Cameron Accused of Covering Up Fracking Risks Report
David Cameron was accused of a cover-up last night after he ducked questions in Parliament during the week about the heavy-handed redaction of a government report into the risks of fracking. Labour Party has increased pressure on the government to publish an unredacted version of the controversial report on the impacts of fracking on house prices […]
Center for Public Integrity Reveals How PR Firms Manufacture Consent for Oil, Big Business
The Center for Public Integrity has broken new ground by publishing a months-long investigation into the public relations and influence-peddling spending conducted by Big Business trade associations between 2008-2012. That investigation highlights spending for trade associations ranging from the American Petroleum Institute, National Mining Association, Edison Electric Institute, America’s Natural Gas Association and many others not in […]
New Solar Jobs Numbers Set The Stage For National “Shout Out For Solar” Friday
Following up on the massive gains made in 2013, U.S. solar energy had another banner year in 2014—and the industry is poised to shout it from the rooftops. In this case, of course, “rooftops” means social media. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), which is celebrating its 41st anniversary as a national trade association, is […]
Oil-by-Rail Reality: Watch What Industry Does, Not What They Say
“In the past month, there have been numerous public relations efforts suggesting that much is being done to improve oil by rail safety. Unfortunately, it seems these efforts will not involve much more than press releases and hollow promises.” Those words were first published on DeSmogBlog in March of last year in an article titled Why […]
Duty to Maximise Oil and Gas a ‘Dangerous Addition’ to the Infrastructure Bill
The UK’s climate change ambition will be undermined if the duty to maximise oil and gas extraction is included in the Infrastructure Bill, argue environmental NGO, Friends of the Earth and non-profit environmental law organisation, ClientEarth. Clause 36 will introduce a new legal obligation on current and future governments regarding “maximising economic recovery of UK petroleum”. […]
“California Crossroads Tour” Calls On Governor Jerry Brown To Ban Fracking
California Governor Jerry Brown recently proposed the most ambitious renewable energy targets in the US, but that does not mitigate his support for the controversial high-intensity oil extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), according to activists who have embarked on a statewide tour to call for the governor to ban the practice. Organized by […]
Caroline Lucas to Seek Complete Ban on UK Fracking Under the Infrastructure Bill
A moratorium on fracking in the UK – or even a complete ban – will be sought by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, it has been confirmed to DeSmog UK. Lucas is expected to propose the fracking ban as an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill that is currently being debated in the House of Commons. This […]
Rio Earth Summit: From Red Scare to Green Scare
Once heralded as a clear turning point, government participation at the Rio Earth Summit’s would soon be seen as more symbolic than effective. The DeSmog UK epic history series continues. The Rio Earth Summit in July 1992 was celebrated by environmentalists as the clearest sign that the world’s leaders would support limits to carbon emissions and […]
Digging Out of Canada’s Mining Dilemma
This is a guest post by David Suzuki. It sometimes seems people in the mining and fossil fuel industries — along with their government promoters — don’t believe in the future. What else could explain the mad rush to extract and use up the Earth’s resources as quickly and wastefully as possible? Global mining production, including fossil […]
Leading UK Sceptic Group Promotes Koch-Funded Canadian Climate Denier
Canadian climate denier Ross McKitrick has officially taken over as chairman of the academic advisory council of Lord Lawson’s controversial climate denying charity, the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF). The Economics professor is also a Senior Fellow of the Koch-and Exxon-funded Fraser Institute, a libertarian think tank based in Vancouver, British Columbia. McKitrick succeeds British economist […]