Tag Archives: Climate Change

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CNBC Isn’t Reporting the Facts, But You Can


Media Matters for America
In June, Media Matters released a report showing that business news channel CNBC had cast doubt on science in more than half of its 2013 climate change coverage. [1] As the first analysis of its kind, the report was a wake-up call: by regularly denying climate science, CNBC was falling short of its core mission of providing “fast, accurate, actionable, [and] unbiased” business news to its viewers.

Environmental groups mobilized in response to the findings, collecting 42,000 signatures urging CNBC to improve its climate reporting. [2]

Four months after first sounding the alarm, Media Matters conducted a follow-up study to see if CNBC had adjusted its coverage. [3] Remarkably, we found that climate denial at the network actually increased, rising from 51 percent to 55 percent of climate reporting. Worse, one-third of the segments that did accurately report the science occurred during a limited “special week of climate coverage” on Worldwide Exchange, which airs at 4 AM ET. [4]

Help us let CNBC viewers know that they aren’t getting all the facts.

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that climate change exists, and more and more businesses are deciding that they can’t afford to wait and see. According to a recent study, more than 70 percent of companies think climate change can significantly affect their revenues—and many are already hedging against the risk. [5] In fact, businesses are becoming leading climate advocates: more than 650 major U.S. companies have already signed a letter calling for stronger federal clean energy laws [6], and just last month, nearly two dozen leading U.S. businesses announced support for carbon pollution standards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency for new power plants. [7]

In business, there’s a clear trend toward taking climate science seriously—but on CNBC, there’s a clear trend toward dismissing and distorting it. As a network that prides itself on serving the information needs of the business community, CNBC is failing its viewers and damaging its reputation by rejecting science.

Last month, we sent a letter to CNBC, offering to help develop a plan to gradually improve its climate reporting. The network dismissed this outreach.

CNBC is ignoring scientists and media watchdogs, so it’s time to bring the truth to an audience it can’t ignore: its viewers.

CNBC has had multiple opportunities to address its climate denial problem, but has only let it get worse. At this point, the network can no longer claim ignorance: CNBC is intentionally misleading its viewers about climate change, and it needs to stop.

To push back, Media Matters will charter a fleet of fuel-efficient mobile billboards to blanket major U.S. financial districts with ads calling out CNBC for denying climate science.

Can you chip in $5 to help fund a billboard?

With your participation, we can scale up our efforts to expose the bad business of CNBC’s climate denial to the viewers that determine its bottom line.

Cynthia Padera
Campaigns Manager
Media Matters for America

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[1] REPORT: CNBC’s Climate Denial Is Bad For Business http://mm4a.org/12GKKLW

[2] Environmentalists Deliver 42,000-Signature Petition For Better Climate Coverage To CNBC Headquarters http://mm4a.org/1dE9gSI

[3] REPORT: CNBC Still Deeply In (Climate) Denial http://mm4a.org/1doZkKa

[4] After Petition, CNBC Unveils A “Special Week Of Climate Coverage” http://mm4a.org/156wbkn

[5] Carbon Disclosure Project and Accenture: “Reducing risk and driving business value” https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/News/CDP%20News%20Article%20Pages/major-climate-threat-to-global-supply-chains.aspx

[6] CERES: Major U.S. Companies Call For Climate Change Action http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/major-u.s.-companies-call-for-climate-change-action

[7] CERES: Major U.S. Companies and Investors Support Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/major-u.s.-companies-and-investors-support-carbon-pollution-standards-for-new-power-plants
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The Climate Reality Project


The Climate Reality Project

Deniers claim there’s no scientific consensus on climate change. They claim man-made global warming is a hoax. They blame volcanoes and sunspots. Deniers are the roadblocks to real progress — and we need to do something about it.

So today, we’re asking for your help.

Congress is back in session this month. And some of these very decision makers heading back to Washington this month are still in denial.

If it’s anything like we’ve been seeing lately, it’s likely that any legislative progress will continue to be stalled … especially progress towards a solution that puts a price on carbon pollution.

Look, you and I know the scientific consensus on climate change is abundantly clear — in fact — 97 percent of all climate scientists will tell you human activities are causing our atmosphere to heat up. And this fundamental change in our climate is having devastating effects across the globe.

That’s why we’re asking you to help set the record straight with a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Last month, you helped us put the heat on climate change deniers by debunking myths through Reality Drop and social media. Today, we hope you’ll take your dedication to a different media — your local paper.

Writing a letter to the editor is quick, easy, and best of all, extremely effective. We’ve even got you started with some base language. Feel free to use as much or as little as you want. Click here for step-by-step instructions and a bank of denier quotes to help drive your point home.

Climate change is happening. You know it. We know it. Get your message into your local newspaper, and even more people will know the truth about climate change.

Thanks for your continued activism,

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It’s Us Alright


The Climate Reality Project Can you feel the heat? We sure can.

And while temperatures rise, big corporations and Congress continue to claim, “It’s not us — it’s natural,” when you and I both know they’re repeating lies coming straight from Big Oil and Big Coal.

“It’s not us” is another abominable myth about climate change… and we need your voice to help destroy this myth today. Let’s crank up the heat on climate change deniers.

Deniers love to say: “Okay, climate change is happening. But it has natural causes, and humans have nothing to do with it.”

Just ask 97 percent of climate scientists: Man-made carbon pollution is the cause of global warming. The consensus is overwhelming.

Yet somehow, deniers just keep rehashing these same old myths and the news media keeps repeating them — confusing the public when people like you and I know the truth is cut and dry.

That’s why this week, in response to Organizing for Action‘s efforts to keep the climate change conversation top-of-mind, we’re putting the #HeatOnDenial by making anti-science deniers sweat. Together with our friends at Organizing For America, we can raise the temperature of this hot topic.

So take a moment, head to our Reality Drop application, and help destroy the “It’s Not Us” myth –– and together we’ll be one step closer to solving the climate crisis.

Thanks for your continued dedication,
The Climate Reality Team

P.S. Never used Reality Drop? Here’s the scoop on how to start dropping truth on climate myths in the media.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

get Ready to ride … Ian Duff, Greenpeace


  On Sunday, September 15, 2013 we’re organizing the biggest event in defense of the Arctic in history. In cities around the world, we’re going to fill the streets with people riding bikes in support of the Arctic. We’re planning some big surprises and will send you more information later on, but for now add it to your calendar.
         Click here to find out more, and sign up for the Ice Ride!
Last month, when six young women took the world’s breath away by climbing a skyscraper in protest against Shell drilling in the Arctic, they asked: “What will YOU do to save the Arctic?”
This is your chance to answer that call, to speak out for the polar bears who have no voice of their own, to defend one of the world’s last pristine sanctuaries from the ravages of dirty oil companies. 
Mid-September is usually a heartbreaking time for the Arctic, because the sea ice is melting in free fall, reaching new record lows every year. But this year, we’re going to mark it with a celebration instead. Our movement of millions has taken the first steps to protect this incredible place. We will continue fighting and growing — and we will succeed.
If you believe, like we do, that making a change in this world is still possible, then add your name to the Ice Ride. Let’s show Shell and the whole world that we care about saving the Arctic, for all of us.
Click here to tell us you’re in, and forward this email to family and friends so they can reserve their places too.
See you there!
Ian Duff          Arctic Campaign          Greenpeace