How Donors Trust distributed millions to anti-climate groups | Environment Dozens of exhibitors promote their oil and gas related businesses. By 2010, Donors Trust had distributed $118m to 102 thinktanks or action groups. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA The secretive funding channel known as the Donors Trust patronised a host of conservative causes. But climate was at the top of the list. By 2010, Donors Trust had distributed $118m to 102 thinktanks or action groups which have a record of denying the existence of a human factor in climate change, or opposing environmental regulations. Recipients included some of the best-known thinktanks on the right. But relatively obscure organisations did not go overlooked. Americans for Prosperity, the Tea Party group seen as the strike force of the conservative oil billionaire Koch Brothers, received $11m since 2002. Levi Russell, spokesman for Americans for Prosperity, declined to comment on the importance of that support to the organisation.
Centrica withdraws from new UK nuclear projects | Environment Energy company Centrica has abandoned its plans for building new nuclear reactors in the UK, blaming rising costs and construction delays. The move is a blow to the government's aspirations to build the most ambitious fleet of new reactors in Europe, and comes on the day MPs severely criticised the management of nuclear waste at Sellafield and after Cumbria county council rejected proposals for a deep burial site to permanently dispose of the waste. Centrica will forfeit its 20% option on four new nuclear plants planned by EDF in Somerset and Suffolk, writing down £200m in the process. Centrica's exit means no major UK company remains involved in plans for new nuclear reactors in the UK, but Centrica retains its 20% stake in eight existing nuclear power stations. Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of Centrica, said: "We believe that nuclear generation has a valuable role to play in a balanced UK energy mix. Source: World Nuclear Report, and Guardian research
Major News Outlets Give Fossil-Fuel-Funded Think Tanks a Free Platform Robert Bryce has written op-eds for several major newspapers—which have failed to mention that he works for the fossil-fuel-backed Manhattan Institute. Photograph of Robert Bryce: Larry D Moore / Wikimedia Commons; oil field: IRC / Shutterstock The fossil fuel industry has long been a source of talking points and "studies" aimed at spreading doubt about climate change, and over the past few years, it has broadened its scope to undermine support for clean energy, as well. Often, this criticism is published in the form of articles in major media outlets—penned by employees of think tanks who don't disclose their groups' industry funding, a new study finds. The Checks and Balances Project, a pro-clean-energy watchdog group, surveyed stories published over the past five years in 60 news outlets, including national and regional newspapers, the Associated Press, and Politico. Other conservative think tanks have jumped in the clean-tech-bashing game, too.
EDF's vengeful £5m No Dash for Gas lawsuit is corporate and PR suicide | George Monbiot | Environment "Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?" The current answer to Alexander Pope's question is the power company Électricité de France (EDF). It is suing 21 climate change activists for £5m as a result of their week-long occupation of its power station at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. In doing so it has made the biggest strategic mistake since McDonald's pursued two impoverished activists - and inflicted more damage on its brand than its critics had ever managed. Already the company's customers are leaving in droves, and letting other people know why. The people who occupied the power station's chimney in November last year were prompted to act by the highest motives. For this, EDF, a company largely owned by the French state, has decided to ruin them. Scarcely a human freedom has been obtained without the help of public protest. By comparison to its predecessors, the environmental movement is remarkably peaceful and restrained. But I was not quite up to date. www.monbiot.com
Stichting Nederland Kennisland homepage Climate sceptics 'capture' the Weblog Awards science category | Leo Hickman | Environment February is the best month of the year for fans of emotional acceptance speeches. Baftas, Oscars, Grammys, the Brits - there's a lot of mothers and agents to thank. Ever since 2001, blogs have had their own opportunity to have their moment in the spotlight and chance to bath in adulation. As with any online voting system, there is always scope for "gaming" the system – as well as a motivation among interest groups to do so. However, over the past couple of years there has been growing concern about the reliability of the "Science or Technology" category, which was first created in 2011. There's no doubt that some climate sceptic sites, such as Watts Up With That, openly tout for nominations and votes. Given the strength, depth and range of science and technology blogs out there, how could these blogs – some of which are hardly known by participants in the online "climate debate", let alone beyond – be picked in this way? Is the voting system 100% secure, I asked?
Joeri van den Steenhoven vertrekt als voorzitter van Kennisland Joeri van den Steenhoven vertrekt per 1 september a.s. als voorzitter van Stichting Nederland Kennisland. ”Twaalf jaar geleden heb ik Kennisland mede opgericht en sinds 2006 heb ik er als voorzitter leiding mogen geven. Nu is het voor mij tijd voor een nieuwe uitdaging.” Chris Sigaloff, de huidige vicevoorzitter, zal hem opvolgen. Stichting Nederland Kennisland is een onafhankelijke denktank die de Nederlandse kenniseconomie wil versterken. Kennisland heeft er altijd hard aan gewerkt om haar visie in de praktijk te brengen. Joeri van den Steenhoven heeft vele vernieuwende projecten bedacht, ontwikkeld en uitgevoerd. Naast Kennisland is hij bestuurslid bij de Europese denktank Lisbon Council, lid van de Raad van Toezicht van het Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten en lid van de Raad van Advies van Nuffic. Voor hem is nu het moment gekomen Kennisland over te dragen aan een nieuwe generatie. Chris Sigaloff wordt de nieuwe voorzitter van Kennisland.
The Twisted Ethics of Environmental Protest » Climate Resistance Environmental activism is most noted for ‘direct action’ — behaviour that has two fundamental characteristics. 1. It is highly visible. 2. It is disruptive to the operations of some activity or other. Direct action is necessary, I have argued, because the environmental movement isn’t a movement at all. If the environmental movement were able to mobilise large numbers of people, it would be able to assert itself without recourse to high profile, camera-friendly stunts. Another tendency of direct activists is their claim to impunity. Famously, Jim Hansen gave evidence at a trial of environmental protesters who had tried to shut down operations at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station. This appeal for immunity from the law has again been claimed by protesters in the ‘No Dash for Gas‘ (NDG) campaign. Early on Monday 29th October, sixteen people scaled the chimneys of West Burton gas-fired power station, shutting it down and halting further construction. That’s not oppression.