Powered by RebelMouse

Opinion: Fossil fuel industry obstructs renewable energy progress

Despite renewable energy being more affordable and prevalent, the fossil fuel industry is using misinformation and lobbying to hinder its adoption.

Andrew Dessler writes for The New York Times.

In short:

  • Fossil fuel interests are using tactics like lobbying and spreading misinformation to prevent the adoption of cheaper renewable energy.
  • Renewables now produce 30% of the world's electricity, yet fossil fuel companies falsely claim they are unreliable and harmful.
  • Misleading narratives and political donations are used to sway public opinion and policy against renewable energy.

Why this matters:

Fossil fuel misinformation delays the transition to renewable energy, which is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. Armed with deep pockets and political influence, those in the fossil fuel industry are deploying strategies aimed at slowing the transition to cleaner energy. This includes spreading misinformation about the reliability and efficiency of renewables, and casting doubt on the urgency of climate change.

www.nytimes.com
Statsminister Jonas Gahr: Speaker at COP30
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/statsministerenskontor/ Creative Commons Foto: Martin Lerberg Fossum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

COP30: 'Climate conference of truth' in Brazil?

At COP30, the international community again will try to agree on targets to limit catastrophic global temperature rise. But many barriers remain before steep greenhouse gas cuts are realized.
Read the Full Article on www.dw.com
A rocky island in the middle of the ocean viewed from above
Credit: Unsplash+ Community/Unsplash+

The ocean has been hoarding heat. Now it is building up a massive 'burp'

Even if humans cut emissions enough to reduce global temperatures, new research shows the Southern Ocean could kick warming back into gear.
Read the Full Article on grist.org
Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General, met with Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director,
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/iaea_imagebank/ Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Why everyone wants to meet the ‘world’s most boring man’

Politicians, oil giants and climate activists hang on his every word. The Trump administration has blasted him. How did Fatih Birol get so big?
Read the Full Article on www.nytimes.com
21st session of the UN Conference on Climate Change Paris 2015
Copyright: palinchak/BigStock Photo ID: 110010617

In 10 years since Paris climate agreement, progress on warming but not nearly enough

The world has seen faster climate change than expected since the Paris Agreement a decade ago. Scientists say Earth's warming has outpaced efforts to reduce fossil fuel pollution that came out of the 2015 accord.
Read the Full Article on apnews.com
white and blue boat on brown sand under blue sky during daytime.
Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash

California’s drying Salton Sea harms the lungs of people living nearby, say researchers

Experts suspect that dust from the sea contains endotoxic bacteria membranes caused by fertilizer runoff.

Read the Full Article on www.theguardian.com
a close up of a mosquito on a human's skin.
Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/Unsplash

A disease-carrying mosquito has landed in the Rocky Mountains where it historically couldn’t survive

The Aedes aegypti mosquito that can carry dengue was thought to be too reliant on a hot and wet climate to survive in the Mountain West. But now, a population is thriving in Western Colorado.
Read the Full Article on insideclimatenews.org
A smokestack spews pollution as a plane flies by in the distance across a cityscape and late day sun.
Credit: Thijs Stoop/Unsplash

How Trump officials have transformed the EPA to weaken enforcement

An analysis of environmental enforcement cases, together with targeted furloughs during the federal shutdown, shows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's shift towards deregulation.

Read the Full Article on www.washingtonpost.com
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

www.ehn.org
Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

www.ehn.org
Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

www.ehn.org
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

www.ehn.org
silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

www.ehn.org
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

www.ehn.org
Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.