Petroleum Papers: Inside the Far-Right Conspiracy to Cover Up Climate Change

Climate journalist Geoff Dembicki investigates the strategic efforts of oil companies and right-wing organizations to suppress climate science and block environmental regulations. The book draws from previously unpublished documents, insider accounts, and correspondence between key figures in the fossil fuel industry and conservative political sphere. Through extensive research and interviews, Dembicki traces campaigns spanning multiple decades that aimed to discredit climate scientists and maintain public doubt about global warming. The narrative follows the money trail between petroleum corporations and think tanks, revealing the networks and tactics used to influence policy makers and shape public opinion. The investigation centers on Alberta's tar sands and the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, examining the roles of Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, and other major players in the petroleum sector. Key documents expose the messaging strategies and coordinated actions taken to protect industry interests in the face of mounting environmental concerns. The book illuminates broader themes about corporate power, political influence, and the manipulation of scientific consensus in service of profit. It raises fundamental questions about democracy and accountability in an era of climate crisis.

Readers describe this as a detailed investigation of oil companies' efforts to discredit climate science, backed by extensive research and documentation. Several note the clear writing style makes complex topics accessible. Positive comments focus on: - Documentation of corporate decision-making through internal memos - Clear explanation of the networks between industry and think tanks - Engaging narrative structure despite dense subject matter Common criticisms include: - Too much focus on Canadian oil companies vs global scope - Some repetition between chapters - Could have provided more solutions/calls to action Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (124 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (31 ratings) Reader quote: "Reads like a thriller but it's all true and meticulously sourced. The internal documents are damning." - Goodreads reviewer Critic quote: "The focus on Canada's oil sands feels narrow when climate change is global." - Amazon reviewer

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The New Climate War by Michael E. Mann The documentation of fossil fuel companies' strategies to deflect responsibility for climate change and delay meaningful action through sophisticated propaganda campaigns.

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🔎 The book draws heavily from the "Global Climate Science Communications Plan," a 1998 document revealing how fossil fuel companies and right-wing think tanks planned to deliberately create doubt about climate science. 🌍 Author Geoff Dembicki spent seven years investigating climate change denial networks, conducting over 200 interviews and reviewing thousands of documents. 💼 The book reveals how Koch Industries, one of America's largest private companies, spent more than $145 million between 1997 and 2018 funding climate denial groups and initiatives. 📚 Dembicki connects modern climate denial tactics to earlier disinformation campaigns by the tobacco industry, showing how many of the same PR firms and strategies were employed. 🗞️ The research exposes a network of over 4,556 individuals with ties to fossil fuel companies and think tanks who wrote newspaper op-eds questioning climate science between 2000-2016, often without disclosing their industry connections.