Fossil fuel industry ramps up political spending as investigations stall

Fossil fuel companies poured nearly $100 million into Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign while lobbying against climate regulations, prompting concerns about industry influence and stalled congressional investigations.

Dharna Noor reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Fossil fuel groups contributed a record $96 million to Trump and affiliated PACs in 2023-2024 and spent $243 million lobbying Congress.
Republican control of Congress halted an investigation into oil companies’ history of climate disinformation, which had uncovered internal documents acknowledging industry efforts to mislead the public.
Trump’s administration has appointed multiple officials with deep ties to the fossil fuel sector while rolling back environmental regulations.

Key quote:

"The fossil fuel industry is running perhaps the biggest campaign of disinformation and political interference in American history and they’re backing it up with immense amounts of political spending."

— Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Democratic senator from Rhode Island

Why this matters:

Fossil fuel companies have long influenced American politics, but their record-breaking spending in the 2024 election underscores their role in shaping climate policy. With Republicans in control of Congress, oversight of industry lobbying and disinformation campaigns is unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s pro-oil agenda threatens environmental regulations and climate action. As lawsuits against oil giants progress, state-level investigations may become the last avenue for uncovering the industry's internal strategies.

Learn more: US oil and gas sector pours big money into GOP politics

www.theguardian.com

Credit: Getty Images / Unsplash+

Climate change is accelerating health threats worldwide

The Lancet Countdown - established in 2016 to annually assess the effects of climate change on health - released a ten year report and accompanying editorial.

In short:

For the first time, the report quantifies heat-related deaths attributable to climate change, estimated at about 370,000 a year. The past 11 years have been the hottest ever recorded.
The report examined 54 indicators of climate change-driven health impacts and found that many health threats had increased or accelerated over the past decade.
Populations least responsible for climate change are experiencing the highest impacts.

Key quote:

“Over the past 10 years, a strong evidence-based case has been made that responding to climate change could be the greatest health opportunity of the 21st century.”

Why this matters:

The report points out how fossil fuel interests are blocking progress on climate change. It tracks not only heat-related deaths, as mentioned above, but also other climate related effects on health caused by floods, landslides, droughts, viruses, and more. It also tracks improvements, for example, estimating that the transition to clean energy prevented 400,000 deaths in 2023 just through improved indoor air quality. Health professionals are trusted sources of information and can speak for policy change and action for a healthier future.

Related EHN coverage:

More resources: The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change

Source:

Romanello, Marina et al. (2026), The 2026 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: a decade of escalating health harms and a decisive moment for all. The Lancet.

Related editorial, Climate change and health: 10 years on, what next? The Lancet.

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