Polluters should pay, not taxpayers

​The headlines this summer make it easy to feel as if nothing can be done: record heat and wildfires continue, while fossil fuel companies rake in billions. But feeling powerless is exactly the trap, and this week there’s new science on how to avoid it. Read on!

🧠 Good news: Watching a short “prebunking” video helps people across the political spectrum spot debilitating climate doom for what it is, and share it less.

🛢️ Not-so-good news: The same fossil fuel emissions driving this summer’s heat and wildfires are making their producers richer than ever, with Oxfam projecting that six major oil companies will earn a combined $45 billion in Q2 of 2026, nearly double their Q1 earnings.

🗣️ What you can do: Use your voice: talk about the unfairness at the heart of this story, where a handful of companies earn billions while families pay through higher bills, lost work, and worse health.

When we change social norms, we activate societal tipping points. Your voice is more powerful than you think 💚

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://voiceoverfortheplanet.com/) for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Post-production and mix by John Crowley at Loudmouth Studio (https://www.loudmouthstudio.com/) .

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca (https://www.talkingclimate.ca?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1) ​Read More

Katherine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist and climate communicator who serves as chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and as a professor at Texas Tech University. She is known globally for her work translating climate science for broad audiences and for championing climate action through faith-based and community engagement.