There are ad campaigns from the early 2000s that portray climate change as the fault of individual consumers. Another frequent tactic of fossil fuel companies has been the use of so-called advertorials in major newspapers like The New York Times. These tactics, especially the economic arguments, have also been targeted at politicians, policy makers, and business leaders.
For years, fossil fuel companies have claimed to support climate science and policy. Many have recently pledged to hit net zero emissions by midcentury. Yet behind the scenes, they fight those very same policies through industry associations, shadow groups, and lobbying – all while spending vast sums on advertising and PR campaigns touting their climate commitments. This week we focus on the PR and consultancy firms helping fossil fuel companies delay the transition to clean energy while claiming they are on the side of climate protection.
Guests:
Michael Forsythe, Reporter, New York Times
Dr. Benjamin Franta, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Climate Litigation Lab, Oxford Sustainable Law Programme.
Jamie Henn, Founder and Director, Fossil Free Media
Christine Arena, former Executive Vice President, Edelman; Founder, Generous Films
For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.
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