Plus, Canada to boost LNG production? ...
From the Editor's Desk
Dear Readers:
Our hearts are heavy today viewing the devastation as Hurricane Melissa continues to tear through the Caribbean. Please give whatever you can to charities supporting relief efforts, as there is little signal that much help will come from the White House.
Speaking of which, a long-awaited film is premiering worldwide on Netflix this Friday October 31, and we highly recommend watching it.
The White House Effect has no narration, just incredible contemporary footage and documents from the 1970s and 1980s woven together to remind us there was a time when solving global warming was a priority for a Republican president, and protecting the environment from fossil fuel pollution was a bipartisan mission.
It’s no fairy tale, and it’s challenging to watch knowing that George H.W. Bush’s early enthusiasm to save the future would never come to pass, thanks to fossil fuel industry obstruction.
DeSmog’s Geoff Dembicki is moderating a special virtual talkback event about the film tomorrow evening, October 30th at 8pm
EST / 7pm CST / 5pm PST. Hosted by 350 Action, the panelists include former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly, along with Goldman Prize-winning activist Sharon Lavigne, and producer/director Bonni Cohen.
Register at this link and you’ll receive a link to watch the film in advance:
The White House Effect Virtual Talkback, hosted by 350 Action
Watch The White House Effect on Netflix starting Friday, 10/31
On our website this week, DeSmog’s Mitch Anderson takes a look at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plans to defend the nation’s economy against Trump’s latest tariff threats. One of Carney’s plans is to boost LNG production in British Columbia, a flash economic and climate solution already hitting First Nations in the region hard. Is that the best pathway for Canada's future? Read Mitch’s story here.
And be sure to check out our story on a Paris civil court ruling that found French oil giant Total Energies misled consumers with a rebrand, claiming it could become a carbon-neutral company by mid-century — even though its main business is oil and gas. TJ Jordan and Kathryn Clare map out the nine ad agencies involved in the rebrand in a verdict that has big implications for the entire ad industry. Get the full story here.
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. While DeSmog appreciates reader support to continue our work, right now it is more urgent for everyone to support hurricane recovery efforts. So please direct any funding you can spare to the charities helping people access shelter, clean water, food and medical supplies.
Image Credit: YouTube
Mapped: The Ad Agencies Behind a French
Oil Giant’s Ill-Fated Rebrand
— By TJ Jordan and Kathryn Clare (6 min. read) —
A ruling that TotalEnergies misled consumers with inflated climate claims is the first court judgment against the fossil fuel industry’s net zero narrative.
Why Is Canada Fast-Tracking LNG? Not for Economy, Climate or Reconciliation
— By Mitch Anderson (4 min. read) —
Some questions Prime Minister Mark Carney should ask before pushing ahead with natural gas projects.
Top Shell Marketing Executive to Chair US Ad Industry Trade Group
—By Ellen Ormesher (2 min. read) —
Brand strategist Dean Aragón will have a leading voice at the Association of National Advertisers.
— By Taylor Noakes (9 min. read) —
In a major conflict of interest, FMinus study shows nation’s climate action taking a back seat to Big Oil’s lobbying playbook.
Why We Need to Talk About Adaptation
— By Rupert Read (4 min. read) —
The volume of ‘net zero’ messaging — a concept that can sometimes feel very abstract —must be recalibrated to foreground the vital conversation about immediate impacts and resilience.
From the Climate Disinformation Database: Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe is a French advertising and public relations holding company headquartered in Paris. Publicis subsidiary Carré Noir helped relaunch the oil and gas giant Total as TotalEnergies in 2021. Carré Noir designed a new logo and branding campaign for TotalEnergies, which focused on its renewable energy investments. In March 2022, Greenpeace France, Friends of the Earth France, Notre Affaire à Tous, and Client Earth filed a lawsuit in France against TotalEnergies for misleading consumers
through this rebranding campaign. Clean Creatives, a campaign to pressure the advertising industry to stop working with fossil fuel companies, has criticized Publicis Groupe’s work for fossil fuel clients on its annual “F List.” Other fossil fuel clients include Saudi Arabia oil giant Aramco, Enbridge in North America, and Enel in Italy.
Read the full profile and browse other individuals and organizations in our Climate Disinformation Database, Ad & PR Database, and Koch Network Database.
