” (translated to “Timbro don’t disregard the environment”), Dagens Industri, February 3, 1997. Archived image on file at DeSmog.
“Timbro struntar inte i miljön” (translated to “Timbro don’t disregard the environment”), Dagens Industri, February 3, 1997. Archived image on file at DeSmog.
International Policy Network (IPN)
Background
IPN started as a UK-based charity that went by the name of the International Institute for Economic Research, founded in 1971 by Sir Antony Fish...
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