Drilled

Malcolm Harris, journalist and author of "What's Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis," joins to delve into the urgent complexities of the climate crisis. He advocates for addressing issues at scale, emphasizing community resilience and collective action. Harris critiques the interplay between class dynamics and climate change, proposing that solutions must tackle systemic inequalities. Engaging in a candid dialogue, he explores the importance of realistic optimism and the potential for grassroots movements to inspire significant change.

Kathy Mulvey, the Accountability campaign director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, discusses groundbreaking evidence illustrating the fossil fuel industry's long-standing knowledge of their products' impact on climate change. She reveals updates on climate liability cases in the U.S., comparing the industry's deception tactics to those of the tobacco sector. The conversation also uncovers a hacking scheme targeting environmental advocates and emphasizes the urgent need for corporate accountability, amidst troubling surveillance of activists.

Wendell Bulingot, Chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance and indigenous Igorot activist, shares his harrowing experiences with state oppression and being labeled a terrorist for defending ancestral lands. Joined by Jason Lamcheck, a research fellow focusing on human rights, they discuss the alarming trend of criminalizing environmental protests post-9/11. The duo explores how U.S. imperialism and counterterrorism policies have merged, endangering activists globally. Their candid insights highlight the resilience of those fighting for environmental justice amid relentless repression.

Later this year we’ll be bringing you a season in collaboration with the podcast Non-Toxic, hosted by journalist and culture critic Daniel Penny, about the intersection between masculinity and climate. Meet Daniel and learn about his work and what you can expect from this season.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University researcher specializing in persuasion and misinformation, sheds light on the troubling world of advertorials created for oil companies. She discusses the deceptive nature of sponsored content and its impact on public perception, especially on social media. Amazeen highlights the necessity for better labeling and transparency to combat misinformation. Drawing on her recent research, she reveals how audiences, particularly younger ones, struggle to distinguish between authentic news and misleading advertising, advocating for improved media literacy.

Jasper Tulling, a strategic advisor at the Climate Litigation Network, and Noah Walker Crawford, a research fellow focused on climate change at the London School of Economics, delve into a significant Dutch court ruling about Shell's emissions. They discuss how the decision affirmed Shell's legal obligation to reduce global emissions, despite media portrayals of a win. The conversation highlights the complexities of corporate accountability and critiques reliance on unproven climate technologies, advocating for immediate action over future solutions.

Anna Lappé, an expert on food systems and climate change, and Matthew Kessler, a science communicator at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, delve into the hidden ties between the oil and gas industry and our food. They discuss the impact of petrochemical fertilizers on emissions and the complexities of fossil fuel dependency in food supply chains. The conversation highlights the environmental consequences of synthetic farming practices and advocates for sustainable agriculture as a vital solution to climate challenges.

Genevieve Guenther is an author specializing in the rhetoric of climate action. In this discussion, she explores six key rhetorical devices used to undermine climate initiatives, provoking strong reactions online. Guenther critiques the language surrounding fossil fuel narratives, revealing how terms like 'economic growth' distort the urgency of climate change. She also discusses the failures of carbon capture technologies and the need for genuine decarbonization. Ultimately, she emphasizes emotional connections to place as vital for galvanizing public support for climate advocacy.

Long before outright climate denial, the fossil fuel industry relied on sophisticated PR and advertising campaigns to shape how the public understood the economy, the environment, and energy itself. In this Climate Week 2024 episode, we revisit The Mad Men of Big Oil—our 2020 investigative season on the public relations industry’s role in fueling climate disaster. The series helped inspire campaigns to clean up the PR industry and has only grown more relevant, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres now calling out the “Mad Men fueling climate disaster” by name. This is a live recording from Climate Week.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Molly Taft, a dedicated reporter on fossil fuels, is joined by Geoffrey Supran, a climate disinformation researcher, and Craig Callender, a philosopher of science at UCSD. They dive into the concerning influence of fossil fuel funding on academic research, revealing a shocking lack of transparency and a staggering $37 million in undisclosed donations at Columbia University. The trio discusses the ethical dilemmas this funding creates, the urgent need for clearer disclosure practices, and parallels to historical funding controversies in academia.