Event Date
About the Event:
How Decades of Climate Denial, Disinformation and Doublespeak by Big Oil Fueled the Climate Crisis
This event delves into the tactics used by Big Oil to mislead the public and delay climate action. Learn about the impact of corporate disinformation on the climate crisis and ongoing efforts for accountability.
About the Speakers:
Amy Westervelt is an award-winning investigative journalist specializing in environmental issues. She is the founder of Critical Frequency, an independent podcast network known for producing narrative-driven content. Westervelt hosts the acclaimed climate podcast Drilled, which has been downloaded over a million times and has received multiple awards, including the Online News Association and Covering Climate Now awards. She also co-hosts Hot Take with climate writer Mary Annaïse Heglar. A 20-year veteran journalist, Westervelt has contributed to The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, and The New York Times, among others. Her work has earned her Edward R. Murrow and Rachel Carson awards. In 2023, she was named Covering Climate Now's Journalist of the Year for her pioneering contributions to climate accountability reporting.
Steven Donziger is a human rights lawyer best known for his decades-long battle against Chevron after successfully winning an $18 billion judgment on behalf of 30,000 indigenous Ecuadorians affected by a massive crude oil spill. Chevron, instead of paying the damages, removed its assets from Ecuador and used U.S. courts to launch a legal attack on Donziger. Despite the Ecuadorian court's ruling, Chevron has yet to pay for the cleanup or the harm caused to the affected communities. Donziger faced retaliation, including a conviction for contempt of court and over 800 days of house arrest. Chevron's legal maneuvering and its refusal to compensate victims have been widely condemned, drawing attention to issues of environmental justice and corporate accountability. Donziger’s case exemplifies the fossil fuel industry's tactics to externalize environmental costs, shifting the burden onto vulnerable communities while protecting its profits.
Geoffrey Supran is an Associate Professor at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, where he researches the history of climate disinformation by fossil fuel interests. Supran co-published a landmark 2023 Science paper that detailed how fossil fuel companies accurately and skillfully predicted in the 1970s that burning fossil fuels would lead to global warming catastrophic consequences for people and the environment, and chose to deny this publicly. His work explores the sociological dimensions of climate challenges and helps inform accountability initiatives. Supran was trained as a materials scientist at MIT, including inventing next-generation LEDs. While at Harvard, Supran was the co-founding Director of Climate Accountability Communication for the Climate Social Science Network. He has briefed U.S. lawmakers, testified before international bodies, and contributed to climate litigation. Supran’s research has been widely covered in major media.
Location - Hybrid Format:
- In-person: Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) Ballroom
- Virtual: Zoom information will be provided to registrants
Registration:
- This event is free to attend. Registration is required for Zoom access.
About the Series:
The Tracy and Ruth Storer Lectureship in the Life Sciences is the most prestigious of the endowed seminars at UC Davis. Established in 1960, the Storer Endowment makes it is possible to invite distinguished biological scientists to campus to present two lectures and meet with faculty members and graduate students in their field of interest. The series is presented by the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences.