Climate Change | The Price of Oil

Posts in Climate Change

Haemorrhaging Heartland Still in Denial
Andy Rowell
May21
Well the old adage is when you are in a hole, stop digging. Someone though has not told Joe Bast, the head of the Heartland Institute. Poor old Joe is feeling rather sorry that at his time of need his colleagues are deserting him. In a recent blog he criticises one such colleague saying that…
Continue reading ‘Haemorrhaging Heartland Still in Denial’.
Eleven Donors Dump Heartland
Andy Rowell
May16
Next week the cream of the world’s climate deniers will descend on Chicago for the Heartland Institute’s latest annual sceptic-fest. The headline for the conference is “Real Science, Real Choices.” That’s more fact-twisting propaganda from Heartland that has pushed climate denial for years. The Institute was hoping for a bumper conference that would help it…
Continue reading ‘Eleven Donors Dump Heartland’.
Koch-ing the Climate: Exploiting the Tar Sands
Andy Rowell
May14
Last week, the god-father of climate science, James Hansen, who directs the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, re-iterated his warning about exploiting the tar sands in an op-ed in the New York Times. His warning was dire: “Canada’s tar sands contain twice the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by global oil use in our…
Continue reading ‘Koch-ing the Climate: Exploiting the Tar Sands’.
Sponsors Dump Heartland After Ad Backfires
Andy Rowell
May08
Last Friday, the long-standing climate denier think tank, the Heartland Institute ran an advert featuring the Unabomber on a billboard in Chicago that read “I still believe in Global Warming? Do you?” The Unabomber advert was going to be followed by images of Fidel Castro, Osama Bin Laden, and hostage-taker James J. Lee. According to…
Continue reading ‘Sponsors Dump Heartland After Ad Backfires’.
Its Official: Fracking Causes Quakes
Andy Rowell
Apr17
An independent report commissioned by the British government has confirmed that the controversial drill technique known as fracking did cause two small earthquakes, near Lancaster in North West England last year. The company concerned, Cuadrilla, halted fracking after two minor quakes were recorded in April and May, with magnitudes of 2.3 and 1.5 respectively. The…
Continue reading ‘Its Official: Fracking Causes Quakes’.
Why Outing Climate Sceptic Funders Matters
Andy Rowell
Mar28
In the UK, David Cameron’s Conservative Government is still reeling from the “Cash for access” sting by the Sunday Times newspaper at the weekend where the Conservative co-party Treasurer, Peter Cruddas was caught promising access to the prime minister, including private dinners, in return for donations of over £250,000. In order to try and damage…
Continue reading ‘Why Outing Climate Sceptic Funders Matters’.
Yet More Hypocrisy from Heartland
Andy Rowell
Mar19
I have known the leading climate sceptic-watcher, Cindy Baxter, for many years. Once labelled by the Guardian newspaper as the “Antipodean scourge of the oil industry”, Baxter has long been a thorn in the side of those who deny climate change and carry drilling oil regardless of any consequences. And, like many who have watched…
Continue reading ‘Yet More Hypocrisy from Heartland’.
Climate Denial in Canada’s Classrooms
Andy Rowell
Feb29
More bad news for the climate deniers at the Heartland Institute, which is still badly reeling from the controversial leak of information of its budget and strategy documents. It has now been revealed that an associate of the Institute taught a course at a top Canadian university that contained over 140 false, biased and misleading…
Continue reading ‘Climate Denial in Canada’s Classrooms’.
Tar Sands: “No get-out-of-jail-free card”
Andy Rowell
Feb22
If you read some of the Canadian press coverage, a recent scientific study has offered the pro-tar sands movement a real fillip in its attempts to spin its dirty fuel as “ethical oil” that is no dirtier than conventional crude. The Canadians are now essentially arguing it gives them the scientific back-up to carry on…
Continue reading ‘Tar Sands: “No get-out-of-jail-free card”’.
Hypocritical Heartland Threatens Critics
Andy Rowell
Feb20
The climate sceptic think tank, the Heartland Institute, that last week was the victim of a devastating leak of information, has decided that attack is the best form of defence and has started threatening organisations and websites that published the leaked documents. It is interesting to dissect how Heartland, which has been in crisis mode…
Continue reading ‘Hypocritical Heartland Threatens Critics’.