DeSmogCAST 8: Oilsands Tailings Ponds, UK Drilling Imperative and Skeptics vs. Deniers

onJan 16, 2015 @ 04:00 PST

In today’s January 15, 2015 episode DeSmogCAST host Farron Cousins joins DeSmoggers Carol Linnitt, Kyla Mandel, and Mike Gaworecki to discuss Canada’s efforts to prevent a NAFTA-led investigation into the management of Alberta’s oilsands tailings ponds.

We also discuss a clause in the UK‘s new Infrastructure Bill that mandates efforts to “maximize economic recovery of UK petroleum” and what that means for the nation’s climate policy.

Lastly we discuss recent developments in the denier/skeptics debate and a recent open letter to media, calling on journalists to reserve the favourable term ‘skeptic’ for those engaged in truly scientific critical investigation.

To read more about these topics, check out these stories covered in today’s episode:

Canada’s Fight Against NAFTA Investigation of Oilsands Tailings Get Political, Wins Allies

Calls For Media To Accurately Label Climate Deniers Growing Louder

Duty to Maximise Oil and Gas a ‘Dangerous Addition’ to the Infrastructure Bill

New Infrastructure Bill Puts UK Climate Ambition at Risk

DeSmogCAST is a weekly online show that features DeSmog writers, experts and guests covering breaking news and in-depth analysis on politics, energy and environment issues in the U.S., Canada and around the world.

By Carol Linnitt

Analysis

Industry Pushes Back on UK Ad Bans

ByEllen Ormesher

onFeb 11, 2026 @ 03:22 PST

As calls grow for the government to ban fossil fuel advertising, Lord Vaizey warns against stricter regulation.

Series: Holding the Advertising and Public Relations Industry Accountable for Greenwash and Climate Misinformation

Series: Advertising & PR Industry

Trump Accused of Trying to ‘Divide and Destabilise’ Europe Through New MAGA Fund

ByAdam Barnett, Clare Carlile and Sam Bright

onFeb 10, 2026 @ 06:25 PST

UK and EU leaders have been called upon to “reject” MAGA’s “foreign interference”.

Series: Inside MAGA’s Global Climate Agenda, Defending Democracy from Dirty Money

Series: MAGA, Defending-UK-Democracy

us/Trump’s EPA Just Used the Clean Air Act to Prop up Coal Power

ByJoe Fassler

onFeb 9, 2026 @ 12:58 PST

The Environmental Protection Agency threw out Colorado’s entire haze reduction plan, in what critics called ‘illegal’ and a possible warning to other states not to close fossil fuel plants.