To stop climate change, we know we must radically transform our political system and the fossil fuel based metabolism of our economy. But, the fossil fuel industry has everything to lose in this transformation, and they are organizing to block change as if their life depended on it, because it does.
In 1.1, we saw how the fossil fuel industry strategically manufactured climate denialism to cast doubt and confusion on the validity of anthropogenic climate change. In 1.2, we saw how much our globalized economy & way of life is tethered to fossil fuels and energy. In this class, we'll take a look at what the fossil fuel industry is up to now that they're facing public criticism and understand that it's taboo for them to publicly deny the existence and dangers of climate change.
Please review the readings in the following 3 sections before class. See discussion questions attached to the articles and the "Discussion Questions to Consider for Class" at the end.
Let's be naively optimistic and pretend we put a democrat in the oval office come 2021. Passing a Green New Deal, let alone any climate action, will still be incredibly difficult. The fossil fuel industry has an unprecedented level of influence on our political system—both republicans and democrats—and they will react to a democratic presidency by doubling down spending & lobbying efforts.
Fossil fuel industry spent nearly $2 billion to kill U.S. climate action, new study finds
We are up against the 1% and industries who are willing to spend unfathomable sums of money to defeat us.
What do you notice about industry spending during the Obama years?
The political system isn't the only place the fossil fuel industry spends big in order to gain influence. They also conduct widespread assault on public understanding and opinion via the media, advertising, and the educational system.
CCS stands for Carbon Capture & Storage, a mechanism for filtering out CO2 from smokestacks and sequestering it underground or in solid form.
Big Business Spent $1.4 Billion On PR, Advertising Over The Last Decade
With most other advertising, we see specific brands advertising to compete against one another. What's different about fossil fuel advertising?
Pipeline to the classroom: how big oil promotes fossil fuels to America's children
(Feel free to skim)
Study: 'Fox News Effect' Soured GOP Voters on Green New Deal
What are the take away lessons from this article for Sunrise? What could we have done differently when first publicizing the GND? How can we get beyond the Fox News Effect? Do we even need to?
Now that public climate denialism from the fossil fuel industry is taboo, the industry has innovated. We must be aware of the insidious tactics they are using to manufacture the illusion of having popular & youth political support.
How the Fossil Fuel Industry Is Attempting to Buy the Youth Climate Movement
What can we be doing to call this out & prevent others in our generation from falling into this trap?
How the fossil fuel industry drums up grassroots support
Do we live in a 'Post-Truth' age? How can we use moral protest in a time when the public is often confused and disoriented by who has moral clarity & authority?