As we face historical heatwaves (and more fun things like tornados, floods and all) the urgent need to mitigate climate change and the transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources have taken center stage. One of the shifts one can make is to adopt a heat pump, a technology that offers significant potential in reducing carbon emissions. However, recent revelations from an investigative report by Desmog have brought to light a campaign orchestrated by a UK gas lobby group to counter the ascent of heat pumps. It's not new that the gas lobby has historically wielded influence to protect its interests. The Desmog report peels back the layers of an orchestrated media blitz aimed at undermining the adoption of heat pumps. In the past two years, the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) has paid the public affairs firm WPR Agency to generate hundreds of articles and interviews to “help change the direction of government policy”.
Negative stories about electric heat pumps have featured in outlets such as The Sun, Telegraph, and The Express, in which damning headlines dub the technology “Soviet-style”, “financially irrational” as well as “costly and noisy”. Broadcast media has amplified similar messages on BBC 2’s Newsnight, LBC, TalkTV and GB News.
The tactics employed by the gas lobby group range from subtle misinformation to outright discrediting of heat pump technology. Through carefully crafted narratives and strategic placements in media outlets, the lobby aims to sow doubt among consumers and policymakers about the feasibility and reliability of heat pumps. By manipulating public perception, they hope to stop the momentum of this crucial clean energy transition.
Heat pumps can efficiently heat and cool spaces while emitting significantly fewer greenhouse gases, representing a promising solution for reducing carbon footprints. The gas industry, facing the prospect of declining demand and revenue, has evidently felt threatened by the ascent of this technology. The media campaign unveiled by Desmog shows the power struggle between traditional fossil fuel industries and the imperative of the energy transition. We can't let the fossil fuel industry manipulate the public opinion. We need unbiased, science-based discourse that empowers decision-makers to make informed choices.
https://www.desmog.com/2023/07/20/revealed-media-blitz-against-heat-pumps-funded-by-gas-lobby-group/
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Dear Sarah Chabane Your climate warning has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Energy and Utilities Alliance by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Adam, We Don't Have Time
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A crucial reminder that our path to sustainability faces challenges and we must remain vigilant in our pursuit of a greener future.
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@dickson_mutai Very true,we have the solution and the will.
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Scaling up heat pumps holds a lot of promise for curbing climate-warming emissions.
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Heat pump technology is one of the ways to help reduce the global impact of greenhouse gases.
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Displacing oil and solid fuel usage with air source heat pump technology could offer household cost savings and reductions in emissions.
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The gas lobby should grow concerns about its own environmental impact and push for greener alternatives instead of focusing on maintaining its relevance of gas as an energy source. 🤔
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@princess_nel_268 yes... sadly they decided to go the other way