Scientists reveal how the fossil fuel industry misled the public about climate change

An international group of scientists show that fossil fuel corporations have, for decades, denied the public's right to be accurately informed about climate change by funding efforts to deceive people about the dangers of their product. A report illustrating how the industry "polluted the information landscape," and how the damage could be undone is published today [Monday 21 October].

The report entitled, "America misled: how the fossil fuel industry deliberately misled Americans about climate change," by academics from the universities of Bristol, UK; George Mason, U.S. and Harvard, U.S., summarizes more than a decade of peer-reviewed research, and has been published to help inform policymakers, journalists, and the public.

The report includes what the fossil fuel industry knew versus what they did, the arguments they used to seed doubt in the public, the techniques they used to create those arguments, and some strategies for combating them.

Read the story from PHYS.org - “Scientists reveal how the fossil fuel industry misled the public about climate change.”

Australia wasted decades in climate denial – and must break free of the mire of misinformation

Australia’s climate “debate” has been bogged in a culture war for decades. What should be a straightforward discussion of scientific fact and possible responses has instead become a mire of misinformation and denial that has paralysed policy, clogged investment, increased power prices and delayed change.

‘Many of the same politicians responsible for these wickedly
 wasted decades have the temerity to attack the protesters for
not coming up with considered policy responses.’

National greenhouse gas emissions have risen every year since soon after the abolition of the carbon price in 2014, yet the prime minister stands on the international stage and insists Australia is “doing our bit on climate change and we reject any suggestion to the contrary”.

Read the story from The Guardian by Lenore Taylor - “Australia wasted decades in climate denial – and must break free of the mire of misinformation.” 

Why Is This Happening? Fighting for climate action with 'The Uninhabitable Earth' author David Wallace-Wells: podcast and transcript

Is it too late for us? Scientists have spent decades sounding the alarm on the devastating effects of climate change. And for decades, society decided to do pretty much nothing about it. In fact, over the past 30 years, we’ve done more damage to the climate than in all of human history!

Now, there’s a real chance we may have waited too long to avoid widespread tragedy and suffering.

In his book “The Uninhabitable Earth”, David Wallace-Wells depicts a catastrophic future far worse than we ever imagined... and far sooner than we thought. It is undoubtedly a brutal truth to face, as you will hear in this episode, but if there’s any hope to avert the worst case scenarios, we have to start now.

Read the NBC Think story by Chris Hayes - “Why Is This Happening? Fighting for climate action with 'The Uninhabitable Earth' author David Wallace-Wells: podcast and transcript.”