When it comes to prioritising profit over people, the polluting industries are resourceful in finding new tactics to mislead the public. After decades of spreading lies that climate change is not real, Big Oil’s propaganda efforts are now focused on climate delay - a new narrative aimed at discouraging climate action.
Discourses of climate delay accept the existence of climate change but use pretexts to justify inadequate or no efforts. Oil and gas giants have been manipulating people into believing climate action is costly, unnecessary, illegitimate, or doomed to failure.
Researchers identified as many as 12 discourses of climate delay that either redirect responsibility, push non-transformative solutions, emphasise the downsides of climate policies, or surrender to climate change.
“Delay is death,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres - together we must spot and stop the dangerous plot of climate criminals.
Who is holding negotiation spaces accountable? COP 26 in Glasgow was one of the first climate negotiations without formal fossil fuel presence, yet BP and Gazprom managed to host a panel. Youth climate activists showed up to say we are watching. Stop delaying climate action. Glasgow, Scotland, 2021.
Photography By Pamela EA
