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<font size="+2"><i><b>September 15, 2022</b></i></font><br>
<br>
<i>[ a sea change in Congress ]</i><br>
<b>U.S. House Democrats probe PR firms' work for oil, gas companies</b><br>
By Valerie Volcovici - September 14, 2022<br>
The report, which was based on its review of documents like
submissions for industry awards, said PR firms helped oil companies
fend off climate policies and mislead the public about their green
claims by "engineering astroturf 'citizen' groups to advocate for
industry interests and defeat legislative proposals, and using
unscrupulous tactics to sabotage genuine policy solutions and attack
community advocates."<br>
PR firms declined to attend the hearing about whether they helped
the fossil fuel industry spread disinformation about climate change,
according to the House of Representatives panel holding the event.<br>
<br>
"Of note, PR firms Singer Associates, Story Partners, and Pac/West
Communications were invited but refused to attend," Committee
spokesperson Lindsay Gressard said on Tuesday.<br>
<br>
Gressard said FTI Consulting (FCN.N), another PR firm the committee
is investigating, will not testify because it is working with the
committee to turn in documents that the panel requested earlier this
summer..<br>
- -<br>
While public scrutiny around energy companies' "greenwashing" claims
has grown, the marketing agencies behind the campaigns have largely
escaped scrutiny.<br>
- -<br>
"Fossil fuel marketers have shifted from denying or minimizing the
science behind climate change to falsely suggesting that oil and gas
are a central part of the climate-solutions mix," she said in her
testimony, adding that 60% of energy company ads touted a green
claim.<br>
<br>
The House Oversight committee's Democrats came to a similar
conclusion in their own year-long investigation into whether oil
companies have misled the public on climate change.<br>
<p><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/oil-industrys-ad-firms-shun-us-hearing-climate-disinformation-2022-09-14/">https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/oil-industrys-ad-firms-shun-us-hearing-climate-disinformation-2022-09-14/</a></p>
<p>- -<br>
</p>
<i>[ from the Drilled podcast ]</i><br>
<b>Yes, The New York Times Really IS Shilling for Big Oil</b><br>
By Amy Westervelt – 14 Sep 2022 –<br>
I wish Reps Raskin and Porter had not scheduled hearings at the same
time today, but the fact that they're both happening are pretty
great. Raskin is looking into the corporate push to limit individual
free speech, via both SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public
Participation) suits and anti-protest "critical infrastructure"
(more on that one next week) and Porter is presiding over a hearing
close to my heart: “The Role of Public Relations Firms in Preventing
Action on Climate Change."<br>
<br>
If you haven't yet, go listen to our season on this topic. Some of
my favorite sources on this subject contributed new research to the
Committee on Natural Resources's investigation, and the resulting
report is incredible, laying out the work that firms like Group SJR,
Universal McCann, T Brand Studio, Sam Singer Associates and more
have done to manipulate the public conversation on climate,
greenwash for oil companies and, in Singer's case, exploit news
deserts to the industry's benefit (Singer oversaw the creation of
the Richmond Standard in Richmond, Ca years ago and, more recently,
the Permian Proud in Texas's Permian Basin.<br>
<br>
In an award submission Singer Associates submitted for the Richmond
Standard, the firm wrote that: "The website has achieved regional
dominance, with a readership surpassing 'the circulation of the two
major daily newspapers in the area, the San Francisco Chronicle and
the Contra Costa Times.'"<br>
<br>
It's hard to believe that claim and I wouldn't put it past Singer
and co to just make it up, but the point is: that's the goal. For
the company paper to beat out the real papers. As more oil and gas
towns, regions, and states lose their papers is this what we can
expect? Company papers for company towns?<br>
<br>
The case study of SPR Group's work to help Exxon appeal to GenZ is
also eye-opening. Mimicking BuzzFeed's video style, SPR claims to
have gotten more young people to watch the whole video than other
videos on various social media platforms. "The videos sought to show
'how natural gas is a lower emission' fossil fuel with an essential
role in 'building America’s cleaner power grids,'" the report notes.
A message that of course directly contradicts the truth: A recent
EPA analysis of the U.S. oil and gas supply chain shows that methane
released from natural gas extraction exceeded EPA estimates by
around 60%, nearly doubling the climate impact of natural gas and
causing warming on par with coal plants.<br>
Universal McCann's partnership with the New York Times T Brand
Studio for Exxon also features in the report, which notes that the
campaign, which launched across all NYT platforms simultaneously,
was intended to “drive awareness of ExxonMobil’s commitment to the
research and development of lower-emissions energy through next-gen
biofuels,” “develop positive brand perception of ExxonMobil through
their efforts as a forward thinking and responsible company,” and
“increase favorability of primary audiences.” In an award submission
Universal McCann explained that had worked with the NYT's internal
brand studio "to create content in a 'Timesian voice' that would
feel 'native to the publication,' and which 'mirrored the
award-winning journalism of the world-renowned publication [to
ensure] authenticity, credibility and relevance, and [be] ultimately
more impactful to the audience.'" UM also noted that the campaign's
content included “a first-ever consecutive ‘Science Times’ print
takeover, an interactive long-form journalistic-style article, CGI
print spreads, audio spots in top-rated ‘The Daily’ podcast, online
ads, social posts, and homepage videos.<br>
<br>
Every time I've written about the T Brand studio's work for oil
companies, I've had people say "but there's a separation between ad
and edit!" and I reply, "sure, but readers don't know that, and that
is the entire reason oil companies hire the T Brand studio." Now
here it is in Universal McCann's own language, they were looking for
"a Timesian voice that would feel native to the publication and
which mirrored the award-winning journalism of the world-renowned
publication."<br>
<br>
The Times has some of the best climate reporters out there and this
is a slap in the face to all of them.<br>
<br>
The Committee is also investigating another layer of PR firms. Not
the ones that show up to industry conferences and apply for awards,
but the shadowy underlayer willing to do the stuff the more
buttoned-up firms won't. Firms like FTI Consulting, Story Partners,
and HBW Resources. The investigation is ongoing and I suspect there
are more hearings to come. Unlike oil companies, which can afford to
only want policy to go one way, at least some of these PR firms will
lose clients and credibility over this. A few might even want to
save their own reputations by coming clean about what this industry
has asked them to do...<br>
<br>
You can watch the hearing at 10am ET on the House Natural Resource
Committee's YouTube channel.<br>
Universal McCann's partnership with the New York Times T Brand
Studio for Exxon also features in the report, which notes that the
campaign, which launched across all NYT platforms simultaneously,
was intended to “drive awareness of ExxonMobil’s commitment to the
research and development of lower-emissions energy through next-gen
biofuels,” “develop positive brand perception of ExxonMobil through
their efforts as a forward thinking and responsible company,” and
“increase favorability of primary audiences.” In an award submission
Universal McCann explained that had worked with the NYT's internal
brand studio "to create content in a 'Timesian voice' that would
feel 'native to the publication,' and which 'mirrored the
award-winning journalism of the world-renowned publication [to
ensure] authenticity, credibility and relevance, and [be] ultimately
more impactful to the audience.'" UM also noted that the campaign's
content included “a first-ever consecutive ‘Science Times’ print
takeover, an interactive long-form journalistic-style article, CGI
print spreads, audio spots in top-rated ‘The Daily’ podcast, online
ads, social posts, and homepage videos.<br>
<br>
Every time I've written about the T Brand studio's work for oil
companies, I've had people say "but there's a separation between ad
and edit!" and I reply, "sure, but readers don't know that, and that
is the entire reason oil companies hire the T Brand studio." Now
here it is in Universal McCann's own language, they were looking for
"a Timesian voice that would feel native to the publication and
which mirrored the award-winning journalism of the world-renowned
publication."<br>
<br>
The Times has some of the best climate reporters out there and this
is a slap in the face to all of them.<br>
<br>
The Committee is also investigating another layer of PR firms. Not
the ones that show up to industry conferences and apply for awards,
but the shadowy underlayer willing to do the stuff the more
buttoned-up firms won't. Firms like FTI Consulting, Story Partners,
and HBW Resources. The investigation is ongoing and I suspect there
are more hearings to come. Unlike oil companies, which can afford to
only want policy to go one way, at least some of these PR firms will
lose clients and credibility over this. A few might even want to
save their own reputations by coming clean about what this industry
has asked them to do...<br>
<br>
You can watch the hearing ... on the House Natural Resource
Committee's YouTube channel.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.drilledpodcast.com/finally-congress-looks-at-the-role-of-pr-firms-in-climate-obstruction/">https://www.drilledpodcast.com/finally-congress-looks-at-the-role-of-pr-firms-in-climate-obstruction/</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<i>[ UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency - concerned with Environment,
Disasters and Climate Change ]</i><br>
<b>The climate crisis is a human crisis. It is driving displacement
and makes life harder for those already forced to flee.</b><br>
The impacts of climate change are numerous and may both trigger
displacement and worsen living conditions or hamper return for those
who have already been displaced. Limited natural resources, such as
drinking water, are becoming even scarcer in many parts of the world
that host refugees. Crops and livestock struggle to survive where
conditions become too hot and dry, or too cold and wet, threatening
livelihoods. In such conditions, climate change can act as a threat
multiplier, exacerbating existing tensions and adding to the
potential for conflicts.<br>
<br>
Hazards resulting from the increasing intensity and frequency of
extreme weather events, such as abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged
droughts, desertification, environmental degradation, or sea-level
rise and cyclones are already causing an average of more than 20
million people to leave their homes and move to other areas in their
countries each year.<br>
<br>
Some people are forced to cross borders in the context of climate
change and disasters and may in some circumstances be in need of
international protection. Refugee and human rights law therefore
have an important role to play in this area.<br>
- -<br>
[T]he term “climate refugee” is not endorsed by UNHCR, and it is
more accurate to refer to “persons displaced in the context of
disasters and climate change.”<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/climate-change-and-disasters.html">https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/climate-change-and-disasters.html</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<i>[ The Nation magazine ] </i><br>
<b>Want to Fight Climate Change? Look to Local Politics.</b><br>
Since its founding in 2015, the New Haven Climate Movement has used
national momentum to create regional change with a model that can be
replicated around the country.<br>
By Charlotte Hughes - Sept 14, 2022<br>
- -<br>
In Connecticut, the New Haven Climate Movement shows just how much
local politics still matters. The group recently used national
momentum to create regional change, pushing the municipal council to
delegate $5 million of its American Rescue Plan funding toward local
projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/climate-change-new-haven-local-politics/">https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/climate-change-new-haven-local-politics/</a><br>
<p>- -</p>
<i>[ one city's movement]</i><br>
<b>The New Haven Climate Movement</b><br>
We are a coalition from across New Haven working to restore a safe
climate. We are facing a climate emergency. We need strong action
now.<br>
Our Current Campaigns:<br>
<blockquote>- Climate Justice Schools / Schools as Climate Leaders<br>
- BoE Climate Emergency Resolution<br>
- New Haven Rescue Plan: Act Now on Climate Emergency<br>
- Electric Future Campaign<br>
- 2023 Campaign<br>
- New Haven Bike Vision: Reduce Transportation Pollution Now<br>
</blockquote>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.newhavenclimatemovement.org/">https://www.newhavenclimatemovement.org/</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><i><br>
</i>
</p>
<i>
[ arresting visual -- graphic of the day ]</i><br>
<b>Air Temperature Rank by Month</b><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://twitter.com/Supermoosie/status/1256866022822301699/photo/1">https://twitter.com/Supermoosie/status/1256866022822301699/photo/1</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://twitter.com/ZLabe/status/1510724788485951491/photo/1">https://twitter.com/ZLabe/status/1510724788485951491/photo/1</a>
<p><br>
</p>
<p> </p>
<br>
<i>[The news archive - looking back]</i><br>
<font size="+2"><i><b>September 15, 2002</b></i></font> <br>
September 15, 2002: The New York Times reports:<br>
<br>
"For the first time in six years, the annual federal report on air<br>
pollution trends has no section on global warming, though President<br>
Bush has said that slowing the growth of emissions linked to warming<br>
is a priority for his administration.<br>
<br>
"The decision to delete the chapter on climate change was made by
top<br>
officials at the Environmental Protection Agency with White House<br>
approval, White House officials said."<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/15/us/with-white-house-approval-epa-pollution-report-omits-global-warming-section.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/15/us/with-white-house-approval-epa-pollution-report-omits-global-warming-section.html</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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