DeepSummary
The podcast episode features an interview with Dr. Peter Frumhoff, director of science and policy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, discussing the responsibility of fossil fuel companies for climate change damages. Frumhoff explains how his research can attribute specific climate impacts like rising sea levels and temperatures to the emissions from individual companies' products.
Frumhoff highlights that fossil fuel companies were aware of the risks of climate change decades ago but chose to spread misinformation and doubt instead of taking action. He discusses the recent lawsuits and shareholder actions aimed at holding these companies accountable for their role in climate change and the potential impact of this "science of climate responsibility" on driving climate action.
The episode also covers the Trump administration's efforts to sideline scientific advisory committees and ignore scientific advice, as well as the potential consequences of this approach. Frumhoff expresses hope that the new research and public recognition of fossil fuel companies' disinformation can reduce their political power and drive responsible action.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Research can now attribute specific climate change impacts like sea level rise and temperature increases to the emissions from individual fossil fuel companies' products.
- Fossil fuel companies were aware of the risks of climate change decades ago but chose to spread misinformation and doubt instead of taking action.
- There are increasing lawsuits, shareholder actions, and public efforts aimed at holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in climate change damages.
- The "science of climate responsibility" can drive climate action by revealing companies' responsibility and reducing their political power.
- The Trump administration has disregarded scientific advice by sidelining scientific advisory committees across federal agencies.
- The consequences of ignoring scientific expertise can be severe, from failed policy responses to public health and environmental crises.
- Supporting scientific integrity and climate action through public engagement and holding companies accountable is crucial for addressing the climate crisis.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We understood in that workshop that much of the same actions of deception were also taking place by fossil fuel companies. That documentation was beginning to become revealed, and a colleague there, Richard Headey, a geographer, shared with us a body of research that he had not yet published that was really quite extraordinary.“ by Peter Frumhoff
- “We're beginning to see the rise of a whole variety of approaches to hold companies accountable, to put their, really, their social license to operate as they've been operating for decades into question.“ by Peter Frumhoff
- “At UCS, we knew that the Trump administration was ignoring science and scientists and treating scientific advisory committees as disposable and irrelevant. But we didn't know how bad it was.“ by Shreya Dervasula
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1/23/18