Thread by @DoctorVive

The @OversightDems hearing into fossil-fuel disinformation, like the @nytimes @TBrandStudio ads that are exhibits in Congress' investigation, is getting underway!

Watch here👇

Let's gooo!

THREAD

oversight.house.gov/legislation/he…

Ok @RepMaloney is preaching the TRUTH in her opening remarks!

*The PR of the oil and gas companies is belied by their upstream investments and their lobbying to block climate policy.

HELL YES.

"We will not stop until we get to the truth." 💥

2/n

Rep. Comer is a fossil fuel ally who goes for the legitimacy of the hearings right out of the gate.

"Inflation"! "Gas Prices"! "Heating Bills"! "Immigrants"! "Afganistan"!

Nothing about the climate crisis here.

Too bad it's too early for a drinking game...

3/n

Rep. Comer pretends that this investigation arises out of @GreenpeaceUK's sting into @Mobil1 instead of the decades of deception as documented by @NaomiOreskes @GeoffreySupran @RBrulle @BenFranta et al.

4/n

.@RepRoKhanna: "This isn't about partisanship, this is about getting at the truth."

5/n

.@RepRoKhanna: "Spin doesn't work under oath."

Damn right.

6/n

I do wish Khanna would be less respectful to the executives in front of him. These hearings *should* be a moment when their power is diminished.

Also: FFS, climate change is not going to just kill *thousands*. It's doing that already!

7/n

We cannot pull punches here!! This is the moment when we have to go *all in*.

8/n

It drives me nuts that the Republicans always manage position themselves as the friend of the working people?

9/n

"China and India" Drink!

10/n

"Inflation" "Price of Gasoline" Drink twice!

11/n

The members on the right-wing NEVER mentions the reality of the climate crisis.

Just: costs, China and India, inflation, gas costs, etc etc etc

None of that has anything to do with decarbonization, which hasn't really started yet...

12/n

First up Darren Woods from Exxon. Touting the economic growth enabled by fossil fuels. TRUE.

But what about #ClimateChange? There's that little problem that the fossil-fuel system is destroying the planet that sustains our lives...

13/n

YES WE NEED ENERGY; NO WE DON'T NEED FOSSIL-FUEL ENERGY.

14/n

He's lying about what the @IEA said, and it's not that fossil fuels "can" contribute to climate change—they *are* most of the emissions causing climate change.

15/n

I give him 30 more secs until he brings up carbon capture.

First up: Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which don't count.

16/n

Ho! Carbon Capture!! What did I tell you?

17/n

Ho! "Innovation"! Drink!

Good thing I have a whole chapter on the word "innovation" in my book...

18/n

Their "conversations about climate policy" have all been lobbying against climate policy lol.

19/n

"All of us use and depend on today's energy system."

Well, duh. That doesn't mean this system needs to stay as it is forever...

20/n

Michael Wirth, reading off a teleprompter. (I'm sure they'll have talking points on their teleprompter for questions too.)

21/n

"We believe the future of energy is lower carbon."

No, bitch. It's ZERO carbon.

(This is why we need to replace "reduce emissions" with "virtually eliminate emissions.")

22/n

Reminder: global heating won't halt until we stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

23/n

One thing these guys are doing is trying to make the fossil-fuel system feel necessary and inevitable.

That's what ideology does: it makes the contingent and mutable seem immutable.

NOTHING built by humans is immutable.

24/n

Oh god, BP. The WORST greenwasher of them all. The biggest funder of energy researchers in academia (all of whom assume fossil fuels must stay in our energy system).

Yet even he says fossil fuels is the basis of the world system, as if the point isn't that that needs to change.

The BP messaging game is strong, but "this doesn't mean BP is getting out of the oil and gas business."

Remember that!! #SlipperySix

26/n

Gretchen Watkins of Shell. She's really, really good at using the language of advocates against us, including the word "equitable."

#SlipperySix

27/n

"Consumer demand"! "Innovation"! Drink!

28/n

Doesn't it seem weird that they're all on board with carbon pricing? Just might say something about the political economy of carbon pricing...

29/n

Ooh, the king of evil, Mike Sommers of API!

At least he admits that his job is to advocate for oil and gas...

30/n

It's a half-truth that fossil fuels are the basis of modern life. And even if it were totally true, there's that little problem that FOSSIL FUELS ARE DESTROYING THE LIVING WORLD.

31/n

"The world's growing need for energy."

This is a tricky talking point that has come up multiple times today. @RBrulle @NaomiOreskes

32/n

"Technology and innovation" Drink!

(By "innovation" mean CCD and CDR, neither of which will allow the fossil fuel *system* to continue—if they even work at scale, that is.)

33/n

"Experts agree that oil and gas will be the leading energy sources for decades to come."

WHICH experts? The ones that the industry funds???

If we continue to use oil and gas for decades my son and all our children are FUCKED.

34/n

Suzanne Clark: "humans are contributing to climate change."

Uh, no—we are causing all of it, you monster.

35/n

Sorry I just need to say to all these people—a parade of evil, of murderous sociopathy, the likes of which most people never see all in one place: FUCK YOU to all you all.

36/n

Anyway, is why I'm so worried about "legitimate" CDR advocacy: "innovation" as a stand-in for CCS and CDR is the fossil-fuel industry's main talking point right now. But CCS and CDR cannot be used to sustain the fossil fuel system. The math just doesn't cash out.

37/n

"Hard to abate emissions" is the main political battleground for the next phase of climate denial.

38/n

I'm not sure this oil and gas worker is really helping them...

39/n

.@RepMaloney asking for "yes or no answers."

40/n

.@RepMaloney: "Ms. Watkins doe you agree that addressing climate change is a 'code red' for humanity?"

Doesn't get a straight answer...

41/n

.@RepMaloney: "Ms. Watkins do you agree that climate change is an existential threat? yes or no?"

Doesn't get a straight answer...

42/n

.@RepMaloney "Mr. Woods when Exxon [claimed climate change was uncertain], were they consistent with the views of Exxon's own scientists?"

When he says their understanding was consistent with the "consensus," he is lying. @NaomiOreskes

43/n

.@RepMaloney makes the connection to the tobacco companies distorting the science—"we know that your scientists internally were saying [climate change] was a reality...I'm disappointed with the statement that you made."

YES QUEEN!

44/n

.@RepMaloney brings RECEIPTS! Putting Exxon's scientists' reports on the screen, reading them into the record. Ooooh this is so satisfying...

45/n

@RepMaloney "There is a clear conflict between what Exxon CEOs told the public and what Exxon scientists were telling the company."

INDEED THERE IS

46/n

.@RepMaloney is just BRINGING IT.

One document after another entered into the record.

This is actually happening. Entering the word "catastrophic" into the record—from "Exxon's own scientists."!

Hallelujah!

47/n

.@RepMaloney "Just THIS YEAR, an Exxon senior lobbyist was caught on video boasting on his efforts to deceive..."

And then she plays the @GreenpeaceUK clip.

Oh my god, this is INCREDIBLE.

48/n

.@RepMaloney asking them to pledge they will stop spending money to try to block the passage of climate policy or oppose efforts to reduce emissions—none of them will do it.

49/n

.@RepMaloney has real QUEEN energy. Bowing down!!

50/n

I hope @RepRoKhanna @KtreeThomas @RepMaloney mention that April 2021 the United Mine Workers of America, America's largest coal union, announced that it would accept a transition away from fossil fuels in exchange for new jobs in renewable energy.

51/n

Its proposed transition plan asks the Federal government to encourage safe-energy development in former coal country, retrain miners to work in safe energy, and guarantee their wages, health insurance, and pensions during the transition.

nytimes.com/live/2021/04/1…

52/n

@KtreeThomas The fastest-growing job in America is solar installer.

#SlipperySix

bls.gov/oes/current/na…

53/n

This UC Berkeley / Goldman School of Business study projects that decarbonization will create 500K jobs a year.

@RepMaloney @RepRoKhanna @KtreeThomas

2035report.com

54/n

The man of the hour @RepRoKhanna is up!

"I'm disappointed that you're not willing to say [past disinformation] is a mistake—that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence moving forward." 💥

55/n

.@RepRoKhanna Going after the companies for the fact that their upstream investments and their emissions reductions commitments don't AT ALL follow what both the science and the @IEA has said is required to halt warming at a relatively safe level. This is 🔥

56/n

.@RepRoKhanna "Are you embarrassed that your oil and gas production is going up and going down?"

"Are you committed to lowering production or not?"

"I'll take that as a no..."

57/n

.@RepRoKhanna "Ms. Watkins will you take the opportunity to ask the API to stop electric vehicle advertising?"

"If you tell him to stop it would be really helpful."

58/n

.@RepRoKhanna "Can you please tell API to stop the advertising against the methane fee?"

Holy shit YES: show the world that they're all allied and that the companies' greenwashing is part of a coordinated PR strategy.

59/n

.@RepRoKhanna: "Will each of you commit to leaving API if they continue to lobby against electric vehicles?"

silence...

60/n

Wow, this is really incredible.

"Will you commit to saying you won't fund any group spreading climate disinformation?"

"Will you commit to having an independent audit?"

61/n

.@RepRoKhanna "Any form of commitment in any way...?"

What he gets is a promise for "increased scrutiny" from Watkins. A non answer from BP, more greenwashing. "We don't always agree with the statements of industry groups."

No commitment from any of them...

62/n

"Gas prices" "China and India" Drink!

63/n

"Meeting increased demands for energy while reducing emissions." Drink!

64/n

"Low carbon production of traditional energy" = "keep producing oil and gas until the world is destroyed or we're taken over by governments and dismantled, whichever comes first."

65/n

Hello! That tree-hugging publication USA today fact checks the rising gas prices talking point, and lo!, those prices have nothing to do with Keystone XL or any clean energy policy.

usatoday.com/story/news/fac…

66/n

Rep. Hice from Georgia screaming out old-school climate denial, plus..."China and India"!

67/n

The Biden Administration has not passed any climate policy, yet somehow their climate policies have destroyed thousands of jobs.

68/n

"Energy independence"! Drink!

69/n

Republican Rep. Donalds from Florida. He is good at his job. Very dangerous.

70/n

Trying to get the execs to go on record with what carbon price they would support. Surprisingly none of them would give a number.

71/n

Rep. Cooper making the point that oil and gas subsidies aren't part of a market-based system.

Wirth: "Our products are taxed not subsidized."

That is a lie.

72/n

But can we get back to disinformation, please?

73/n

"The only industry that is reliable, affordable, and is the only industry that increases our global standing..."

The Congresswoman from New Mexico, drinking the petroleum...

74/n

.@CongressmanRaja "drilling down," as it were, into the definitions of Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions to show that the oil and gas companies' net zero commitments are vapor upon vapor...

75/n

Let's be clear: the only reason that Shell has pledged to zero out *absolute* emissions by 2050 is that they were *forced* to by a court in the Netherlands. What is @CongressmanRaja pursuing?

76/n

Let's be clear: lowering emissions by switching from coal to gas is STILL making global heating worse because we have to zero out emissions in order to halt heating.

77/n

I feel like this hearing is becoming an opportunity for the fossil fuel folks to spread more disinformation, becuz the Repubs are tag teaming with the execs to spread the gas prices, energy independence, "China and India," talking points and...

78/n

...none of the Democrats are explicitly countering those talking points!

😩

79/n

Ok, #Recess! Back at 1:45 EDT...

80/

Ok, we're back. I really don't have more to say right now, because I feel like the Repubs are in lockstep, amplifying their own talking points, and the Democrats ... well, I'm not sure what they're really doing. Allowing this to backfire, I fear...

81/n

Of course, Katie Porter and AOC have yet to do any questioning. So, we'll see...

82/n

.@RepSarbanes Making the good point that the oil and gas companies do not lobby for the #ParisAgreement.

83/n

Rep. Gibbs saying it's "shameful" to "demonize" the fossil fuel industry, because they've single-handedly created the modern world.

Too bad the fossil fuel system is destroying the livable world.

84/n

Gibbs also claims there are "no subsidies" for the oil and gas industry.

The committee needs to investigate the committee itself for disinformation.

85/n

.@RepRashida bringing the 🔥, exposing all the front groups that the industry uses to do their political dirty work.

86/n

Rep. Higgins claiming that the oil and gas companies have lowered emissions, that their plants are "clean and safe," with a crucifix over his right shoulder and the blue lives matter flag over his left, is enough to send me into a full rage.

87/n

OK, here's @RepKatiePorter! Here we go!!!

Love the container of M&Ms, showing the discrepancy between Shell's rhetoric and its spending, historical and present...

"THIS is greenwashing."

88/n

.@RepKatiePorter "You're trying to make people believe you're addressing the climate crisis while you continue to put money into producing fossil fuels."

89/n

.@RepKatiePorter *reclaiming her time* with the FACTS and the VISUALS illustrating how the oil and gas companies are lying about supporting climate action.

90/n

.@RepKatiePorter is a diva. *That* is what this hearing should be about.

91/n

It is *amazing* how hard the Repubs are sucking up to the oil and gas execs, with @PeteSessions apologizing like the fawning courtier that he is for their being held accountable by the @OversightDems.

What happened to red-state masculinity? I guess it kneels down to money...

92

A colleague tells me: @PeteSessions career oil & gas contributions: $1,433,975...

93/n

.@RepDeSaulnier making the point that #China is adding hundreds of thousands of charging stations and preparing for the clean-energy transition, because the economic future, insofar as we have one, lies in that transition. Yes!

94/n

"Innovation"! Drink!

95/n

Chevron highlights fracking as an example of innovation that both enables the US to become the biggest producer of fossil fuels and reduce emissions.

Reduce emissions *from coal*, that is, but still produce enough emissions to completely destroy the living world.

96/n

.@AOC here we gooooo...

97/n

.@AOC "Most lobbying heads are not as forthright about their efforts to influence US legislation." 🔥

98/n

.@AOC cuts off Sommers and brings him back to her point.

Turns to Exxon lobbying next.

99/n

I feel like the point that the oil and gas industry lobbies Congress is less important than the point that their business practices are destroying the conditions of the living world.

This line of questioning makes them seem like any other profit-seeking company. But let's see.

THERE IT IS

"Some of us will have to live in the future that you're creating."

THAT is the point. Thank you @AOC!

101/n

Ok, stepping away to do some other work. Back later!

I am back! Someone is making a film about fossil fuel disinformation and I was interviewed for it.

😊

Anyway, happy I got to see the very end, where @RepMaloney subpoenas documents from the oil and gas companies. Oh hell yes!

#SlipperySix #MoreToCome