As you drive through the cities of Phoenix, Arizona, Austin, Texas, or Fresno, California, this week, you may notice a peculiar advertisement on the billboards. A group of climate activists has taken to the highways, spreading a powerful message aimed at the oil and gas industry. The non-profit media organization Fossil Free Media has launched a series of billboards highlighting the role of Big Oil in fueling climate disasters.
The ads feature a map of temperature records broken across the country this summer, topped with the phrase: “Brought to you by Big Oil.” This bold move comes as millions of people continue to face heat advisories and as climate scientists warn that July was the hottest month on record since 1880. The scorching heatwaves witnessed across the US and Europe this summer would have been “virtually impossible” without the climate crisis, driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels.
“At this point, the most important thing we can do is connect the dots between the extreme weather people are seeing and the fossil fuel industry driving it,” said Jamie Henn of Fossil Free Media. Henn’s organization is urging the public to recognize the devastating impact of the fossil fuel industry on the environment.
Heat is the deadliest form of extreme weather in the US, and record-breaking temperatures this summer could lead to unprecedented numbers of heat-related deaths nationwide, experts caution. The Biden administration has acknowledged the dangers of heatwaves and has taken steps to assist communities in coping with them. However, despite these efforts, the president has approved new fossil fuel projects, sparking criticism from Henn and other climate activists.
March to End Fossil Fuels“The feeling is that after this summer, where we saw the climate crisis spin out of control, we might be able to muster the political energy necessary to pressure for what scientists say is necessary: stopping new fossil fuel projects,” Henn said.
On September 17, thousands of climate activists will take to the streets in New York City during the “March to End Fossil Fuels.” The protest, convened by a coalition of groups including Fossil Free Media, aims to push the Biden administration to take bold steps to phase out fossil fuels. The event will take place days before the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit, where UN Secretary-General António Guterres has vowed to make it a “no-nonsense” conference.
The invitation to the summit is open, but the price of entry is clear: genuine climate action that will move the needle forward. Henn emphasized that this means a plan to stop new coal, oil, and gas development and phase out fossil fuel development overall. As it stands, the White House lacks such a plan, leaving activists to demand action.
“If the president wants to be a climate leader on the global stage, this is an area he really needs to prioritize,” Henn said, echoing the call to action for the march and the summit. As the climate crisis worsens, it is imperative that policymakers and citizens alike prioritize the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels and toward a sustainable, renewable future.