WEBVTT
00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.759
Welcome to Talking Climate with Katherine Hahoe.
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:18.320
Each episode, we explore how climate change is affecting the people, places, and things we love and what we can do to make a difference.
00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:26.320
From science to solutions and stories that inspire, you're in the right place for real talk about real change.
00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:35.759
This week we're talking about resisting climate doom, big oil's$45 billion quarter, and how you can make polluters pay.
00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:37.359
Let's dive in.
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.799
Good news.
00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:51.840
If you're familiar with this newsletter, you know I often explain how doomerism is not an effective strategy to catalyze action.
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:52.880
Why not?
00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:58.240
Because although negative news may get more clicks, the social science is clear.
00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:03.759
Focusing exclusively on negative news makes people think there's nothing we can do.
00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:06.480
They check out or even give up.
00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:14.239
This is why I always sandwich the not-so-good news between the good news and what you can do.
00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.480
But a new study shows there is more we can do.
00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:25.599
Researchers showed people a short pre-bunking video before they scrolled through negative climate headlines.
00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:39.920
Those who watched it became better at spotting climate doom, news that either implies or outright claims there's nothing we can do about climate change, and were more likely to flag it, dislike it, and share it less.
00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:48.879
They also found that when people saw doom-filled headlines as manipulative, they were less likely to engage in pro-climate action.
00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:54.000
In other words, fear without a sense of agency can backfire.
00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.400
The takeaway is encouraging.
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:13.280
People can learn to recognize messages that falsely suggest nothing can be done without becoming more skeptical of accurate climate news, which is honestly quite bad enough, at a moment when hopelessness can spread as quickly as misinformation.
00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:20.479
This new study offers a powerful way to keep people informed, engaged, and ready to act.
00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:13.919
So while these impacts keep accelerating, affecting our health and our livelihoods, and causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage every year, what are those companies doing?
00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:21.360
Burning more fossil fuels, of course, and making an absolute ton of money doing so.
00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:40.560
A new study last week from Oxfam projects that BP, Chevron, Any, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Total Energies will earn a combined$44 billion in the second quarter of 2026, nearly twice the previous quarter, and they aren't ramping back either.
00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:46.319
They collectively plan to increase production by 14% by 2030.
00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:57.599
There is a staggeringly obvious solution to this massive inequity, where the richest companies make more money while the communities least responsible bear the brunt of the impacts.
00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:03.439
Apart from the most obvious, of course, transitioning away from fossil fuels entirely.
00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:18.720
Why not tax these record profits and use the money to help communities prepare for extreme heat and recover from climate disasters and transition to clean energy so they don't need to use fossil fuels?
00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:30.240
It is only fair and just that the companies fueling the crisis should help pay for the damage they are creating, not the families suffering its worst effects.
00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:32.959
But making polluters pay isn't easy.
00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:36.000
It will take sustained public pressure.
00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:40.079
Thankfully, the next section shows where to start.
00:04:48.399 --> 00:05:02.560
Talk about the unfairness at the heart of this story, a handful of companies earning billions while ordinary families pay for those profits through higher bills, damaged homes, lost work, and worsening health.
00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:09.680
Most people have never heard that connection made out loud, and that silence is exactly what lets it continue.
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:14.319
You don't have to be a scientist or a policy expert to say something.
00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:22.560
You just have to be willing to say that this isn't right to your friends, your family, your elected officials, anyone who will listen.
00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:26.959
That's how private frustration becomes public pressure.
00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:32.560
As Jim's newsletter showed last week, public pressure really can make a difference.
00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.199
Governments have the power to shift the cost back onto polluters.
00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:51.120
As citizens, it's our responsibility to make it politically impossible for them to ignore, show them that their constituents care, not only by voting, but also by calling, writing, and emailing them.
00:05:51.279 --> 00:06:01.759
I even partnered with an artist, Lauren James, in 2024 to make free, mailable coloring book pages that offer a creative way to get kids involved.
00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.959
We can't do this alone, but I'm convinced we can do it together.
00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:34.079
And using our voice is an action every one of us can take.talkingclimate.ca.
00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.839
Until next time, keep talking climate.
00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.759
Welcome to Talking Climate with Katherine Hahoe.
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:18.320
Each episode, we explore how climate change is affecting the people, places, and things we love and what we can do to make a difference.
00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:26.320
From science to solutions and stories that inspire, you're in the right place for real talk about real change.
00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:35.759
This week we're talking about resisting climate doom, big oil's$45 billion quarter, and how you can make polluters pay.
00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:37.359
Let's dive in.
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.799
Good news.
00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:51.840
If you're familiar with this newsletter, you know I often explain how doomerism is not an effective strategy to catalyze action.
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:52.880
Why not?
00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:58.240
Because although negative news may get more clicks, the social science is clear.
00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:03.759
Focusing exclusively on negative news makes people think there's nothing we can do.
00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:06.480
They check out or even give up.
00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:14.239
This is why I always sandwich the not-so-good news between the good news and what you can do.
00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.480
But a new study shows there is more we can do.
00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:25.599
Researchers showed people a short pre-bunking video before they scrolled through negative climate headlines.
00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:39.920
Those who watched it became better at spotting climate doom, news that either implies or outright claims there's nothing we can do about climate change, and were more likely to flag it, dislike it, and share it less.
00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:48.879
They also found that when people saw doom-filled headlines as manipulative, they were less likely to engage in pro-climate action.
00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:54.000
In other words, fear without a sense of agency can backfire.
00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.400
The takeaway is encouraging.
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:13.280
People can learn to recognize messages that falsely suggest nothing can be done without becoming more skeptical of accurate climate news, which is honestly quite bad enough, at a moment when hopelessness can spread as quickly as misinformation.
00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:20.479
This new study offers a powerful way to keep people informed, engaged, and ready to act.
00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:13.919
So while these impacts keep accelerating, affecting our health and our livelihoods, and causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage every year, what are those companies doing?
00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:21.360
Burning more fossil fuels, of course, and making an absolute ton of money doing so.
00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:40.560
A new study last week from Oxfam projects that BP, Chevron, Any, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Total Energies will earn a combined$44 billion in the second quarter of 2026, nearly twice the previous quarter, and they aren't ramping back either.
00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:46.319
They collectively plan to increase production by 14% by 2030.
00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:57.599
There is a staggeringly obvious solution to this massive inequity, where the richest companies make more money while the communities least responsible bear the brunt of the impacts.
00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:03.439
Apart from the most obvious, of course, transitioning away from fossil fuels entirely.
00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:18.720
Why not tax these record profits and use the money to help communities prepare for extreme heat and recover from climate disasters and transition to clean energy so they don't need to use fossil fuels?
00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:30.240
It is only fair and just that the companies fueling the crisis should help pay for the damage they are creating, not the families suffering its worst effects.
00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:32.959
But making polluters pay isn't easy.
00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:36.000
It will take sustained public pressure.
00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:40.079
Thankfully, the next section shows where to start.
00:04:48.399 --> 00:05:02.560
Talk about the unfairness at the heart of this story, a handful of companies earning billions while ordinary families pay for those profits through higher bills, damaged homes, lost work, and worsening health.
00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:09.680
Most people have never heard that connection made out loud, and that silence is exactly what lets it continue.
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:14.319
You don't have to be a scientist or a policy expert to say something.
00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:22.560
You just have to be willing to say that this isn't right to your friends, your family, your elected officials, anyone who will listen.
00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:26.959
That's how private frustration becomes public pressure.
00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:32.560
As Jim's newsletter showed last week, public pressure really can make a difference.
00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.199
Governments have the power to shift the cost back onto polluters.
00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:51.120
As citizens, it's our responsibility to make it politically impossible for them to ignore, show them that their constituents care, not only by voting, but also by calling, writing, and emailing them.
00:05:51.279 --> 00:06:01.759
I even partnered with an artist, Lauren James, in 2024 to make free, mailable coloring book pages that offer a creative way to get kids involved.
00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.959
We can't do this alone, but I'm convinced we can do it together.
00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:34.079
And using our voice is an action every one of us can take.talkingclimate.ca.
00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.839
Until next time, keep talking climate.
