Peabody Energy 'Experts' Sow Doubt About Reality of Climate Change
According to publicly available court records, US coal company Peabody Energy recently submitted expert testimony to the Minnesota Public Utilities commission arguing that, ”CO2 is not harmful and is actually good for the planet” and that “there is no empirical scientific evidence for significant climate effects of rising CO2 levels, and there is no convincing evidence […]
100 Days Before The UN Climate Talks – Reasons To Be Cheerful. And Reasons Not To
This article by Alice Bell, writer and researcher on science, technology and the environment, has been reposted from The Road to Paris. It’s less than 100 days before the big UN climate talks in Paris. How does that feel? Concerned, excited, or just a bit meh? Are we kneeling at the seat of history? Are we […]
How Lord Lawson Used Climate Denial to Stage His Political Comeback
The global economy was in a death spiral and Britain was at the centre of the financial tornado. The legacy of Chancellor Nigel Lawson – reliance on the deregulated and seemingly craven denizens of the City of London – meant Britain, in particular, was in serious peril. At the same time, environmental groups and campaigners had finally […]
BP and Shell Benefit From ‘Strategic’ Relationship With Government, Documents Show
New insights into David Cameron’s government and its “strategic” relationship with BP and Shell can be gleaned from documents obtained by DeSmog UK in a Freedom of Information request and published for the first time. The documents show meetings between Shell, BP and the former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Vince Cable, […]
Top US Environmental Group Calls Out Matt Ridley’s Climate Denial
It seems Viscount Matt Ridley is gaining international recognition for his climate denial as US environmental advocacy group the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) calls into question his “rational optimism”. Labelling the coal mine owner “England’s most prominent global warming sceptic,” Brian Palmer of the NRDC’s onEarth magazine writes: “Ridley is one of the most capable […]
Presidential Hopefuls Who Deny Climate Science Can Forget About Winning The Latino Vote
Presidential hopefuls looking to win the Latino vote know they need to take a thoughtful approach to immigration policy, but it turns out it’s just as important that they support efforts to protect the environment and combat climate change. According to a new poll, 90 percent of Latinos are in favor of strengthening the Clean […]
California Public Pension Funds Lost $5 Billion On Fossil Fuel Investments In One Year
Two of California’s massive public pension funds lost more than $5 billion on investments in coal, oil and natural gas in just 12 months. According to a report released by environmental group 350.org, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) lost $3 billion and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) lost $2.1 billion from […]
California Oilfield Operators Refuse To Report Water Usage, In Violation Of The Law
How much water does California’s oil and gas industry actually use? We still don’t know, despite a 2014 law signed by Governor Jerry Brown that went into effect this year requiring companies to report on all water produced, used and disposed of by oilfield operations. Oil and gas regulators with California’s Division of Oil, Gas […]
Exclusive: Pennsylvania Family Dealing with Water Contamination Linked to Fracking Industry
The Chichura family has flammable well water, most likely due to a fracking job gone wrong in Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna County. Their water well, along with those of four of their neighbors, was allegedly contaminated with methane in the fall of 2011, shortly after Cabot Oil started drilling operations near their home. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection […]
New Records Show More US Involvement in Mexico Oil, Gas Privatization Efforts as Mexican Government Says "100%" Its Idea
New records obtained by DeSmog shed further light on the role the U.S. government has played to help implement the privatization of Mexico’s oil and gas industry, opening it up to international firms beyond state-owned company PEMEX (Petroleos Mexicanos). Obtained from both the City of San Antonio, Texas and University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA), the records […]