1 00:00:17,292 --> 00:00:33,602 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hello, welcome to Drilled. 2 00:00:33,702 --> 00:00:36,681 Speaker 2: I'm Amy Westervelt, and this is a new segment we're 3 00:00:36,702 --> 00:00:40,861 Speaker 2: doing hopefully every week in between narrative seasons called The Spill. 4 00:00:40,882 --> 00:00:45,262 Speaker 2: Aline and Nina, introduce yourselves. 5 00:00:46,432 --> 00:00:47,692 Speaker 3: Hi, I'm Nina Lakhani. 6 00:00:47,712 --> 00:00:50,872 Speaker 4: I am the Global Climate Justice Reporter for Drilled and 7 00:00:51,072 --> 00:00:51,812 Speaker 4: now The Spill. 8 00:00:52,392 --> 00:00:53,531 Speaker 1: And I'm Aline Brown. 9 00:00:53,722 --> 00:00:56,742 Speaker 5: I'm a Senior Editor at Drilled and really excited to 10 00:00:56,762 --> 00:00:57,862 Speaker 5: be talking to The Spill today. 11 00:00:58,442 --> 00:00:59,042 Speaker 4: Yay! 12 00:00:59,742 --> 00:01:03,862 Speaker 2: Awesome. So yeah, we'll be talking amongst ourselves about current news, 13 00:01:03,982 --> 00:01:06,142 Speaker 2: things that are happening in media, and then also using 14 00:01:06,202 --> 00:01:11,012 Speaker 2: this As a place to interview other reporters, writers, experts, 15 00:01:11,452 --> 00:01:13,092 Speaker 2: all the stuff that has been a bit of a 16 00:01:13,132 --> 00:01:16,911 Speaker 2: hodgepodge of the bonus episodes of Drilled, now organized into 17 00:01:16,952 --> 00:01:21,702 Speaker 2: weekly episodes in your feed. Okay, so let's talk about 18 00:01:21,801 --> 00:01:24,202 Speaker 2: some of the current climate news. There's been a lot 19 00:01:24,241 --> 00:01:27,651 Speaker 2: of stuff happening, not necessarily a lot of news covering it. 20 00:01:28,051 --> 00:01:30,511 Speaker 2: What are the things that you guys are paying attention 21 00:01:30,652 --> 00:01:35,172 Speaker 2: to on the climate beat right now? What's happening all 22 00:01:35,211 --> 00:01:37,411 Speaker 2: around us at the moment? 23 00:01:38,491 --> 00:01:41,062 Speaker 4: I mean, I think we're, you know, this year, like 24 00:01:41,581 --> 00:01:43,801 Speaker 4: every year for the last few years has shown us 25 00:01:43,831 --> 00:01:46,561 Speaker 4: that we are now full force in climate breakdown. 26 00:01:46,622 --> 00:01:48,522 Speaker 3: You know, this isn't something that's going to happen. It's 27 00:01:48,562 --> 00:01:49,282 Speaker 3: happening now. 28 00:01:49,702 --> 00:01:54,002 Speaker 4: And it's happening at a really terrifying speed at a scale, 29 00:01:54,042 --> 00:01:57,202 Speaker 4: which even, you know, the worst case scenario models were 30 00:01:57,242 --> 00:02:00,322 Speaker 4: not forecasting to be happening so quickly, you know, so 31 00:02:00,442 --> 00:02:04,481 Speaker 4: this catastrophic breaking of the glacier in the Himalayas, you know, 32 00:02:04,562 --> 00:02:08,162 Speaker 4: which caused this unbelievable, I mean, like terrifying floods at 33 00:02:08,182 --> 00:02:13,702 Speaker 4: the Nepal, Tibet border confirmed so far 1200 dead with 34 00:02:14,022 --> 00:02:17,102 Speaker 4: 1000s more still missing. And I think this piece of 35 00:02:17,162 --> 00:02:19,842 Speaker 4: this glacier broke off and the force at which it 36 00:02:19,882 --> 00:02:23,122 Speaker 4: landed recorded at more than five on the Richter scale, 37 00:02:23,182 --> 00:02:25,522 Speaker 4: on the earthquake Richter scale, you know. And, you know, 38 00:02:25,602 --> 00:02:28,902 Speaker 4: this area of the Himalayas is really poorly studied, partly 39 00:02:28,922 --> 00:02:31,262 Speaker 4: because it's hard to reach, but partly because, you know, 40 00:02:31,562 --> 00:02:34,582 Speaker 4: the whole world hasn't taken responsibility of monitoring what's happening 41 00:02:34,602 --> 00:02:36,742 Speaker 4: at all of these glaciers, right? But, you know, when 42 00:02:36,762 --> 00:02:38,742 Speaker 4: I've been reading some of the coverage like this last 43 00:02:38,942 --> 00:02:43,512 Speaker 4: week or so, you know, I mean, 75% of the 44 00:02:43,672 --> 00:02:46,372 Speaker 4: glaciers in the Himalaya region could all be gone by 45 00:02:46,392 --> 00:02:49,592 Speaker 4: the end of this century. And we're already seeing like 46 00:02:50,032 --> 00:02:54,382 Speaker 4: far more glacier lakes, the lakes are bigger, they're deeper, 47 00:02:54,562 --> 00:02:57,022 Speaker 4: you know, and all of this means what like much 48 00:02:57,082 --> 00:03:00,682 Speaker 4: more catastrophic flooding, sea level rise, all the things that 49 00:03:00,702 --> 00:03:03,262 Speaker 4: we're seeing in communities around the world, you know, from 50 00:03:03,322 --> 00:03:06,452 Speaker 4: Mexico to India and Bangladesh to Australia. And so I 51 00:03:06,492 --> 00:03:10,402 Speaker 4: think just The images of what's happened at the Nepal-Turret 52 00:03:10,422 --> 00:03:12,742 Speaker 4: border have been like horrifying, you know. 53 00:03:12,762 --> 00:03:13,222 Speaker 3: It's so scary. 54 00:03:13,722 --> 00:03:14,142 Speaker 2: Yeah. 55 00:03:14,182 --> 00:03:15,262 Speaker 3: Yeah. Terrifying. 56 00:03:15,282 --> 00:03:15,542 Speaker 5: Yeah. 57 00:03:15,622 --> 00:03:18,542 Speaker 4: And, you know, and like at the same time, you know, 58 00:03:18,592 --> 00:03:22,032 Speaker 4: we're seeing record breaking profits from the fossil fuel companies. 59 00:03:22,092 --> 00:03:22,372 Speaker 1: Right. 60 00:03:22,432 --> 00:03:25,052 Speaker 4: And I think that we absolutely can't forget that, you know, 61 00:03:25,132 --> 00:03:27,772 Speaker 4: that there is a clear line of responsibility here. 62 00:03:27,792 --> 00:03:28,112 Speaker 5: Right. 63 00:03:28,192 --> 00:03:31,372 Speaker 4: They're raking in billions of dollars right now. we've got 64 00:03:31,412 --> 00:03:32,372 Speaker 4: these catastrophic floods. 65 00:03:32,392 --> 00:03:35,382 Speaker 2: They're negotiating like how to drill more in the Arctic 66 00:03:35,442 --> 00:03:38,082 Speaker 2: while we have these catastrophic floods. 67 00:03:38,322 --> 00:03:42,142 Speaker 5: Well, And, you know, the war in Iran is directly 68 00:03:42,202 --> 00:03:46,602 Speaker 5: contributing to those profits. You know, we're seeing the affordability 69 00:03:47,042 --> 00:03:52,122 Speaker 5: of gas and daily essentials skyrocket while the oil and 70 00:03:52,142 --> 00:03:56,262 Speaker 5: gas industry is seeing, again, record profits directly tied to 71 00:03:56,492 --> 00:04:02,472 Speaker 5: the same war that is changing everyday people's ability to live. Yeah. 72 00:04:02,742 --> 00:04:03,082 Speaker 1: Yeah. 73 00:04:03,122 --> 00:04:07,222 Speaker 4: The Guardian, my former employer, did a really good analysis recently. 74 00:04:07,282 --> 00:04:10,922 Speaker 4: And in the first three months after the illegal sort 75 00:04:10,942 --> 00:04:14,102 Speaker 4: of invasion of Iran, eight of the biggest oil companies 76 00:04:14,242 --> 00:04:16,932 Speaker 4: amassed profits of more than $ 90 billion. 77 00:04:17,532 --> 00:04:19,612 Speaker 3: In three months, in three months, right? 78 00:04:19,772 --> 00:04:24,851 Speaker 4: So as, you know, fuel prices rose spectacularly for like everybody, 79 00:04:25,052 --> 00:04:27,551 Speaker 4: more than $ 90 billion in just the first three months 80 00:04:27,672 --> 00:04:29,512 Speaker 4: after the, you know, the Iran invasion. 81 00:04:29,542 --> 00:04:29,692 Speaker 2: Yeah. 82 00:04:30,402 --> 00:04:33,662 Speaker 5: Right. And that was double what they brought in the 83 00:04:33,702 --> 00:04:36,562 Speaker 5: year before, you know, so you can see that direct 84 00:04:36,622 --> 00:04:40,332 Speaker 5: relationship and the way that profits are just going up. And, 85 00:04:40,912 --> 00:04:43,292 Speaker 5: you know, this isn't something new, but I think it's 86 00:04:43,332 --> 00:04:46,362 Speaker 5: something that's just getting so much less focus in the 87 00:04:46,422 --> 00:04:51,702 Speaker 5: media and... you know, in conversations more broadly. But, you know, 88 00:04:51,942 --> 00:04:55,142 Speaker 5: these catastrophes that we're talking about, we're talking about some 89 00:04:55,182 --> 00:04:57,522 Speaker 5: of the largest scale ones like in Nepal, but like 90 00:04:57,872 --> 00:05:02,332 Speaker 5: no matter where you live, you're being impacted directly by 91 00:05:02,452 --> 00:05:05,212 Speaker 5: the actions of the fossil fuel industry. You know, there's 92 00:05:05,232 --> 00:05:07,832 Speaker 5: the question of affordability, but also the You know, I 93 00:05:07,872 --> 00:05:12,452 Speaker 5: was visiting family in Minneapolis this summer. And right as 94 00:05:12,492 --> 00:05:16,392 Speaker 5: I was there, the Boundary Waters, this wilderness area in 95 00:05:16,472 --> 00:05:19,052 Speaker 5: northern Minnesota was on fire. You know, there were these 96 00:05:19,132 --> 00:05:22,772 Speaker 5: really catastrophic fires taking place. That's an area that's like 97 00:05:22,832 --> 00:05:26,041 Speaker 5: beloved by so many people in the region. People go 98 00:05:26,062 --> 00:05:29,642 Speaker 5: canoe there. And it's like a water area. It's a 99 00:05:29,742 --> 00:05:32,942 Speaker 5: bunch of like interconnected waterways. And that was. 100 00:05:34,682 --> 00:05:39,262 Speaker 5: In flames, because of a combination of, you know, past extractivism, 101 00:05:39,542 --> 00:05:43,222 Speaker 5: loggers going in and totally changing the ecosystem there and 102 00:05:43,282 --> 00:05:47,032 Speaker 5: kind of displacing indigenous people who had their own fire-based 103 00:05:47,272 --> 00:05:49,592 Speaker 5: practices and ways of managing the land. 104 00:05:50,112 --> 00:05:53,152 Speaker 1: And also, you know, the burning of fossil fuels. Yeah. 105 00:05:55,312 --> 00:05:58,832 Speaker 2: One of our producers, Ray Pang, who did the slapped season, 106 00:05:58,852 --> 00:06:01,192 Speaker 2: goes and does a canoe trip on the Boundary Waters 107 00:06:01,252 --> 00:06:03,922 Speaker 2: every year and couldn't go this year because of the fire. 108 00:06:03,962 --> 00:06:06,422 Speaker 2: So I was like, oh, I feel like everyone I've 109 00:06:06,442 --> 00:06:10,062 Speaker 2: spoken to this past few months has had like some 110 00:06:10,142 --> 00:06:14,882 Speaker 2: kind of personal life impact related to climate. But like, 111 00:06:15,322 --> 00:06:17,822 Speaker 2: I don't know. I feel like there's been this You 112 00:06:17,842 --> 00:06:19,762 Speaker 2: guys have both covered climate for a long time, as 113 00:06:19,802 --> 00:06:21,702 Speaker 2: have I. I feel like there's been this assumption for 114 00:06:21,722 --> 00:06:25,312 Speaker 2: a really long time that as that happens, that magically 115 00:06:25,352 --> 00:06:28,412 Speaker 2: the political will to do something about it will appear. 116 00:06:29,012 --> 00:06:32,692 Speaker 2: And in fact, we're seeing a total disconnect on that front. 117 00:06:32,752 --> 00:06:37,722 Speaker 2: It's like it's never been more present. And the fossil 118 00:06:37,742 --> 00:06:41,522 Speaker 2: fuel industry and the politicians in its pocket have never 119 00:06:41,562 --> 00:06:43,942 Speaker 2: been working harder to stop climate. 120 00:06:44,742 --> 00:06:47,822 Speaker 1: Anyone from acting on it. It's a weird moment. 121 00:06:49,092 --> 00:06:51,012 Speaker 4: On a personal note, I was at home, you know, 122 00:06:51,032 --> 00:06:53,012 Speaker 4: for all of July and August, you know. 123 00:06:53,712 --> 00:06:56,732 Speaker 3: London, England, famously drizzly gray skies. 124 00:06:56,752 --> 00:06:59,472 Speaker 2: Famously not hot, very steamy this summer. 125 00:06:59,492 --> 00:07:02,942 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, yeah, the UK had five heat waves 126 00:07:02,982 --> 00:07:05,522 Speaker 4: this year, like over 35 degrees Celsius. 127 00:07:05,602 --> 00:07:07,082 Speaker 3: I'm sorry, I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit. 128 00:07:07,142 --> 00:07:08,942 Speaker 2: It's like around 95 to 100. 95, 99, I think 129 00:07:08,962 --> 00:07:09,402 Speaker 2: it got to. 130 00:07:09,462 --> 00:07:10,022 Speaker 1: Yeah, five heat waves. 131 00:07:10,042 --> 00:07:16,682 Speaker 4: And For the whole of July and the first three 132 00:07:16,722 --> 00:07:21,442 Speaker 4: weeks of August, it did not rain once across Wales 133 00:07:21,522 --> 00:07:23,802 Speaker 4: and in most of England. I mean, so when the 134 00:07:23,822 --> 00:07:26,552 Speaker 4: solar eclipse hit London, I went to a park in 135 00:07:26,592 --> 00:07:28,872 Speaker 4: North London to watch it with my niece. And it 136 00:07:28,892 --> 00:07:33,212 Speaker 4: was 35 degrees at 6pm. But all the leaves of 137 00:07:33,232 --> 00:07:36,332 Speaker 4: the park have fallen. They're all yellow. All of the 138 00:07:36,372 --> 00:07:39,632 Speaker 4: leaves are down. And under your foot, it felt like autumn, right? 139 00:07:39,672 --> 00:07:41,862 Speaker 4: Because of the crackling of the leaves. And the grass 140 00:07:41,922 --> 00:07:45,182 Speaker 4: is all just like completely dead, you know. 141 00:07:45,342 --> 00:07:46,962 Speaker 3: And yet it was like you're in the middle of 142 00:07:46,982 --> 00:07:47,462 Speaker 3: the summer. 143 00:07:47,542 --> 00:07:50,642 Speaker 4: It was like, it's really quite dystopian. And on your point, Amy, 144 00:07:50,682 --> 00:07:55,422 Speaker 4: I think that climate catastrophe, the breakdown is now happening 145 00:07:55,762 --> 00:08:01,612 Speaker 4: so fast and everywhere. that people have very quickly, it's 146 00:08:01,652 --> 00:08:04,792 Speaker 4: become normalized, you know, it just become, you know, normalized. So, 147 00:08:04,832 --> 00:08:07,122 Speaker 4: you know, yes, you have, you know, you have decent 148 00:08:07,152 --> 00:08:10,822 Speaker 4: media coverage when these catastrophic floods happen, like this glacier 149 00:08:10,862 --> 00:08:11,322 Speaker 4: breaks off. 150 00:08:11,832 --> 00:08:14,972 Speaker 3: In the Himalayas. But every day these things are happening. 151 00:08:15,012 --> 00:08:18,512 Speaker 4: People are dying from wildfires, from drought, you know, and 152 00:08:18,772 --> 00:08:22,072 Speaker 4: it's just become normalized really, really quickly. And I think 153 00:08:22,132 --> 00:08:24,552 Speaker 4: actually like heat deaths is a really good one because 154 00:08:24,572 --> 00:08:27,952 Speaker 4: I think with floods and fires, it's very visual, right? 155 00:08:27,992 --> 00:08:30,242 Speaker 4: You have the cameras there and like you can really 156 00:08:30,342 --> 00:08:33,812 Speaker 4: see it. But, you know, drought and heat and the 157 00:08:33,832 --> 00:08:36,891 Speaker 4: food insecurity that causes and the deaths it causes are, 158 00:08:36,972 --> 00:08:39,462 Speaker 4: they sort of just happen, right? They're hard to photograph. 159 00:08:39,482 --> 00:08:41,922 Speaker 4: They're hard to visualize, you know. But we know in 160 00:08:42,122 --> 00:08:46,061 Speaker 4: Europe this year, in just, you know, Europe counts excess deaths. 161 00:08:46,541 --> 00:08:49,702 Speaker 4: So they look at, say, over the last 20 years, 162 00:08:49,801 --> 00:08:52,401 Speaker 4: how many people have died in a particular week, right, 163 00:08:52,492 --> 00:08:54,492 Speaker 4: on average. And then when there's a heat wave, they 164 00:08:54,511 --> 00:08:57,222 Speaker 4: look at how many people have died. And they calculate 165 00:08:57,242 --> 00:08:59,881 Speaker 4: them to be excess deaths related to the heat. So 166 00:08:59,921 --> 00:09:02,521 Speaker 4: these aren't deaths that, you know, a tiny number will 167 00:09:02,561 --> 00:09:04,832 Speaker 4: be things from like heat stroke, for example. But the 168 00:09:04,872 --> 00:09:08,771 Speaker 4: vast majority will be from, you know, an exacerbation of 169 00:09:08,811 --> 00:09:12,311 Speaker 4: existing conditions, whether that be a heart condition or asthma 170 00:09:12,352 --> 00:09:17,411 Speaker 4: or diabetes. And in Europe this year, just in May, 171 00:09:17,492 --> 00:09:20,492 Speaker 4: June and July, in half of Europe, so this is 172 00:09:20,511 --> 00:09:24,281 Speaker 4: not even counting like the other half, 35,000 excess deaths 173 00:09:24,301 --> 00:09:27,742 Speaker 4: were reported from heat just in June and July, the May, 174 00:09:27,781 --> 00:09:31,102 Speaker 4: June and July. And August was even hotter. But the 175 00:09:31,122 --> 00:09:33,921 Speaker 4: thing is, this has happened like two or three times 176 00:09:33,992 --> 00:09:36,472 Speaker 4: over the last five or six years, you know, and 177 00:09:36,511 --> 00:09:38,712 Speaker 4: like the first time was meant to be the game changer. 178 00:09:38,972 --> 00:09:40,691 Speaker 4: This is going to wake up everyone. It's going to 179 00:09:40,712 --> 00:09:43,331 Speaker 4: be political action. But here we are again, you know, 180 00:09:43,452 --> 00:09:45,131 Speaker 4: and it's sort of, yeah, and it's just that we're 181 00:09:45,171 --> 00:09:47,952 Speaker 4: accepting the fact that tens of thousands of people died 182 00:09:48,651 --> 00:09:51,451 Speaker 4: are dying before they needed to have died, right? Because 183 00:09:51,551 --> 00:09:54,691 Speaker 4: every heat death is a preventable death. Nobody needs to 184 00:09:54,732 --> 00:09:56,872 Speaker 4: die of heat. You know, public health experts will tell 185 00:09:56,911 --> 00:09:59,891 Speaker 4: you that every single one is preventable. And yeah, but 186 00:09:59,931 --> 00:10:02,011 Speaker 4: we seem to have just accepted that as, okay, well, 187 00:10:02,031 --> 00:10:03,072 Speaker 4: that's what's going to happen now. 188 00:10:03,352 --> 00:10:06,372 Speaker 5: Yeah. I think that's a good segue into talking about 189 00:10:06,531 --> 00:10:08,651 Speaker 5: one of the, we wanted to talk a bit about 190 00:10:08,752 --> 00:10:13,461 Speaker 5: how media is covering this moment. And NPR put out 191 00:10:13,671 --> 00:10:17,921 Speaker 5: a big piece recently looking at the way heat deaths 192 00:10:18,002 --> 00:10:20,342 Speaker 5: are undercounted in the U.S. 193 00:10:20,921 --> 00:10:22,901 Speaker 1: So the CDC has. 194 00:10:22,842 --> 00:10:26,161 Speaker 5: Tracked, I think, an average of around 1,700 heat deaths 195 00:10:26,342 --> 00:10:31,022 Speaker 5: annually in NPR, partnering with Boston University, looked more closely 196 00:10:31,061 --> 00:10:34,982 Speaker 5: at excess deaths and found up to 9,000 deaths annually 197 00:10:35,181 --> 00:10:35,742 Speaker 5: in the U.S. 198 00:10:35,781 --> 00:10:37,782 Speaker 1: That could be attributed to heat. 199 00:10:38,002 --> 00:10:40,171 Speaker 5: So Nina, to your point, yeah, this is just being 200 00:10:40,732 --> 00:10:44,011 Speaker 5: vastly undercounted. I know you've done a ton of reporting 201 00:10:44,192 --> 00:10:45,992 Speaker 5: on this issue specifically. 202 00:10:46,011 --> 00:10:49,872 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, when I was working for The Guardian 203 00:10:49,911 --> 00:10:53,232 Speaker 4: in the U.S., I spent three or four consecutive summers 204 00:10:53,431 --> 00:10:59,222 Speaker 4: in Arizona specifically reporting on extreme heat in Maricopa County, 205 00:10:59,322 --> 00:11:02,761 Speaker 4: where Phoenix, which is the US's fifth largest city and 206 00:11:02,801 --> 00:11:07,081 Speaker 4: its hottest big city, as well as some of the 207 00:11:07,281 --> 00:11:12,002 Speaker 4: surrounding counties, you know. And actually, Maricopa County is by far, 208 00:11:12,011 --> 00:11:14,952 Speaker 4: you know, it's the gold standard when it comes to 209 00:11:14,972 --> 00:11:17,551 Speaker 4: in the US. And because in the US, they don't 210 00:11:17,631 --> 00:11:19,952 Speaker 4: count excess deaths, right? And they never have. 211 00:11:20,252 --> 00:11:21,112 Speaker 3: And so you've had. 212 00:11:20,992 --> 00:11:26,161 Speaker 4: This like, unbelievably sort of underreporting of excess deaths. You know, 213 00:11:26,222 --> 00:11:29,141 Speaker 4: for the years I was working there, sometimes the deaths 214 00:11:29,161 --> 00:11:32,261 Speaker 4: that were counted in Maricopa County would be half of 215 00:11:32,322 --> 00:11:35,402 Speaker 4: what the CDC was reporting was happening across the country, 216 00:11:35,722 --> 00:11:37,352 Speaker 4: which obviously isn't true, right? 217 00:11:37,401 --> 00:11:39,651 Speaker 1: It's just that they're counting it. Yeah. 218 00:11:39,992 --> 00:11:42,011 Speaker 3: Yeah, they're counting it. But they count them in. 219 00:11:42,051 --> 00:11:44,092 Speaker 4: And I think they don't do the excess deaths in 220 00:11:44,192 --> 00:11:47,211 Speaker 4: part because of the way the health system is so. 221 00:11:47,112 --> 00:11:48,211 Speaker 1: Disjointed, right? 222 00:11:48,252 --> 00:11:50,452 Speaker 3: You know, like, you know, there is no public health system. 223 00:11:50,511 --> 00:11:52,972 Speaker 4: So having that access to that data and data be 224 00:11:52,992 --> 00:11:55,432 Speaker 4: collected in the same way is much more difficult. 225 00:11:55,891 --> 00:11:58,082 Speaker 3: But I honestly also think there's just been a lack 226 00:11:58,131 --> 00:11:59,541 Speaker 3: of will, right? 227 00:11:59,561 --> 00:12:01,442 Speaker 4: I mean, there's a lot of clever scientists and public 228 00:12:01,462 --> 00:12:02,722 Speaker 4: health officials in the US, right? 229 00:12:02,822 --> 00:12:05,581 Speaker 3: I mean, it's possible, right? It's definitely possible. Yeah. 230 00:12:05,681 --> 00:12:07,661 Speaker 4: And even in Maricopa County, which I like I say, 231 00:12:07,681 --> 00:12:10,641 Speaker 4: you know, it's a gold standard, they have trained their 232 00:12:10,712 --> 00:12:15,411 Speaker 4: forensic team, you know, to look for signs of possible 233 00:12:15,511 --> 00:12:18,901 Speaker 4: heat contribution to a death and they do and they 234 00:12:18,921 --> 00:12:22,502 Speaker 4: do investigations to the extent that in possible heat deaths, 235 00:12:22,521 --> 00:12:25,692 Speaker 4: investigators will go to a person's house and see, and 236 00:12:25,712 --> 00:12:28,212 Speaker 4: they know on the autopsy form, did the person have 237 00:12:28,271 --> 00:12:29,812 Speaker 4: a cooling system, air conditioner? 238 00:12:30,072 --> 00:12:32,771 Speaker 3: Yes or no? Was it turned on? Yes or no? 239 00:12:33,151 --> 00:12:35,822 Speaker 3: They will ask, why not? You know, like, was it 240 00:12:35,862 --> 00:12:37,062 Speaker 3: working or was it not working? 241 00:12:37,082 --> 00:12:38,681 Speaker 4: Because one of the things I found is, you know, 242 00:12:38,761 --> 00:12:41,462 Speaker 4: even when people had air conditioners, Sometimes they wouldn't have 243 00:12:41,502 --> 00:12:43,261 Speaker 4: the money to run them or they didn't have the 244 00:12:43,301 --> 00:12:46,101 Speaker 4: money to fix them if they were broken. But even 245 00:12:46,141 --> 00:12:48,521 Speaker 4: in Maricopa County, I mean, last year I did an 246 00:12:48,541 --> 00:12:52,482 Speaker 4: investigation looking at hundreds and hundreds of autopsy reports from 247 00:12:52,661 --> 00:12:56,971 Speaker 4: the previous two years. And, you know, there were a 248 00:12:57,151 --> 00:13:01,732 Speaker 4: whole number of deaths there. that were investigated as potential 249 00:13:01,852 --> 00:13:04,711 Speaker 4: heat deaths, but then were not included. They were then 250 00:13:04,752 --> 00:13:07,401 Speaker 4: included either as a death by substance misuse or a 251 00:13:07,431 --> 00:13:09,901 Speaker 4: death of an unhoused person. 252 00:13:10,462 --> 00:13:11,901 Speaker 3: And it made no sense. 253 00:13:12,122 --> 00:13:14,461 Speaker 4: But these were people that, you know, heat had clearly 254 00:13:14,502 --> 00:13:17,562 Speaker 4: contributed and there were other people with similar cases that 255 00:13:17,622 --> 00:13:19,961 Speaker 4: had made the numbers. So there was even an undercount 256 00:13:20,002 --> 00:13:22,862 Speaker 4: going on in Maricopa County, right? Yeah. And so, I mean, 257 00:13:22,982 --> 00:13:26,031 Speaker 4: you know, it's great that NPR and BU have teamed up. 258 00:13:26,612 --> 00:13:29,671 Speaker 4: My instinct would be being from Europe and seeing how they, 259 00:13:29,712 --> 00:13:33,811 Speaker 4: you know, it seems improbable, but a country of 320 million, 260 00:13:33,832 --> 00:13:34,551 Speaker 4: which has you. 261 00:13:34,572 --> 00:13:35,572 Speaker 1: Yeah. 262 00:13:35,852 --> 00:13:36,092 Speaker 3: Yeah. 263 00:13:36,151 --> 00:13:38,581 Speaker 4: Which has the worst health system in like the, you know, 264 00:13:38,631 --> 00:13:41,161 Speaker 4: the developed world would have less heat deaths. 265 00:13:40,921 --> 00:13:42,702 Speaker 3: Than the UK. That seems improbable. 266 00:13:42,722 --> 00:13:43,641 Speaker 1: Do you know what I mean? 267 00:13:43,661 --> 00:13:45,661 Speaker 3: So, but at least it's a start. 268 00:13:45,681 --> 00:13:46,641 Speaker 1: At least it's a start. 269 00:13:47,102 --> 00:13:47,281 Speaker 4: Yeah. 270 00:13:59,291 --> 00:14:01,352 Speaker 5: I wanted to just. 271 00:14:07,982 --> 00:14:11,401 Speaker 2: Also mentioned that Venezuela is back in the news. Or 272 00:14:11,421 --> 00:14:16,161 Speaker 2: should I say the U.S. fucking Venezuela over is back 273 00:14:16,261 --> 00:14:17,222 Speaker 2: in the news. 274 00:14:17,452 --> 00:14:18,142 Speaker 4: Unbelievable. 275 00:14:18,541 --> 00:14:19,292 Speaker 1: It's unreal. 276 00:14:19,492 --> 00:14:21,672 Speaker 2: I think I have a theory on this that like 277 00:14:21,852 --> 00:14:23,591 Speaker 2: a lot of it. Well, we know a lot of 278 00:14:23,652 --> 00:14:27,851 Speaker 2: it is Trump trying to to scramble to bring oil 279 00:14:27,892 --> 00:14:33,632 Speaker 2: prices down and as his invasion of Iran is driving 280 00:14:33,652 --> 00:14:35,672 Speaker 2: them up. He's like, oh, don't worry about it. We're 281 00:14:35,692 --> 00:14:39,462 Speaker 2: going to solve the crisis with Venezuelan oil over here, 282 00:14:39,882 --> 00:14:43,841 Speaker 2: which A, is not how that works. This idea that 283 00:14:43,902 --> 00:14:48,502 Speaker 2: somehow these fields are going to produce more than they 284 00:14:48,582 --> 00:14:50,742 Speaker 2: ever have and that it's all going to be fine 285 00:14:50,782 --> 00:14:54,382 Speaker 2: and it's an easy plug-and-play operation is just not how 286 00:14:54,422 --> 00:14:59,681 Speaker 2: those things work. But also... There's all kinds of nonsense 287 00:14:59,762 --> 00:15:03,201 Speaker 2: going on with how he's approaching these oil fields and 288 00:15:03,522 --> 00:15:05,802 Speaker 2: who's getting what oil and how it's moving around the 289 00:15:05,852 --> 00:15:07,392 Speaker 2: world in general. 290 00:15:07,872 --> 00:15:08,072 Speaker 1: Yeah. 291 00:15:08,112 --> 00:15:10,132 Speaker 2: What have you guys been seeing on that front? 292 00:15:11,302 --> 00:15:14,111 Speaker 5: I mean, to your point, this has nothing to do 293 00:15:14,292 --> 00:15:18,451 Speaker 5: with affordability. Like these oil fields, if they end up 294 00:15:18,492 --> 00:15:21,472 Speaker 5: producing more than they already are, it will take years. 295 00:15:21,972 --> 00:15:22,152 Speaker 1: U.S. 296 00:15:22,192 --> 00:15:25,852 Speaker 5: Refineries that process that kind of oil are already backed up. Yeah. 297 00:15:26,112 --> 00:15:27,772 Speaker 1: Also, you know, this is. 298 00:15:29,092 --> 00:15:32,702 Speaker 5: This is such like it's such a like retro tactic 299 00:15:32,762 --> 00:15:36,042 Speaker 5: to just step in. I mean, I guess it's never 300 00:15:36,082 --> 00:15:38,172 Speaker 5: stopped to some degree, but to just step in and 301 00:15:38,712 --> 00:15:40,052 Speaker 5: and take oil. 302 00:15:40,332 --> 00:15:41,752 Speaker 1: That's what's happening. The U.S. 303 00:15:41,792 --> 00:15:45,892 Speaker 5: Government has overthrown. a government and stepped in and just 304 00:15:45,952 --> 00:15:48,592 Speaker 5: blatantly taken the oil. At the same time, you know, 305 00:15:49,052 --> 00:15:52,292 Speaker 5: the company that the U.S. is working with is run 306 00:15:52,372 --> 00:15:57,122 Speaker 5: by a guy who has an arrest warrant out in Switzerland. 307 00:15:57,342 --> 00:16:01,142 Speaker 5: You know, he's been investigated in the U.S. for money laundering, 308 00:16:01,582 --> 00:16:04,681 Speaker 5: but he's friends with the Trump administration. So, you know, 309 00:16:04,902 --> 00:16:07,402 Speaker 5: blatant corruption is at the core of all of this. 310 00:16:07,862 --> 00:16:11,452 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah, and I think, you know, let's not forget 311 00:16:11,532 --> 00:16:17,352 Speaker 4: that the illegal operation in Venezuela to abduct the sitting 312 00:16:17,392 --> 00:16:21,812 Speaker 4: president happened in January, right? So way before the illegal 313 00:16:21,852 --> 00:16:24,152 Speaker 4: invasion of the Iran war, right? And so it was 314 00:16:24,212 --> 00:16:26,192 Speaker 4: always about getting access to the oil and it was 315 00:16:26,232 --> 00:16:28,931 Speaker 4: always a big grift, right? And like you say, Aline, this, 316 00:16:29,132 --> 00:16:30,741 Speaker 4: you know, this is to me, I would describe it 317 00:16:30,802 --> 00:16:33,262 Speaker 4: as a smash and grab imperial invasion, right? 318 00:16:33,342 --> 00:16:33,662 Speaker 5: Totally. 319 00:16:33,782 --> 00:16:38,122 Speaker 2: Very big, like US and Latin America in the 50s vibes. 320 00:16:38,302 --> 00:16:41,182 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, so, you know, like 321 00:16:41,212 --> 00:16:43,532 Speaker 4: you're saying, the Pentagon has done a deal with with 322 00:16:43,612 --> 00:16:47,792 Speaker 4: a Venezuelan national who has alleged, you know, money laundering 323 00:16:47,872 --> 00:16:51,831 Speaker 4: and a huge bribery scandal and with a company that 324 00:16:51,992 --> 00:16:53,451 Speaker 4: is registered in Barbados. 325 00:16:53,872 --> 00:16:54,772 Speaker 3: I mean, I think when you. 326 00:16:54,692 --> 00:16:57,372 Speaker 4: Say those words out loud, you're like, hang on, did 327 00:16:57,412 --> 00:17:00,132 Speaker 4: I actually say that, right? You know, I mean, and, 328 00:17:00,172 --> 00:17:02,682 Speaker 4: you know, when the invasion happened in January, you know, 329 00:17:02,702 --> 00:17:05,361 Speaker 4: I mean, at Drilled, we did quite a lot of reporting. 330 00:17:05,002 --> 00:17:05,882 Speaker 1: On this, right? 331 00:17:05,962 --> 00:17:09,841 Speaker 4: So that was an, it was an illegal invasion under 332 00:17:09,862 --> 00:17:14,042 Speaker 4: law every sense of the word, like all international law 333 00:17:14,542 --> 00:17:17,492 Speaker 4: and the private corporations that are, you know, like rubbing 334 00:17:17,512 --> 00:17:19,452 Speaker 4: their hands in glee and sort of hearing the cash 335 00:17:19,472 --> 00:17:23,312 Speaker 4: register go are potentially breaking the law, right? To get 336 00:17:23,392 --> 00:17:27,272 Speaker 4: involved in a deal that has, you know, that is illegal, right? 337 00:17:27,331 --> 00:17:28,081 Speaker 3: And from its. 338 00:17:27,992 --> 00:17:33,901 Speaker 4: Roots could potentially land these corporations and their executives up 339 00:17:33,962 --> 00:17:35,921 Speaker 4: in court one day, right? And I know that the 340 00:17:35,962 --> 00:17:39,272 Speaker 4: Trump and And the Israeli government are busy trying to 341 00:17:39,292 --> 00:17:43,891 Speaker 4: dismantle international justice system. But these laws still exist. They 342 00:17:43,932 --> 00:17:46,392 Speaker 4: are still the law and they are breaking them, right? 343 00:17:46,432 --> 00:17:48,192 Speaker 4: You know, and I mean, I think one good example 344 00:17:48,311 --> 00:17:50,172 Speaker 4: is just to connect, I guess, some of what we're 345 00:17:50,192 --> 00:17:53,942 Speaker 4: talking about, you know, is that there are three massive 346 00:17:54,242 --> 00:17:59,881 Speaker 4: oil commodity traders globally. And one of them, Vitol, is 347 00:17:59,942 --> 00:18:02,222 Speaker 4: one of two traders that has been doing this sort 348 00:18:02,242 --> 00:18:04,662 Speaker 4: of backroom deal with Trump to get access to this. 349 00:18:04,581 --> 00:18:05,742 Speaker 3: Venezuelan oil company. 350 00:18:06,282 --> 00:18:09,901 Speaker 4: And it's also one of two commodity traders that a 351 00:18:09,962 --> 00:18:12,512 Speaker 4: new report published in the beginning of September by Oil 352 00:18:12,552 --> 00:18:17,252 Speaker 4: Change International and SOMO, which is a Dutch organization investigating 353 00:18:17,292 --> 00:18:21,571 Speaker 4: multinational corporations, have found was one of two traders responsible 354 00:18:21,712 --> 00:18:25,642 Speaker 4: for selling 11% of the crude oil that Israel has 355 00:18:25,722 --> 00:18:28,322 Speaker 4: bought since the start of the genocide. You know, so 356 00:18:28,442 --> 00:18:32,802 Speaker 4: a company involved in trade to enable a state that 357 00:18:32,922 --> 00:18:36,221 Speaker 4: has been found to be breaking international law be committing 358 00:18:36,262 --> 00:18:39,642 Speaker 4: war crimes and has been accused of genocide, you know, 359 00:18:40,202 --> 00:18:40,982 Speaker 4: is not OK. 360 00:18:41,331 --> 00:18:42,982 Speaker 3: It is not legal for them to be doing that. 361 00:18:43,371 --> 00:18:45,972 Speaker 4: And just because the Trump administration says it is fine 362 00:18:46,292 --> 00:18:47,191 Speaker 4: doesn't make it legal. 363 00:18:47,351 --> 00:18:47,872 Speaker 3: And it's not. 364 00:18:48,012 --> 00:18:48,432 Speaker 4: Yeah. 365 00:18:48,692 --> 00:18:50,152 Speaker 1: Yeah. 366 00:18:50,172 --> 00:18:52,892 Speaker 2: Kind of coming back to the press coverage side of things, too. 367 00:18:52,932 --> 00:18:57,432 Speaker 2: There's a thing going on that happens every time there's discussion, 368 00:18:57,512 --> 00:19:00,831 Speaker 2: I think, in the media around price per barrel and 369 00:19:00,871 --> 00:19:02,912 Speaker 2: then price at the pump and all of this stuff 370 00:19:02,972 --> 00:19:04,681 Speaker 2: that the oil companies do a really good job of 371 00:19:04,782 --> 00:19:07,002 Speaker 2: holding their hands up and saying like, it's not us 372 00:19:07,061 --> 00:19:09,442 Speaker 2: that's driving the price of like, we don't have control 373 00:19:10,002 --> 00:19:10,382 Speaker 2: over the. 374 00:19:10,341 --> 00:19:11,512 Speaker 1: Price at the pump. Right. 375 00:19:11,851 --> 00:19:15,422 Speaker 2: But like, Hey, They have a lot of control over 376 00:19:15,601 --> 00:19:19,482 Speaker 2: foreign policy, domestic policy, you know, subsidies, all those things. 377 00:19:19,902 --> 00:19:22,181 Speaker 2: But the other thing that's happening right now is like 378 00:19:22,222 --> 00:19:23,962 Speaker 2: Trump for a moment there. I don't know if you 379 00:19:24,012 --> 00:19:26,292 Speaker 2: guys caught this a couple of weeks ago. Like he 380 00:19:26,331 --> 00:19:30,171 Speaker 2: was complaining about the oil companies having record profits and 381 00:19:30,212 --> 00:19:32,992 Speaker 2: like the price at the pump and whatever, as though... 382 00:19:33,412 --> 00:19:35,912 Speaker 2: Like he hasn't enabled all of that and they aren't 383 00:19:35,952 --> 00:19:39,811 Speaker 2: his largest donors. And now he's turned it to focusing 384 00:19:39,871 --> 00:19:43,321 Speaker 2: on the refining companies. And no one is pushing back 385 00:19:43,462 --> 00:19:45,561 Speaker 2: on that framing and saying like, well, most of the 386 00:19:45,601 --> 00:19:49,161 Speaker 2: refining companies are subsidiaries of the oil majors. These are 387 00:19:49,202 --> 00:19:52,681 Speaker 2: not like separate companies. I mean, some of them are 388 00:19:52,702 --> 00:19:56,012 Speaker 2: like there's a few, but for the most part, they are. 389 00:19:56,472 --> 00:19:57,652 Speaker 1: In business together. 390 00:19:57,752 --> 00:20:02,512 Speaker 2: Just yesterday, I saw multiple different headlines for large mainstream 391 00:20:02,712 --> 00:20:05,581 Speaker 2: media organizations repeating this. Oh, Trump, you know, he had 392 00:20:05,621 --> 00:20:08,441 Speaker 2: a meeting with the refiners. So it's like Trump to 393 00:20:08,462 --> 00:20:12,602 Speaker 2: meet with refining executives over the price gouging and this 394 00:20:12,662 --> 00:20:14,821 Speaker 2: and that, the other, as though this is like some 395 00:20:14,942 --> 00:20:18,182 Speaker 2: different industry than the one that has, you know, propped 396 00:20:18,222 --> 00:20:20,802 Speaker 2: him up and that he has like returned the favor too. 397 00:20:21,182 --> 00:20:25,222 Speaker 5: Yeah. As if his presidency is not a huge win 398 00:20:25,262 --> 00:20:26,562 Speaker 5: for the fossil fuel industry. 399 00:20:26,601 --> 00:20:27,841 Speaker 1: That's wild. Yeah. 400 00:20:27,922 --> 00:20:30,802 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean, his presidency is the fossil fuel industry. 401 00:20:30,861 --> 00:20:32,302 Speaker 1: They're the same thing. 402 00:20:32,341 --> 00:20:33,641 Speaker 3: They're the same thing. 403 00:20:33,962 --> 00:20:37,052 Speaker 2: It's like, you know, yeah. 404 00:20:37,811 --> 00:20:40,032 Speaker 4: I mean, and you know, this is, I think one 405 00:20:40,052 --> 00:20:42,292 Speaker 4: of the most depressing things to watch and this is, 406 00:20:42,331 --> 00:20:44,632 Speaker 4: you know, when, you know, We have got so many 407 00:20:44,692 --> 00:20:47,692 Speaker 4: colleagues doing brilliant, brilliant work, you know, in all sorts 408 00:20:47,732 --> 00:20:50,052 Speaker 4: of different platforms, you know. But for me, one of 409 00:20:50,071 --> 00:20:52,432 Speaker 4: the most depressing things to watch in this Trump term 410 00:20:52,472 --> 00:20:57,122 Speaker 4: has been to see, you know, journalists that have done 411 00:20:57,242 --> 00:21:00,702 Speaker 4: great work over the years become a journalist that Trump 412 00:21:00,722 --> 00:21:02,841 Speaker 4: can pick up the phone and say, hey, I'm doing 413 00:21:02,861 --> 00:21:05,442 Speaker 4: this and I'm going to do this in Iran. And 414 00:21:05,722 --> 00:21:08,081 Speaker 4: I've told Netanyahu that he's got to do this and 415 00:21:08,101 --> 00:21:12,482 Speaker 4: they just print it. They just print the propaganda like 416 00:21:13,121 --> 00:21:17,522 Speaker 4: verbatim and without any scrutiny at all. And, you know, 417 00:21:17,542 --> 00:21:21,622 Speaker 4: good journalists, good good sort of media outlets and you 418 00:21:21,642 --> 00:21:23,992 Speaker 4: just think what is going on you know and on 419 00:21:24,012 --> 00:21:26,712 Speaker 4: top of that you have all these like extreme right 420 00:21:26,732 --> 00:21:29,831 Speaker 4: sort of you know platforms as well but just he 421 00:21:29,912 --> 00:21:32,262 Speaker 4: has now got this whole group of journalists that he 422 00:21:32,302 --> 00:21:34,061 Speaker 4: can bring up at the drop of a hat and 423 00:21:34,081 --> 00:21:37,082 Speaker 4: they print or you know broadcast whatever he says is 424 00:21:37,142 --> 00:21:39,272 Speaker 4: like really, really depressing, you know? 425 00:21:39,722 --> 00:21:43,432 Speaker 5: Yeah. Well, and like none of this is disconnected from 426 00:21:43,772 --> 00:21:47,292 Speaker 5: what feels like the collapse of the media industry as 427 00:21:47,371 --> 00:21:50,571 Speaker 5: it has existed, as problematic as it always has been. 428 00:21:50,591 --> 00:21:54,012 Speaker 5: You know, we've been seeing wave after wave of mass 429 00:21:54,091 --> 00:21:58,651 Speaker 5: layoffs for years and that, you know, fundamentally changes the 430 00:21:58,732 --> 00:22:02,872 Speaker 5: way that these wars, the industry and the climate crisis 431 00:22:02,992 --> 00:22:06,552 Speaker 5: is going to be covered. You know, multiple mainstream media 432 00:22:06,611 --> 00:22:12,522 Speaker 5: outlets have cut their climate deaths. Washington Post, Reuters, NPR, CBS, 433 00:22:12,841 --> 00:22:15,221 Speaker 5: you know, at the same time as these again, these 434 00:22:15,262 --> 00:22:19,821 Speaker 5: newsrooms are shrinking more broadly, meaning that no one really 435 00:22:19,861 --> 00:22:23,201 Speaker 5: like has capacity to cover climate crisis the way they 436 00:22:23,242 --> 00:22:26,812 Speaker 5: might have years ago. You know, Grist had a story 437 00:22:27,492 --> 00:22:31,072 Speaker 5: about this data from the University of Colorado that shows 438 00:22:31,152 --> 00:22:36,032 Speaker 5: that since 2021, global news coverage of climate change has 439 00:22:36,111 --> 00:22:41,881 Speaker 5: dropped 38%. You know, journalists and, you know, Some of 440 00:22:41,922 --> 00:22:44,502 Speaker 5: the folks that are getting laid off are doing their 441 00:22:44,542 --> 00:22:46,182 Speaker 5: best to keep doing good work. 442 00:22:46,682 --> 00:22:50,742 Speaker 2: But fewer and fewer places to print it. I mean, 443 00:22:51,182 --> 00:22:54,461 Speaker 2: even like we get pitches all the time. 444 00:22:54,861 --> 00:22:58,842 Speaker 1: Yeah. The only reason we're turning it down is just bandwidth, right? 445 00:22:58,902 --> 00:23:02,052 Speaker 2: It's like there's just like only so much that any 446 00:23:02,192 --> 00:23:04,712 Speaker 2: outlet can do. And then the ones that are still 447 00:23:04,792 --> 00:23:08,702 Speaker 2: out there. have to constantly be fundraising as well. So 448 00:23:08,782 --> 00:23:12,141 Speaker 2: it's like, yeah, it's not for lack of stories or 449 00:23:12,182 --> 00:23:15,581 Speaker 2: for lack of good journalists that are more than competent 450 00:23:15,601 --> 00:23:16,702 Speaker 2: to cover those stories. 451 00:23:17,811 --> 00:23:20,252 Speaker 1: It's, yeah, it's the industry in general. 452 00:23:20,492 --> 00:23:22,692 Speaker 2: And I think also like a lot of people are like, oh, well, 453 00:23:22,712 --> 00:23:26,892 Speaker 2: social media and the influencer economy and da-da-da. That didn't 454 00:23:26,952 --> 00:23:31,561 Speaker 2: happen like on accident, guys. That wasn't like, oh, whoops. 455 00:23:32,101 --> 00:23:36,012 Speaker 2: The tech guys ruined the media ecosystem. They built an 456 00:23:36,091 --> 00:23:40,572 Speaker 2: entire parallel information ecosystem that they could control entirely. They 457 00:23:40,611 --> 00:23:43,492 Speaker 2: gave themselves all the benefits of publishers and none of 458 00:23:43,532 --> 00:23:46,821 Speaker 2: the liability. They're very good at like wrapping any attempt 459 00:23:46,882 --> 00:23:50,681 Speaker 2: to regulate them in the language of, you know, civil rights. 460 00:23:51,162 --> 00:23:53,861 Speaker 2: as though they're not just another industry trying to avoid 461 00:23:53,882 --> 00:23:54,582 Speaker 2: being taxed. 462 00:23:56,882 --> 00:23:58,842 Speaker 1: It's incredible. 463 00:23:59,242 --> 00:24:04,542 Speaker 5: There's not a system where politicians are required to disclose 464 00:24:04,662 --> 00:24:06,382 Speaker 5: campaign funding to influencers. 465 00:24:06,831 --> 00:24:09,632 Speaker 1: That just happens in the dark. Or podcasts. 466 00:24:09,712 --> 00:24:11,552 Speaker 2: Actually, I mean, I know we're on a podcast right now, 467 00:24:11,591 --> 00:24:14,091 Speaker 2: but podcasts are actually like this is why they're so 468 00:24:14,132 --> 00:24:17,211 Speaker 2: popular with these guys is that they're not regulated by 469 00:24:17,252 --> 00:24:21,072 Speaker 2: the FCC. They're regulated by the Federal Trade Commission, which 470 00:24:21,132 --> 00:24:24,732 Speaker 2: is very different. If you hear a lie on a podcast, 471 00:24:24,772 --> 00:24:28,212 Speaker 2: for example. You can file a complaint with the FTC, 472 00:24:28,232 --> 00:24:31,152 Speaker 2: but they won't investigate it unless they get like 100 473 00:24:31,152 --> 00:24:34,752 Speaker 2: plus other complaints about the same lie. This is why 474 00:24:34,792 --> 00:24:38,672 Speaker 2: Joe Rogan was able to lie his ass off forever. 475 00:24:38,792 --> 00:24:41,292 Speaker 2: And it was only really actually other people in the 476 00:24:41,331 --> 00:24:43,972 Speaker 2: podcast industry kind of kicking up a fuss about it 477 00:24:44,032 --> 00:24:47,391 Speaker 2: that made Spotify be like, okay, we're going to fact 478 00:24:47,432 --> 00:24:52,361 Speaker 2: check some of his stuff. There's almost no legal recourse. 479 00:24:52,861 --> 00:24:55,101 Speaker 1: So... They can go hog. 480 00:24:54,922 --> 00:24:57,561 Speaker 2: Wild, both in the content and in the ads. 481 00:24:57,722 --> 00:25:01,162 Speaker 1: There's no regulation of the ads either. So like, yeah. 482 00:25:02,002 --> 00:25:05,722 Speaker 3: I mean, so just for our non-US listeners, because I 483 00:25:05,742 --> 00:25:06,452 Speaker 3: think we have some. 484 00:25:06,492 --> 00:25:07,892 Speaker 1: Thank you, Nina. Thank you. 485 00:25:08,752 --> 00:25:13,012 Speaker 4: These are American regulators that Amy's talking about. And, you know, 486 00:25:13,052 --> 00:25:15,392 Speaker 4: the sort of, I guess, the panorama is quite different 487 00:25:15,452 --> 00:25:19,962 Speaker 4: in different places. EU is certainly different. trying to do 488 00:25:20,002 --> 00:25:22,141 Speaker 4: a better job but facing a lot of like a 489 00:25:22,162 --> 00:25:24,821 Speaker 4: backlash and a lot of um you know pushback from 490 00:25:24,982 --> 00:25:26,702 Speaker 4: big tech and all like you know all of these 491 00:25:26,742 --> 00:25:28,902 Speaker 4: sort of you know industries that have something to lose 492 00:25:28,982 --> 00:25:31,262 Speaker 4: from that but yeah i mean i think you know 493 00:25:31,502 --> 00:25:34,642 Speaker 4: yeah you know they're also you know podcasts aren't regulated 494 00:25:34,662 --> 00:25:37,222 Speaker 4: they're also just really popular right yeah and so you 495 00:25:37,272 --> 00:25:39,292 Speaker 4: know politicians want to go and reach a lot of 496 00:25:39,532 --> 00:25:41,832 Speaker 4: you know reach reach a lot of people on them 497 00:25:41,892 --> 00:25:44,392 Speaker 4: that way i do think about mainstream media coverage though 498 00:25:44,412 --> 00:25:46,112 Speaker 4: i don't think it's just a numbers game i don't 499 00:25:46,132 --> 00:25:48,151 Speaker 4: think it's just that You know, I think it's a 500 00:25:48,182 --> 00:25:52,512 Speaker 4: way that coverage has traditionally been organised, you know, and 501 00:25:52,552 --> 00:25:54,832 Speaker 4: I see this as being quite different now in some 502 00:25:54,871 --> 00:26:00,412 Speaker 4: of the excellent, like, small independent outlets that have launched 503 00:26:00,452 --> 00:26:01,132 Speaker 4: in the last. 504 00:26:00,972 --> 00:26:03,552 Speaker 3: Few years, right? And even some brilliant. 505 00:26:03,152 --> 00:26:07,171 Speaker 4: Sort of investigative newsletters that are happening. I think the 506 00:26:07,212 --> 00:26:11,292 Speaker 4: way that mainstream media has always been organised is across desks, right? 507 00:26:11,351 --> 00:26:15,882 Speaker 4: And the climate crisis environment was a particular speciality, right? 508 00:26:15,932 --> 00:26:16,191 Speaker 1: And so. 509 00:26:16,742 --> 00:26:20,361 Speaker 4: Actually, the political coverage, you know, so this is like 510 00:26:20,382 --> 00:26:23,442 Speaker 4: a simple example. When we have COP, no UK prime 511 00:26:23,462 --> 00:26:27,991 Speaker 4: minister would have a climate environment journalist. with them they 512 00:26:28,012 --> 00:26:30,631 Speaker 4: will just have someone from the politics teams right and 513 00:26:30,692 --> 00:26:32,891 Speaker 4: so who are not special and who will just be 514 00:26:32,912 --> 00:26:34,762 Speaker 4: like oh and the prime minister announced that he's going 515 00:26:34,782 --> 00:26:36,721 Speaker 4: to do this you know and so um and so 516 00:26:36,821 --> 00:26:38,941 Speaker 4: i think it's just sort of lack of connecting the 517 00:26:38,982 --> 00:26:41,402 Speaker 4: dots and i think you know that's what we're trying 518 00:26:41,422 --> 00:26:42,921 Speaker 4: to do i think that's what others are trying to 519 00:26:42,962 --> 00:26:45,831 Speaker 4: do right i think okay every single beat is a 520 00:26:45,871 --> 00:26:49,992 Speaker 4: climate beat right because climate impacts real estate it impacts 521 00:26:51,802 --> 00:26:54,982 Speaker 4: your pensions, it impacts your health, it impacts sport, it 522 00:26:55,002 --> 00:26:58,352 Speaker 4: impacts education, it impacts everything, right? And it absolutely should 523 00:26:58,382 --> 00:27:01,012 Speaker 4: be the heart centre of all of our coverage. And 524 00:27:01,071 --> 00:27:03,752 Speaker 4: it's just not organised like that at all, right? And 525 00:27:03,792 --> 00:27:07,032 Speaker 4: I see some mainstream media trying to do more collaborative work, 526 00:27:07,071 --> 00:27:10,331 Speaker 4: you know, across desk, across beat. But I think, you know, 527 00:27:10,552 --> 00:27:13,811 Speaker 4: the climate is still considered to be like health. You know, 528 00:27:13,831 --> 00:27:16,631 Speaker 4: it's something that you, you know, like it's a policy area, do. 529 00:27:16,752 --> 00:27:18,532 Speaker 3: You know what I mean? Rather than being something. 530 00:27:18,331 --> 00:27:21,182 Speaker 4: That is entwined And I think the lack of connecting 531 00:27:21,202 --> 00:27:23,572 Speaker 4: the dots between, for example, what we're talking about, what's 532 00:27:23,591 --> 00:27:27,792 Speaker 4: happening in Venezuela, the, you know, the massive grift going 533 00:27:27,831 --> 00:27:31,352 Speaker 4: on in the Pentagon, Iran, you know, the glaciers sort 534 00:27:31,371 --> 00:27:34,951 Speaker 4: of collapsing, the heat waves, all of that stuff. I mean, 535 00:27:35,012 --> 00:27:39,032 Speaker 4: the corruption, the big tech money in politics, all of it's. 536 00:27:38,932 --> 00:27:39,652 Speaker 3: Connected, right? 537 00:27:39,672 --> 00:27:41,932 Speaker 4: You know, and I think that just the way mainstream 538 00:27:41,952 --> 00:27:45,412 Speaker 4: media that has always been organized isn't set up to. 539 00:27:45,311 --> 00:27:46,732 Speaker 3: Be thinking in that way. 540 00:27:46,841 --> 00:27:50,572 Speaker 2: I know, I've always thought that like, um, The solution, 541 00:27:50,591 --> 00:27:52,272 Speaker 2: or at least part of the solution to that, is 542 00:27:52,331 --> 00:27:55,792 Speaker 2: having more climate people, for lack of a better way 543 00:27:55,811 --> 00:28:02,161 Speaker 2: to put it, in the editorial decision-making structure of organizations 544 00:28:02,262 --> 00:28:04,522 Speaker 2: as opposed to running the climate. 545 00:28:04,162 --> 00:28:05,242 Speaker 1: Desk or running. 546 00:28:05,302 --> 00:28:06,862 Speaker 2: You know what I mean? It's like you almost need 547 00:28:06,902 --> 00:28:10,002 Speaker 2: to have someone who sits across all of it in 548 00:28:10,042 --> 00:28:12,202 Speaker 2: a way to be able to be like, oh, that's 549 00:28:12,882 --> 00:28:13,302 Speaker 2: this story. 550 00:28:13,662 --> 00:28:13,982 Speaker 5: Or like. 551 00:28:14,811 --> 00:28:17,401 Speaker 2: We mentioned Venezuela, and every time Venezuela comes up, I 552 00:28:17,442 --> 00:28:21,601 Speaker 2: have to mention the huge Guyana-sized hole in the coverage 553 00:28:21,621 --> 00:28:26,012 Speaker 2: of all the Venezuela stuff. Marco Rubio, the month before 554 00:28:26,442 --> 00:28:30,752 Speaker 2: the U.S. started attacking boats off the coast of Venezuela, 555 00:28:30,871 --> 00:28:34,452 Speaker 2: was in Guyana- He had been brought there by the 556 00:28:34,532 --> 00:28:39,452 Speaker 2: government because the Venezuelan government has, ever since Exxon discovered 557 00:28:39,552 --> 00:28:42,491 Speaker 2: oil in Guyana, been trying to claim the territory that 558 00:28:42,532 --> 00:28:45,382 Speaker 2: that oil is in for itself. And they had just 559 00:28:45,842 --> 00:28:49,242 Speaker 2: kind of upped that a bit by sending naval ships 560 00:28:49,342 --> 00:28:53,922 Speaker 2: to the floating offshore platform that Exxon has off Guyana 561 00:28:53,962 --> 00:28:57,822 Speaker 2: to say, hey, you're illegally drilling in Venezuelan waters. And 562 00:28:58,102 --> 00:29:01,002 Speaker 2: the Exxon guys freaked out, and Marco Rubio shows up 563 00:29:01,282 --> 00:29:04,582 Speaker 2: in Guyana saying, hey, Venezuela, you better watch out. We 564 00:29:04,602 --> 00:29:09,392 Speaker 2: will do whatever it takes to protect Exxon. Specifically, that's what, like, 565 00:29:09,412 --> 00:29:11,772 Speaker 2: he didn't say to protect Guyana. He didn't say to 566 00:29:11,832 --> 00:29:13,012 Speaker 2: protect the U.S. 567 00:29:13,632 --> 00:29:16,092 Speaker 1: Or U.S. interests. He said to protect Exxon. 568 00:29:16,152 --> 00:29:19,272 Speaker 6: It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan 569 00:29:19,292 --> 00:29:22,822 Speaker 6: regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil 570 00:29:22,982 --> 00:29:24,622 Speaker 6: or anything like, it would be a very bad day, 571 00:29:24,682 --> 00:29:26,652 Speaker 6: a very bad week for them. And it would not 572 00:29:26,712 --> 00:29:30,832 Speaker 6: end well for them. I'm not going to get into 573 00:29:30,872 --> 00:29:32,632 Speaker 6: details of what we'll do. We're not big on those 574 00:29:32,652 --> 00:29:33,092 Speaker 6: kinds of threats. 575 00:29:33,152 --> 00:29:34,472 Speaker 1: I think everybody understands. 576 00:29:36,802 --> 00:29:42,662 Speaker 2: So, like, it's not even, you know, an insinuation that, like, 577 00:29:42,722 --> 00:29:45,602 Speaker 2: the government is acting on behalf of the oil majors. 578 00:29:45,662 --> 00:29:47,642 Speaker 1: They're just straight up saying it. 579 00:29:48,002 --> 00:29:52,622 Speaker 2: And, if you don't have someone in your newsroom who 580 00:29:52,662 --> 00:29:55,681 Speaker 2: can point that out when the Venezuela stuff comes up 581 00:29:55,742 --> 00:29:57,892 Speaker 2: or when Iran comes up or whatever, then. 582 00:29:57,792 --> 00:29:58,672 Speaker 1: Yeah, it just becomes. 583 00:29:59,342 --> 00:30:02,312 Speaker 2: Like a foreign policy story or a politics story. 584 00:30:03,222 --> 00:30:03,532 Speaker 5: Right. 585 00:30:03,612 --> 00:30:03,772 Speaker 1: Yeah. 586 00:30:03,792 --> 00:30:06,552 Speaker 5: I mean, we really need climate journalism to step out 587 00:30:06,592 --> 00:30:10,872 Speaker 5: of the realm of simply like science and. 588 00:30:12,412 --> 00:30:15,552 Speaker 1: The realm of the natural world. I mean, that's really important. 589 00:30:15,712 --> 00:30:19,562 Speaker 5: But, you know, I think rising authoritarianism around the world 590 00:30:19,662 --> 00:30:22,662 Speaker 5: is one of the most important climate stories that we're 591 00:30:22,702 --> 00:30:23,152 Speaker 5: seeing now. 592 00:30:23,502 --> 00:30:27,182 Speaker 1: You know, we're seeing a retraction or even collapse. 593 00:30:27,462 --> 00:30:30,592 Speaker 5: Just like with journalism, we're seeing a retraction of civil society, 594 00:30:30,612 --> 00:30:31,592 Speaker 5: both in the U.S. 595 00:30:31,652 --> 00:30:34,092 Speaker 1: And globally. I specialize more in the U.S. 596 00:30:34,232 --> 00:30:38,092 Speaker 5: And so just here, you know, thinking about big climate nonprofits. 597 00:30:38,562 --> 00:30:43,062 Speaker 5: 350.org basically shut down its U.S. operation because they lacked 598 00:30:43,142 --> 00:30:48,682 Speaker 5: funding last year. The Sierra Club has shrunk pretty dramatically. 599 00:30:48,942 --> 00:30:53,931 Speaker 5: Greenpeace is on its heels because of this lawsuit that 600 00:30:53,952 --> 00:30:58,312 Speaker 5: we covered in the series Slapped filed by Energy Transfer Group. 601 00:30:59,112 --> 00:31:03,052 Speaker 5: has just decimated their ability. Which is like famously youth 602 00:31:03,552 --> 00:31:06,852 Speaker 5: climate activism in the U.S. has shifted its focus to 603 00:31:06,892 --> 00:31:11,392 Speaker 5: authoritarianism because they say that that's, you know, we have 604 00:31:11,432 --> 00:31:14,082 Speaker 5: to fight authoritarianism if we're going to address the climate 605 00:31:14,122 --> 00:31:14,942 Speaker 5: crisis seriously. 606 00:31:14,982 --> 00:31:17,742 Speaker 2: Yes, that these two things go hand in hand. 607 00:31:18,002 --> 00:31:18,402 Speaker 1: Yeah. 608 00:31:19,022 --> 00:31:21,941 Speaker 4: So as Friends of the Earth England, actually, which is 609 00:31:21,982 --> 00:31:25,062 Speaker 4: now being led by Asad Rahman, who was once the 610 00:31:25,102 --> 00:31:28,492 Speaker 4: director of War on One, And exactly for what you're saying, 611 00:31:28,512 --> 00:31:31,862 Speaker 4: you know, it's like, actually, if you want to tackle 612 00:31:31,882 --> 00:31:34,222 Speaker 4: the climate crisis, you have to be tackling the rise 613 00:31:34,262 --> 00:31:38,362 Speaker 4: of the far right, authoritarianism, misinformation, all of those things, right? 614 00:31:38,402 --> 00:31:40,942 Speaker 3: And so it's sort of, you can't do one of 615 00:31:41,002 --> 00:31:41,962 Speaker 3: these without the other. 616 00:31:41,982 --> 00:31:43,342 Speaker 1: Yeah. 617 00:31:43,862 --> 00:31:44,302 Speaker 6: Yeah. 618 00:31:45,462 --> 00:31:47,652 Speaker 2: That's a good segue into talking about some of the 619 00:31:47,672 --> 00:31:50,352 Speaker 2: stuff that we're all working on, because actually every single 620 00:31:50,372 --> 00:31:53,552 Speaker 2: thing we just talked about Totally plays into the stuff 621 00:31:53,572 --> 00:31:54,092 Speaker 2: that we're. 622 00:31:54,592 --> 00:31:55,652 Speaker 1: Working on right now. 623 00:31:56,092 --> 00:31:59,912 Speaker 2: Aline, since your project is actually the most recent one, 624 00:31:59,932 --> 00:32:01,411 Speaker 2: do you want to talk a little bit about The 625 00:32:01,432 --> 00:32:03,842 Speaker 2: Propagandist and what you unearthed there? 626 00:32:04,782 --> 00:32:05,741 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely. 627 00:32:06,022 --> 00:32:09,282 Speaker 5: So Drill just put out this podcast that I hosted 628 00:32:09,342 --> 00:32:13,622 Speaker 5: and reported called The Propagandist. It's based on over 100 629 00:32:13,622 --> 00:32:17,722 Speaker 5: pages of public records from this private security company that 630 00:32:17,762 --> 00:32:21,922 Speaker 5: was hired by the parent company of the Dakota Access Pipeline. 631 00:32:22,332 --> 00:32:25,772 Speaker 5: So that company is Energy Transfer. And you'll remember in 632 00:32:25,772 --> 00:32:29,592 Speaker 5: 2016 and 2017, indigenous people from the Standing Rock Sioux 633 00:32:29,632 --> 00:32:34,352 Speaker 5: Tribe led a movement to stop that pipeline's construction, largely 634 00:32:34,692 --> 00:32:37,452 Speaker 5: on the grounds of wanting to protect their water. Also, 635 00:32:37,492 --> 00:32:41,292 Speaker 5: they were concerned about sacred sites, treaty rights, and this 636 00:32:41,392 --> 00:32:45,672 Speaker 5: global movement kind of mobilized behind the tribe, also on 637 00:32:46,052 --> 00:32:51,372 Speaker 5: the grounds of slowing the climate crisis. Um, so this company, the, 638 00:32:51,482 --> 00:32:56,402 Speaker 5: the pipeline company hired, um, this mercenary private security company 639 00:32:56,482 --> 00:33:00,212 Speaker 5: that got its start in the wake of the global 640 00:33:00,232 --> 00:33:04,332 Speaker 5: war on terror. It was founded by an ex-commander of 641 00:33:04,452 --> 00:33:09,952 Speaker 5: the special forces unit Delta Force. And they basically brought their, 642 00:33:10,252 --> 00:33:13,712 Speaker 5: I guess, war on terror tactics to the homeland and 643 00:33:13,952 --> 00:33:18,161 Speaker 5: aimed them at indigenous people. So this story focuses specifically 644 00:33:18,462 --> 00:33:22,912 Speaker 5: on that company's propaganda efforts. They hired this guy, This 645 00:33:22,972 --> 00:33:26,152 Speaker 5: tech guy, really, he was like a virtual reality enthusiast, 646 00:33:26,542 --> 00:33:31,082 Speaker 5: and he created a lot of Facebook content designed to 647 00:33:31,442 --> 00:33:35,662 Speaker 5: divide people within the movement against each other and also 648 00:33:35,742 --> 00:33:39,422 Speaker 5: to divide the movement and the surrounding communities, which were 649 00:33:39,512 --> 00:33:40,052 Speaker 5: mostly online. 650 00:33:40,432 --> 00:33:41,592 Speaker 1: White rural people. 651 00:33:41,992 --> 00:33:45,892 Speaker 5: So, you know, spread this information on Facebook without disclosing 652 00:33:45,992 --> 00:33:50,931 Speaker 5: who was behind the pages. And it really influenced the 653 00:33:50,972 --> 00:33:54,012 Speaker 5: way people thought about what was happening on the ground. And, 654 00:33:54,092 --> 00:33:56,992 Speaker 5: you know, I found that those divisions in those communities 655 00:33:57,562 --> 00:33:59,982 Speaker 5: persist 10 years later. You know, I think the story 656 00:34:00,002 --> 00:34:04,792 Speaker 5: is important because This is a type of strategy that 657 00:34:04,912 --> 00:34:07,982 Speaker 5: happens all around the world. It's rare that we have 658 00:34:08,042 --> 00:34:12,862 Speaker 5: such a close look. The stories are based on WhatsApp chats, emails. 659 00:34:13,062 --> 00:34:16,262 Speaker 5: You know, in one case, the propaganda guy is chatting 660 00:34:16,342 --> 00:34:19,571 Speaker 5: with someone who was someone working for TigerSwan who's going 661 00:34:19,692 --> 00:34:23,592 Speaker 5: undercover into the protest spaces, pretending to be a friend. 662 00:34:24,112 --> 00:34:27,431 Speaker 5: And they're really explicitly talking about how to divide people, 663 00:34:27,451 --> 00:34:34,772 Speaker 5: how to divide. break relationships, really, or potential relationships. You know, 664 00:34:34,812 --> 00:34:39,872 Speaker 5: I think this stuff really helps explain the polarization that 665 00:34:39,892 --> 00:34:43,492 Speaker 5: we see today and the tearing of the social fabric 666 00:34:43,532 --> 00:34:47,192 Speaker 5: that we see in mining communities around the world, places 667 00:34:47,232 --> 00:34:51,392 Speaker 5: where extraction happens. This is not just in this one place. 668 00:34:51,431 --> 00:34:55,052 Speaker 5: And now it's sort of on overdrive with the rise 669 00:34:55,132 --> 00:34:59,181 Speaker 5: of influencers, the collapse of journalism ecosystems and. 670 00:34:59,462 --> 00:35:02,082 Speaker 1: And the growth of AI too. Yeah, exactly. 671 00:35:02,342 --> 00:35:03,301 Speaker 4: Yeah. My. 672 00:35:04,201 --> 00:35:07,701 Speaker 2: favorite detail about the that guy is that he used 673 00:35:07,762 --> 00:35:10,932 Speaker 2: like a cute dog to to like weasel his way 674 00:35:10,971 --> 00:35:12,792 Speaker 2: into the protest camps yeah. 675 00:35:14,322 --> 00:35:14,892 Speaker 1: Oh, my God. 676 00:35:14,931 --> 00:35:19,672 Speaker 3: I'd have fallen for it immediately. Yeah, I know. I'm 677 00:35:19,712 --> 00:35:23,011 Speaker 3: a sucker for cute dogs. I mean, that's I. 678 00:35:23,012 --> 00:35:27,092 Speaker 5: Do think that the fossil fuel industry is really good 679 00:35:27,112 --> 00:35:32,242 Speaker 5: at like identifying people's fears and desires and and playing 680 00:35:32,282 --> 00:35:35,881 Speaker 5: with those in serious ways. You know, I think we 681 00:35:35,922 --> 00:35:38,542 Speaker 5: talk a lot about, oh, you know, people aren't saying 682 00:35:38,562 --> 00:35:41,761 Speaker 5: the word climate crisis as much these days. And I 683 00:35:41,802 --> 00:35:45,341 Speaker 5: think I agree that that's bad, but But also, you know, 684 00:35:45,522 --> 00:35:48,862 Speaker 5: I do think sometimes the environmental movement could do better 685 00:35:48,951 --> 00:35:50,452 Speaker 5: at meeting people where they're at. 686 00:35:50,592 --> 00:35:52,451 Speaker 1: You know, I'm in New York. 687 00:35:52,532 --> 00:35:54,232 Speaker 5: We have a mayor who's talking all the time about 688 00:35:54,272 --> 00:35:56,652 Speaker 5: affordability and it makes a big difference. 689 00:35:57,012 --> 00:35:59,312 Speaker 1: Yeah. Totally. 690 00:36:00,092 --> 00:36:01,492 Speaker 3: It's amazing you've got all this detail. 691 00:36:01,512 --> 00:36:04,592 Speaker 4: I mean, like we've all reported on the violence and 692 00:36:04,612 --> 00:36:08,232 Speaker 4: criminalization of defenders across the world. 693 00:36:08,292 --> 00:36:08,592 Speaker 6: Right. 694 00:36:08,672 --> 00:36:11,952 Speaker 4: And these sort of, you know, these old school divide 695 00:36:11,991 --> 00:36:15,192 Speaker 4: and conquer tactics that go back as far as colonialism 696 00:36:15,212 --> 00:36:20,031 Speaker 4: goes back. But then also all the counterinsurgency manuals, sort 697 00:36:20,052 --> 00:36:22,201 Speaker 4: of all those sort of tactics that, you know, which 698 00:36:22,241 --> 00:36:24,701 Speaker 4: have sort of just been tweaked and changed a little 699 00:36:24,741 --> 00:36:26,602 Speaker 4: bit to meet that, you know, meet the sort of 700 00:36:26,642 --> 00:36:29,882 Speaker 4: environment of today. And that's what we see. That's what you, 701 00:36:29,922 --> 00:36:31,931 Speaker 4: you know, you found. And we've seen that happen. We 702 00:36:31,951 --> 00:36:34,071 Speaker 4: see it happening in community after community and they do 703 00:36:34,132 --> 00:36:35,132 Speaker 4: it because it's effective. 704 00:36:35,212 --> 00:36:35,552 Speaker 1: Yeah. 705 00:36:35,572 --> 00:36:36,452 Speaker 3: I mean, it works. 706 00:36:37,112 --> 00:36:37,352 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. 707 00:36:37,752 --> 00:36:40,852 Speaker 5: Yeah. And I mean, the heart of this company explicitly 708 00:36:41,112 --> 00:36:45,232 Speaker 5: talked about their work as counterinsurgency strategy. And, you know, 709 00:36:45,252 --> 00:36:49,821 Speaker 5: a really important part of counterinsurgency is basically getting the 710 00:36:49,882 --> 00:36:53,661 Speaker 5: local population to take on your priorities. You know, you 711 00:36:53,701 --> 00:36:58,122 Speaker 5: want the local people to be the ones kind of advancing. 712 00:36:58,562 --> 00:37:01,302 Speaker 1: In Afghanistan, it would be U.S. interests. 713 00:37:01,522 --> 00:37:04,642 Speaker 5: You know, it's the same thing is replicated in these 714 00:37:05,072 --> 00:37:06,051 Speaker 5: sites of extraction. 715 00:37:07,012 --> 00:37:10,022 Speaker 2: You know, I've have this like long running obsession with 716 00:37:10,422 --> 00:37:13,361 Speaker 2: the PR industry in general and like the history of that. 717 00:37:13,382 --> 00:37:16,221 Speaker 2: But the history of that is also like almost all 718 00:37:16,262 --> 00:37:20,071 Speaker 2: of the big leaders in that industry, the people who 719 00:37:20,112 --> 00:37:24,192 Speaker 2: really like innovated new tactics, they were all trained in 720 00:37:24,212 --> 00:37:25,732 Speaker 2: military intelligence first. 721 00:37:26,451 --> 00:37:28,111 Speaker 1: All like learned how to. 722 00:37:28,032 --> 00:37:32,221 Speaker 2: Do psyops in the military and then came home and 723 00:37:32,282 --> 00:37:35,062 Speaker 2: like had the skill set that they put to work 724 00:37:35,672 --> 00:37:39,151 Speaker 2: on behalf of companies against the American public. It's like 725 00:37:39,672 --> 00:37:42,052 Speaker 2: been going on for at least a century plus. 726 00:37:42,692 --> 00:37:42,852 Speaker 4: Yeah. 727 00:37:42,931 --> 00:37:44,592 Speaker 1: Amy, tell us about your book. 728 00:37:45,152 --> 00:37:49,612 Speaker 5: This is like directly related to Big News You Have. 729 00:37:51,471 --> 00:37:53,572 Speaker 2: Yes, I've written a book. I have a book coming 730 00:37:53,681 --> 00:37:57,142 Speaker 2: out this month. It's called Brought to You By, and 731 00:37:57,282 --> 00:38:01,002 Speaker 2: it is all about this kind of information warfare thing. 732 00:38:01,181 --> 00:38:04,732 Speaker 2: Each chapter is sort of like a different layer of 733 00:38:04,792 --> 00:38:07,872 Speaker 2: the information ecosystem that's been warped by these kinds of 734 00:38:07,911 --> 00:38:11,691 Speaker 2: practices and walks people through how it works. A lot 735 00:38:11,712 --> 00:38:14,402 Speaker 2: of the examples are climate and or oil related, but 736 00:38:14,462 --> 00:38:17,382 Speaker 2: not all because I really wanted people to sort of 737 00:38:17,542 --> 00:38:21,142 Speaker 2: see how these tactics work for all kinds of companies. 738 00:38:21,201 --> 00:38:27,852 Speaker 2: So any company that's trying to circumvent democracy is going 739 00:38:27,892 --> 00:38:32,451 Speaker 2: to use some combination of these tactics, if not all. 740 00:38:33,232 --> 00:38:35,772 Speaker 2: And I think also it's important to understand, and I 741 00:38:35,792 --> 00:38:38,152 Speaker 2: was thinking about this while you were talking about this 742 00:38:38,192 --> 00:38:41,172 Speaker 2: private security company too and what they did at Standing Rock. 743 00:38:41,732 --> 00:38:43,752 Speaker 1: These things that companies. 744 00:38:43,332 --> 00:38:47,492 Speaker 2: Do one time as a project to avoid, they want 745 00:38:47,681 --> 00:38:50,681 Speaker 2: to avoid bad press on a refinery project or they 746 00:38:50,721 --> 00:38:54,421 Speaker 2: want a pipeline to go through or whatever. So they'll 747 00:38:54,462 --> 00:38:57,362 Speaker 2: do all this stuff that really messes with the information 748 00:38:57,442 --> 00:39:00,471 Speaker 2: ecosystem and And then they get their thing that they 749 00:39:00,532 --> 00:39:03,252 Speaker 2: want and they leave, but the pollution is still there 750 00:39:03,312 --> 00:39:07,661 Speaker 2: and it spreads to other things, you know, like we 751 00:39:07,802 --> 00:39:10,562 Speaker 2: see it over and over again. It's like they, I mean, 752 00:39:10,602 --> 00:39:13,602 Speaker 2: this community that you reported on, it's been 10 years 753 00:39:13,741 --> 00:39:18,082 Speaker 2: and that tension that they inflamed is still like that, 754 00:39:18,442 --> 00:39:21,201 Speaker 2: you know, and how many things have happened as a 755 00:39:21,241 --> 00:39:24,531 Speaker 2: result of that, just because like they wanted to, you know, 756 00:39:25,661 --> 00:39:28,402 Speaker 2: just like throw a turd in the punch bowl and 757 00:39:28,442 --> 00:39:28,982 Speaker 2: walk away. 758 00:39:29,002 --> 00:39:30,262 Speaker 1: Right. 759 00:39:30,302 --> 00:39:33,201 Speaker 5: And these are people's lives, you know, like it's not 760 00:39:33,342 --> 00:39:36,532 Speaker 5: I mean, it is these big things like our ability 761 00:39:36,592 --> 00:39:39,212 Speaker 5: to confront the climate crisis in a serious way. But 762 00:39:39,252 --> 00:39:42,622 Speaker 5: it's also like people in a town's ability to have 763 00:39:42,661 --> 00:39:46,202 Speaker 5: a relationship with their neighbor and these are like really 764 00:39:46,282 --> 00:39:49,781 Speaker 5: intimate things that are being disrupted yeah. 765 00:39:49,451 --> 00:39:54,261 Speaker 2: Yeah um Nina, let's talk a little bit about Displaced. 766 00:39:54,362 --> 00:39:57,702 Speaker 2: This is a new season that's coming soon that Nina's 767 00:39:57,721 --> 00:40:01,471 Speaker 2: been working on all year. And it's fascinating. Every time 768 00:40:01,732 --> 00:40:03,951 Speaker 2: I mention it to people, they're like, ooh, that sounds good. 769 00:40:03,971 --> 00:40:06,192 Speaker 2: I want to listen to it. So yeah, tell us 770 00:40:06,232 --> 00:40:06,971 Speaker 2: what you've been working on. 771 00:40:08,002 --> 00:40:09,392 Speaker 3: So this is a series, Displaced. 772 00:40:09,532 --> 00:40:13,332 Speaker 4: It's in the reportings from three different communities in Latin 773 00:40:13,372 --> 00:40:17,252 Speaker 4: America where communities have been displaced or are facing displacement 774 00:40:17,312 --> 00:40:22,132 Speaker 4: because of some sort of climate disaster, including coastal erosion, 775 00:40:22,152 --> 00:40:25,692 Speaker 4: sea level rise, drought, extreme heat. And the series is 776 00:40:25,772 --> 00:40:29,551 Speaker 4: about how these communities are confronting this, you know, and 777 00:40:29,632 --> 00:40:32,592 Speaker 4: how they're trying to get their governments to do the 778 00:40:32,632 --> 00:40:34,531 Speaker 4: right thing and to, you know, to give them what 779 00:40:34,552 --> 00:40:37,161 Speaker 4: they need. And that sort of depends on the community, 780 00:40:37,221 --> 00:40:39,801 Speaker 4: what they're looking for. Some are fighting for the right 781 00:40:39,842 --> 00:40:43,482 Speaker 4: to be resettled. Others are fighting for the right to remain. 782 00:40:43,502 --> 00:40:47,182 Speaker 4: And I mean, so there's lots and lots of, you know, great, 783 00:40:47,382 --> 00:40:50,372 Speaker 4: you know, characters from the communities that I spent a 784 00:40:50,392 --> 00:40:52,252 Speaker 4: lot of time in. But also, you know, I think 785 00:40:52,332 --> 00:40:54,491 Speaker 4: in talking about coming back to connecting the dots, you know, 786 00:40:54,512 --> 00:40:56,652 Speaker 4: what we're trying to do with this series is really 787 00:40:57,431 --> 00:41:01,112 Speaker 4: connect what's happening on the ground to things that are 788 00:41:01,181 --> 00:41:03,971 Speaker 4: quite sort of like wonky and difficult to get people 789 00:41:04,092 --> 00:41:07,801 Speaker 4: interested in, like climate finance, like loss and damage, adaptation, 790 00:41:08,122 --> 00:41:12,982 Speaker 4: national adaptation policies, who's responsible, you know, who's accountable for 791 00:41:13,002 --> 00:41:16,502 Speaker 4: what's happening, how communities can access accountability and justice. 792 00:41:16,962 --> 00:41:18,301 Speaker 3: Yeah, so that will be. 793 00:41:18,282 --> 00:41:21,142 Speaker 4: Coming, I think, hopefully, yeah, the end of November, maybe 794 00:41:21,161 --> 00:41:22,401 Speaker 4: beginning of December, something like that. 795 00:41:23,042 --> 00:41:23,722 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. 796 00:41:24,022 --> 00:41:26,261 Speaker 2: I think, too, like the thing that keeps jumping out 797 00:41:26,302 --> 00:41:29,772 Speaker 2: to me, I get to listen to it along the way. 798 00:41:29,792 --> 00:41:31,312 Speaker 2: And the thing that keeps jumping out to me is 799 00:41:31,431 --> 00:41:35,892 Speaker 2: the really nuanced and detailed questions around what does adaptation 800 00:41:35,951 --> 00:41:40,402 Speaker 2: look like and who gets to decide how we adapt, 801 00:41:40,482 --> 00:41:42,582 Speaker 2: how these communities adapt, even when. 802 00:41:44,201 --> 00:41:46,642 Speaker 2: You know, the thing works and like you get the 803 00:41:46,701 --> 00:41:50,142 Speaker 2: government to do the resettlement and everything. Like there's so 804 00:41:50,201 --> 00:41:53,502 Speaker 2: many other things along the way that need to happen 805 00:41:53,602 --> 00:41:56,741 Speaker 2: in order to kind of keep a community whole. And 806 00:41:56,842 --> 00:42:01,411 Speaker 2: these questions of what are these communities owed and how 807 00:42:01,431 --> 00:42:05,491 Speaker 2: do you deal with, yeah, moving like a community that's 808 00:42:05,532 --> 00:42:12,071 Speaker 2: a fishing ocean-based community further inland and without losing the 809 00:42:12,152 --> 00:42:15,192 Speaker 2: fabric of that community. There's just a lot more to 810 00:42:15,272 --> 00:42:17,812 Speaker 2: it than just giving someone a new place to live. 811 00:42:18,652 --> 00:42:23,611 Speaker 5: These are communities that are de facto criminalized by the 812 00:42:23,642 --> 00:42:27,201 Speaker 5: fact that they are brown people that are being displaced 813 00:42:27,262 --> 00:42:29,702 Speaker 5: by the climate crisis. And we're living in a world 814 00:42:29,782 --> 00:42:33,862 Speaker 5: where migration is increasingly criminalized. These are the same people 815 00:42:33,942 --> 00:42:37,882 Speaker 5: that would be snatched off the streets in Minneapolis or 816 00:42:38,002 --> 00:42:41,321 Speaker 5: New York or anywhere else in the United States and 817 00:42:41,392 --> 00:42:45,152 Speaker 5: potentially deported to countries in Africa that they have no 818 00:42:45,192 --> 00:42:49,531 Speaker 5: relationship to. So I think it's so rare that we 819 00:42:49,632 --> 00:42:52,661 Speaker 5: see in-depth coverage of these communities. 820 00:42:52,701 --> 00:42:54,362 Speaker 1: And I'm really excited to listen to that. 821 00:42:55,741 --> 00:42:58,721 Speaker 2: In fact, like that is a cycle for like one 822 00:42:58,762 --> 00:43:00,922 Speaker 2: of the communities, right? That like there are people who 823 00:43:00,962 --> 00:43:04,442 Speaker 2: have left a community because climate change has made it 824 00:43:04,602 --> 00:43:10,491 Speaker 2: less viable in terms of farming, finding a job, all 825 00:43:10,532 --> 00:43:14,332 Speaker 2: of that stuff and been criminalized in the U.S. and 826 00:43:14,392 --> 00:43:17,792 Speaker 2: sent back only to face more of the same. The 827 00:43:17,832 --> 00:43:20,031 Speaker 2: way that those two things are connected to, I think, 828 00:43:20,112 --> 00:43:21,411 Speaker 2: is super interesting. 829 00:43:22,192 --> 00:43:24,852 Speaker 4: I mean, I think, though, as well, what this reporting 830 00:43:24,892 --> 00:43:26,652 Speaker 4: and what a lot of the reporting, you know, that 831 00:43:26,712 --> 00:43:29,011 Speaker 4: I do shows is like communities are not waiting for 832 00:43:29,032 --> 00:43:30,411 Speaker 4: their governments to come and save them. 833 00:43:30,951 --> 00:43:33,801 Speaker 2: Or for like an international NGO to come and save them. 834 00:43:34,302 --> 00:43:34,962 Speaker 3: No, they're not. 835 00:43:35,102 --> 00:43:39,042 Speaker 4: And actually where the solutions lie are with these communities. 836 00:43:39,661 --> 00:43:42,301 Speaker 4: And so when we're talking about climate finance and we're 837 00:43:42,322 --> 00:43:46,431 Speaker 4: talking about adaptation plans, What we need to do is 838 00:43:46,592 --> 00:43:49,431 Speaker 4: be able to sit and listen to what people are 839 00:43:49,451 --> 00:43:52,911 Speaker 4: telling us, like what their priorities are, what the solutions 840 00:43:52,951 --> 00:43:55,451 Speaker 4: for them would look like, right? And make sure the 841 00:43:55,512 --> 00:43:59,031 Speaker 4: funding gets to them, right? Because these are communities, you know, 842 00:43:59,072 --> 00:44:02,042 Speaker 4: like we started off talking about Nepal, where Nepal has 843 00:44:02,422 --> 00:44:07,522 Speaker 4: contributed less than 0.01% of global greenhouse gases historically, right? 844 00:44:07,721 --> 00:44:11,142 Speaker 4: These communities have contributed absolutely nothing to the climate crisis. 845 00:44:11,572 --> 00:44:15,072 Speaker 4: Many of them still do not have access to electricity. 846 00:44:14,451 --> 00:44:15,912 Speaker 3: And light and water. 847 00:44:15,991 --> 00:44:16,272 Speaker 6: Right. 848 00:44:16,652 --> 00:44:19,661 Speaker 4: And so now and now even, you know, what they're 849 00:44:19,701 --> 00:44:22,781 Speaker 4: coming up with solutions, ways to adapt and ways to, 850 00:44:22,802 --> 00:44:25,882 Speaker 4: you know, to to live dignified lives. And the money 851 00:44:25,942 --> 00:44:28,801 Speaker 4: that is available isn't getting to them. And so I 852 00:44:28,882 --> 00:44:31,202 Speaker 4: think it's sort of about, you know, not only have 853 00:44:31,221 --> 00:44:34,161 Speaker 4: they not contributed to the climate crisis, they're being excluded 854 00:44:34,221 --> 00:44:36,241 Speaker 4: from the climate solutions that are on the table. Yeah. 855 00:44:36,402 --> 00:44:36,622 Speaker 5: Yeah. 856 00:44:37,462 --> 00:44:41,452 Speaker 2: Yeah. Okay, I'm just going to put in two plugs 857 00:44:41,572 --> 00:44:44,352 Speaker 2: for other projects coming down the line. One is that 858 00:44:44,431 --> 00:44:47,452 Speaker 2: we will be doing some kind of coverage from COP, 859 00:44:47,491 --> 00:44:50,882 Speaker 2: and that happens in November. COP is the annual UN conference. 860 00:44:51,442 --> 00:44:54,742 Speaker 2: climate negotiations meeting. It's being held in Turkey this year, 861 00:44:54,842 --> 00:44:58,582 Speaker 2: but it's co-hosted by Australia. There's actually quite a bit 862 00:44:58,622 --> 00:45:01,642 Speaker 2: of talk about the Pacific Island nations trying to push 863 00:45:01,802 --> 00:45:06,232 Speaker 2: Australia to push for some mention of fossil fuel phase-out. 864 00:45:06,431 --> 00:45:09,152 Speaker 2: Amazing to me that this is still even an argument 865 00:45:09,352 --> 00:45:10,432 Speaker 2: that needs to be had. 866 00:45:10,451 --> 00:45:13,231 Speaker 1: So we'll have some reporting from there. 867 00:45:13,352 --> 00:45:17,112 Speaker 2: And then also, we're actually working on a project looking 868 00:45:17,172 --> 00:45:21,181 Speaker 2: at the tech guys and their push to stop the 869 00:45:21,322 --> 00:45:26,321 Speaker 2: regulation of disinformation in Europe. There's a huge push from 870 00:45:26,392 --> 00:45:29,212 Speaker 2: them to stop that. There's a huge influx of like 871 00:45:29,372 --> 00:45:33,112 Speaker 2: MAGA groups in Europe that are also working to stop 872 00:45:33,212 --> 00:45:36,752 Speaker 2: it and pushing this idea that, you know, oh, Europe 873 00:45:36,832 --> 00:45:40,011 Speaker 2: is trying to censor the U.S. I just saw the 874 00:45:40,072 --> 00:45:43,252 Speaker 2: other day, I'm scooping myself now, but whatever. I just 875 00:45:43,292 --> 00:45:46,971 Speaker 2: saw a notice on the State Department website that the U.S. 876 00:45:46,991 --> 00:45:51,772 Speaker 2: has a call for proposals for for organizations that will 877 00:45:52,431 --> 00:45:55,272 Speaker 2: help to preserve the rule of law and fight against 878 00:45:55,332 --> 00:46:00,062 Speaker 2: censorship in Europe and preserve Western values. 879 00:46:00,661 --> 00:46:03,422 Speaker 1: So, excuse me. 880 00:46:03,442 --> 00:46:07,062 Speaker 3: Amazing. 881 00:46:08,181 --> 00:46:08,462 Speaker 5: Yeah. 882 00:46:08,482 --> 00:46:10,301 Speaker 2: So we're looking at all of that stuff too. And 883 00:46:10,342 --> 00:46:13,772 Speaker 2: that project will come out late in the year, early 884 00:46:13,812 --> 00:46:17,772 Speaker 2: next too. So lots of stuff we're trying to, you know, 885 00:46:18,812 --> 00:46:23,951 Speaker 2: Keep soldiering on over here and we'll have more episodes soon. 886 00:46:23,991 --> 00:46:28,392 Speaker 2: So we'll be running some interviews, some conversations with other 887 00:46:28,471 --> 00:46:32,861 Speaker 2: Drilled reporters, other reporters in general, authors, all of that 888 00:46:32,902 --> 00:46:35,522 Speaker 2: stuff coming up. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't 889 00:46:35,562 --> 00:46:39,221 Speaker 2: miss that. And yeah, we'll have more narrative season soon too. 890 00:46:39,241 --> 00:46:39,921 Speaker 1: Exciting. 891 00:46:40,142 --> 00:46:43,201 Speaker 4: Yeah, we've got a bunch of great interviews already lined up. 892 00:46:43,241 --> 00:46:46,962 Speaker 4: We've got human rights experts. We've got a climate justice expert. 893 00:46:47,502 --> 00:46:51,551 Speaker 4: leader from a football club in Dublin, Ireland, that is 894 00:46:51,592 --> 00:46:52,752 Speaker 4: doing amazing work. 895 00:46:52,872 --> 00:46:54,631 Speaker 3: We've got, yeah, we've got a whole bunch of really 896 00:46:54,652 --> 00:46:56,431 Speaker 3: interesting people. So, yeah. 897 00:46:56,872 --> 00:46:57,431 Speaker 1: Yeah. 898 00:46:57,692 --> 00:46:58,112 Speaker 3: Sign up. 899 00:46:58,892 --> 00:47:00,471 Speaker 5: I'm super excited to see what we'll do. 900 00:47:00,592 --> 00:47:01,511 Speaker 1: I think it's going to be great. 901 00:47:03,302 --> 00:47:04,102 Speaker 2: Thanks, Eileen. 902 00:47:04,122 --> 00:47:06,102 Speaker 3: Well, we're great, so it will be great. 903 00:47:06,122 --> 00:47:06,661 Speaker 1: Perfect. 904 00:47:13,792 --> 00:47:17,332 Speaker 2: The Spill is a regularly recurring segment of the Drilled podcast. 905 00:47:17,411 --> 00:47:19,491 Speaker 2: It comes out every Friday when we're not in the 906 00:47:19,532 --> 00:47:23,272 Speaker 2: middle of a narrative season. If you have ideas for 907 00:47:23,372 --> 00:47:26,122 Speaker 2: folks you'd like to see us interview on here, let 908 00:47:26,161 --> 00:47:26,502 Speaker 2: us know. 909 00:47:26,642 --> 00:47:28,922 Speaker 1: We're at Drilled Media on all social. 910 00:47:28,701 --> 00:47:33,482 Speaker 2: Media platforms, or you can email me at amy at drilled.media. 911 00:47:33,822 --> 00:47:36,582 Speaker 2: Links to all the stories we mentioned and to pre-order 912 00:47:36,622 --> 00:47:40,232 Speaker 2: my book are in the show notes. The Spill is 913 00:47:40,332 --> 00:47:41,752 Speaker 2: produced by Peter Duff. 914 00:47:42,512 --> 00:47:45,392 Speaker 1: Our theme song is Bird in the Hand by Fournone. 915 00:47:45,971 --> 00:47:50,072 Speaker 1: Artwork by Matthew Fleming. Our First Amendment attorney is James 916 00:47:50,252 --> 00:47:52,451 Speaker 1: Wheaton of the First Amendment Project. 917 00:47:52,872 --> 00:47:57,392 Speaker 2: You can find transcripts of The Spill online at drilled.media. 918 00:47:57,822 --> 00:48:01,201 Speaker 2: Like the rest of Drilled, The Spill is distributed by 919 00:48:01,342 --> 00:48:06,482 Speaker 2: Pushkin Industries. The team there is Eric Sandler, Grace Ross, 920 00:48:06,681 --> 00:48:12,011 Speaker 2: Morgan Ratner, Owen Miller, Kira Posey, Jordan McMillan, Brian Shreberneck, 921 00:48:12,312 --> 00:48:13,392 Speaker 2: and Jake Flanagan.