The Joe Rogan Experience #1500 - Barbara Freese
Jul 1, 2020
Barbara Freese, an accomplished environmental attorney and former Minnesota assistant attorney general, dives deep into the corporate denial of climate change. She shares fascinating insights on the coal industry's tactics to manipulate public opinion, the influence of funding on scientific research, and the historical parallels of corporate deception. Freese critiques the diffusion of responsibility within corporations, discusses the urgent need for a transition away from fossil fuels, and highlights the pressing issue of misinformation in today’s digital landscape.
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Early Climate Denial
- Barbara Freese, an environmental attorney, encountered climate denial in the 1990s while working for Minnesota.
- Coal industry witnesses testified against climate change, claiming CO2 was beneficial and warmer winters were desirable.
Corporate Manipulation
- Freese was shocked by the denial, realizing corporations use hired scientists to distort arguments.
- This incident highlighted how corporate interests manipulate scientific discourse for profit.
Merchants of Doubt
- The film Merchants of Doubt influenced Freese's work by exposing how tobacco industry players transitioned to climate change denial.
- These individuals often worked through free-market groups opposing industry regulation.
