Cities 1.5

Fighting fossil fuels: Decarbonising cities with data mapping

Apr 16, 2024

Combatting deception and misinformation in the fossil fuel industry, experts discuss mapping existing infrastructure, lobbying tactics, and city initiatives for decarbonization. Delve into strategies to counter false narratives and empower stakeholders in the fight against climate change.

51:55

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Mapping fossil fuel infrastructure is essential for cities to combat industry deception and support decarbonization efforts.

Organizations like Global Energy Monitor and Influence Map provide crucial data to help cities navigate towards sustainable energy futures.

Fossil fuel industry tactics include promoting gas as a clean energy alternative, influencing policies, and opposing climate goals.

Deep dives

The Urgent Need to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels

By 2035, global fossil fuel use must be reduced to 50% of 2020 levels to prevent severe consequences of the climate crisis. Despite knowing the impact, the fossil fuel industry actively opposes this transition, using deceptive arguments like promoting methane (natural gas) as a clean alternative, which is false.

Introduction

3min

Unveiling Fossil Fuel Lobbying Tactics

23min

Unveiling Tactics and Influences of the Oil and Gas Industry on Climate Action Narratives

5min

Grassroots Activism and City Initiatives for Climate Action

14min

Accelerating Shift to Solar Energy and Decarbonization: A Positive Outlook on the Energy Transition

4min

Combatting Fossil Fuel Industry Misinformation and Climate Solutions Discussion

3min

By 2035, global fossil fuel use must be reduced to 50% of 2020 levels - or else we will face uncertain and serious consequences. But the fossil fuel industry keeps forging ahead, making billions at the expense of all of us, through attempts to re-brand fossil gas as a clean energy alternative, using disinformation narratives to delay and deceive, and advocating for the building of new fossil fuel infrastructure. One way to combat these actions of the fossil fuel industry is to collate and make available existing fossil fuel infrastructure. In other words, to map it.

Photo by Zaptec on Unsplash

Featured guests:
Faye Holder is a Program Manager at InfluenceMap, a think tank which produces data-driven analysis on how business and finance are impacting the climate crisis. Faye manages InfluenceMap’s workstreams on 'Oil and Gas' and 'Digital Media and Advertising', and has carried out vital work on exposing The International Gas Union’s Climate Strategy in a wide-ranging report. Faye has also worked in partnership with C40 to create resources for mayors, cities and youth in order to debunk the myths and false claims made by the fossil gas industry and to demystify fossil fuel disinformation.

Ted Nace is the founder and Executive Director of Global Energy Monitor, which develops and analyzes data on energy infrastructure, resources, and uses, and provides open access to information that is essential to building a sustainable energy future. Ted is also the co-founder of computer book publisher Peachpit Press and is the author of Gangs of America: The Rise of Corporate Power and the Disabling of Democracy and Climate Hope: On the Front Lines of the Fight Against Coal.

Links
The cost of fossil gas: The health, economic and environmental implications for cities - C40 Knowledge Hub
Disinformation Thrives in Times of Crisis - Cities 1.5
Lobbymap.org
Reality Check: US Renewable Energy Portfolios Can Outcompete New

If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website: https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/

Cities 1.5 is produced by the University of Toronto Press and Cities 1.5 is supported by C40 Cities and the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy. You can sign up to the Centre newsletter here. https://thecentre.substack.com/

Our executive producers are Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield.

Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/

Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/

Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/