Message From the Editor

New research published this week by Geoffrey Supran, Naomi Oreskes, and Stefan Rahmstorf demonstrates that as far back as the late 1970s ExxonMobil “correctly and skillfully” predicted global warming. “By contrast,” the authors write, “the majority of Mobil and ExxonMobil Corp’s public communications promoted doubt on the matter.”

This research further pulls back the veil on what Exxon knew about climate change and plays an essential role in our understanding of how climate denial and disinformation are evolving.

These days, Big Oil is much more likely to be working to delay climate action than outright denying climate change. But delay can be just as harmful as denial.

Case in point: The United Arab Emirates, which will host this year’s UN climate negotiations, just appointed the CEO of its national oil company as the president of COP28.

Climate campaigners are understandably alarmed, comparing the move to inviting “arm dealers to lead peace talks” and warning that it “risks jeopardising the entire UN climate process.”

COP27 in Egypt last year had more fossil fuel lobbyists than ever, with the largest group coming from the UAE. With a Big Oil exec at the helm this year, it seems like the forces of greenwashing and delay will be even harder at work.

Have a story tip or feedback? Get in touch: [email protected]. Want to know what our UK team is up to? Sign up for our UK newsletter.

Thanks,
Brendan DeMelle
Executive Director

P.S. Our powerful public interest journalism is made possible by our generous donors. Can you donate $10 or $20 right now to support our team?

Image credit: Adam Barnett

UAE Selects Fossil Fuel Exec to Lead COP28

— By Dana Drugmand (3 min. read) —

Climate campaigners reacted with outrage on Thursday to the announcement that the United Arab Emirates’s president has appointed the leader of the country’s national oil company to preside over the 2023 United Nations climate talks, which the UAE will host later this year.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber was named as president-designate of this year’s UN climate summit, COP28, scheduled to take place November 30 – December 12 in Dubai.

Colorado Seeks Payments for Oil & Gas Cleanup

— By Nick Bowlin, Capital & Main (9 min. read) —

Since October, Colorado oil and gas companies have been submitting plans to the state detailing how they intend to pay for plugging and cleaning up oil and gas wells at the end of their productivity.

When the process is complete, every operator in Colorado regardless of size is to have a financial assurance plan guaranteeing they can pay for the cleanup. All plans must be approved by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the state industry regulator.

Nigel Lawson, Founder of Tufton St. Climate Denial Group, Quits Parliament

— By Adam Barnett (3 min. read) —

The founder and honorary president of the Global Warming Policy Foundation has announced he will be retiring from parliament.

Lord Nigel Lawson, who was chancellor under Margaret Thatcher, is leaving the House of Lords, according to the Telegraph.

Heard of “Net-Zero Oil” or “Carbon Negative” Bioenergy? In 2023 You Will

— By DeSmog (7 min. read) —

Last year, we chased ambitious stories all along the climate spectrum. We investigated allegations of workers exposed to radioactive oilfield waste, reported from the frontlines of climate-fueled extreme weather and climate migration, expanded our coverage of the climate impact of agriculture, followed the ongoing buildout of LNG, and sent a team to COP27, among other things.

This year, we’ll continue chasing major climate stories around the globe and exposing the people and groups fueling denial and delay. Below, a handful of DeSmog writers dive into the issues they’ll be watching in 2023.

Editor’s Pick: Top DeSmog UK Stories of 2022

— By Hazel Healy (6 min. read) —

From rogue Tory backbenchers to North Sea profits for Putin, in the past year the DeSmog UK team has kept tabs on the people, money and PR machines that work to block action on climate change.

It was a tough call to select the highlights, but here you have my Editor’s pick of our Top 10 – in no particular order – chosen for going deep, originality, capturing the political moment, scoring victories for the climate movement or straight-up popularity.

From the Climate Disinformation Database: Nigel Lawson

Nigel Lawson, whose official title is Lord Lawson of Blaby, has spent the majority of his professional career involved in British politics and journalism. In 1974, Lawson was elected a member of parliament for the Conservative party where he held a seat until 1992. As a member of parliament, Lawson was eventually named Chancellor of the Exchequer — the highest economic and financial position in the British government — by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Lawson was a member of the House of Lords from 1992 until his retirement on December 31, 2022. He is the founder of The Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), a think-tank skeptical of the science behind anthropogenic (man-made) global warming as well as the policies that are being implemented to curb climate change. Even though Lawson has no professional credentials in the area of climate change, he has often been described as an “expert” by the media. Lawson stepped down as GWPF chairman in January 2019, maintaining a position in the organisation as Honorary President.
Read the full profile and browse other individuals and organizations in our Climate Disinformation Database and Koch Network Database.