Message From the Editor

As I write this, floodwaters are blanketing communities in eastern Kentucky. At least 15 people have died and one part of the state, Buckhorn Lake, received 10.4 inches of rain in 24 hours, .08 inches shy of breaking the state’s record.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest, where I live, is experiencing yet another heatwave. My colleagues in the UK recently lived through London’s hottest day on record. Triple digits on the thermometer are becoming increasingly common in these places that typically have been so mild that most people don’t have air conditioning.

There’s mounting evidence of climate change’s fingerprints on extreme weather events, especially heatwaves and heavy rainfall. Despite this, climate deniers continue to spread misinformation regarding the connection between climate change and extreme weather, as Stella Levantesi explored this week in the newest installment of her Gaslit column.

Renowned climate scientist Michael E. Mann told Stella that this is “one of the last remaining fronts in the attack on [climate] science.” In the column, she unpacks the strategies that deniers rely upon to obscure or downplay the link between climate change and extreme weather.

Climate change is making these extreme events increasingly part of our daily lives, so Stella’s piece is a timely and important read. If you enjoy it, I hope you’ll share it with others — and dig into her previous Gaslit columns.

Have a story tip or feedback? Get in touch: editor@desmog.com. Our UK team has been charting the fossil fuel ties of potential successors to Boris Johnson. Stay in the loop with our UK newsletter!
Thanks,
Brendan DeMelle
Executive Director
P.S. Analysis like Stella’s is made possible by our generous donors. If you’d like to help, can you chip in $10 or $20 right now?

Image credit: BLMIdaho (CC BY 2.0)

When Extreme Weather Reigns, Disinformation Pours

— By Stella Levantesi (12 min. read) —

Recent extreme weather across the globe is showing us how rapidly the climate is changing in an increasingly warming world. Heatwaves are scorching Europe, the United States, North Africa, Siberia, and some parts of the Middle East and China. Last month, the worst heatwave ever recorded hit Japan. In Brazil, more than 20,000 people were displaced after heavy rainfall in May triggered floods and landslides. The month before, extreme rainfall and floods in South Africa killed more than 400 people. In Europe, Spain and Portugal are battling wildfires, while Italy is suffering from the worst drought in the past 70 years, with many municipalities rationing water.

Climate ‘Leader’ Netflix Donated to Pro-Pipeline, Koch-Supported Think Tank

— By Geoff Dembicki (4 min. read) —

Netflix gives every impression of being one of the world’s most climate friendly corporations.

The streaming company responsible for the blockbuster climate movie “Don’t Look Up” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence plans to slash or offset all of its corporate greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2022, a goal known as net-zero.

Climate Protesters Delay Congressional Baseball Game

— By Zach Roberts (4 min. read) —

The Congressional Baseball Game is an annual tradition that dates back to 1909. It’s supposed to be a time for both sides of the political system to come together and join in a peaceful nine innings of the national pastime.

But this year’s game, held on Thursday, July 28 at the Washington Nationals’ ballpark in Washington, D.C., was less sleepy than the average baseball game. Now or Never, a group of justice, faith, and climate organizations, held a protest in an attempt to disrupt the event and draw attention to the urgent need for large-scale climate action.

Murky World of Carbon Offsets Faces Greater Scrutiny

— By Matthew Green (4 min. read) —

Proposals to boost transparency in the carbon offset market could shine a light on brokers who buy credits cheaply from Indigenous communities before selling them to companies at inflated prices.

The measures form part of a wide-ranging package drafted by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market, a governance body aiming to boost the quality of carbon offsets. The proposals were published this week, beginning a 60-day public consultation.

Pennsylvania County Bans Fracking in Area Parks

— By Nick Cunningham (5 min. read) —

Eight years after allowing a shale gas company to drill beneath Deer Lakes County Park for methane gas, the Pennsylvania county home to Pittsburgh has banned all industrial activity in the area’s eight other parks — despite a veto from the county executive.

It’s the first such move at the county level in the state, one fracking opponents term a milestone in a state where the fracking industry almost always gets its way.

From the Climate Disinformation Database: Competitive Enterprise Institute

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) was founded in 1984 and describes itself as “a non-profit public policy organization dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty.” Oil giant ExxonMobil has been one of CEI‘s top funders, contributing at least $2.1 million since 1997, before reportedly cutting off funding in 2006. Donors Trust (DT) has donated over $4 million to CEI as of 2013. DT has been described as the “dark money ATM of the conservative movement” for its ability to take in funds from anonymous donors and distribute them to recipient organizations.
Read its full profile and browse other individuals and organizations in our Climate Disinformation Database and Koch Network Database.