October 25, 2024: ‘Money in Exchange for Silence’: Behind Neom’s Green Image, Western Firms Cash in on Saudi Commitment to Oil. PR and consulting agencies are being paid millions to focus the world’s attention on a promised “eco-city”—obscuring human rights abuses and Saudi Arabia’s long record of climate obstruction.

September 17, 2024: A Ponzi Scheme of Promises. Five years after the Business Roundtable ‘redefined’ the purpose of the corporation, has anything changed?

September 10, 2024: How China and a tariffs row cast a shadow over booming US solar power (written with Andrew Gumbel). The source of new renewable energy is also a battleground over China’s cheap exports of panels that has split U.S. firms. [I contributed to this story, which was reported and written by Andrew Gumbel]

June 13, 2024: ‘Thumb on the Scale’: Big Oil Aims to Cash in on Hydrogen Tax Credits—with Natural Gas. At the Hydrogen Americas Summit, fossil fuel giants attempt to redefine “clean” hydrogen, with profits in mind.

June 13, 2024: ‘Perilous for democracy, good for profits’: Is big business ready to love Trump again? Once-critical CEOs have reasons to back a second Trump term, with plans for tax breaks and reduced worker power.

May 1, 2024: Congressional Investigation Reveals New Evidence of Big Oil’s Decades-Long Campaign to Deny Climate Science. Fossil fuel industry efforts to delay inquiries highlight its sense of impunity—and echo tactics used to obstruct climate action and deceive the public.

March 22, 2024: Fossil Fuel Lobby Kicks off Disinformation Campaign Against EPA Auto Emissions Rule. The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, a major oil refining group, is once again behind a push to keep cars running on oil.

March 21, 2024: A Green New Shine for a Tired Playbook. ‘Climate the Movie’ portrays today’s climate denier agenda by rehashing the same old fossil fuel talking points and trolling the left.

March 1, 2024: ‘Huge tax breaks’: private equity prepares for a boon from Congress. Billions in private equity and corporate taxes could be rolled back, along with what critics say is a sop for child tax credits.

February 29, 2024: Trump gave top US firms staggering tax cuts, with some paying $0 or less—report. Among lowest taxpayers were companies whose CEOs have become high-profile advocates for corporate social responsibility.

February 16, 2024: The Stories Corporations Tell. Two new histories of American capitalism reveal how alluring narratives have nurtured corporate power.

February 15, 2024: Report: Plastics, Oil Industry Deceived Public on Recycling Use for More Than 50 Years. Industries knew plastics could not be recycled, yet they promoted it to boost profits, echoing Big Tobacco’s campaigns of deception.

February 8, 2024: Michael Mann Wins $1 Million Verdict In Defamation Trial (written with Diane Bernard). Victory over climate deniers sends a strong message in defense of climate science and scientists.

February 7, 2024: Climate Scientist’s Defamation Suit Goes to the Jury. Michael E. Mann is seeking punitive damages from two conservative bloggers who attacked his work and reputation.

January 30, 2024: At Mann’s Defamation Trial, Defendants Are Doubling Down on Climate Denial. Debunked conspiracy theories are becoming part of the official court record.

January 12, 2024: How Fossil Fuels Found Their Influencers. Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm, used its authoritative research on consumer trust to help fossil fuel companies fight climate action.

January 12, 2024: US corporations push to roll back Trump-era tax policies they once endorsed. An agreement is emerging that ties the corporate tax breaks to an increase in support for vulnerable American families.

November 28, 2023: The King of Wall Street B.S. A new biography of Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, offers a damning indictment of the elite compulsion to conflate wealth with genius.

November 24, 2023: Revealed: how top PR firm uses ‘trust barometer’ to promote world’s autocrats. Edelman, world’s largest public relations company, paid millions by Saudi Arabia, UAE and other repressive regimes.

May 17, 2023: The Billionaires Who Are Threatening Democracy. In his new book, the historian Quinn Slobodian writes about the ideologues who believe that society should prioritize capital, not people.

March 6, 2023: Big Consulting’s New Con. ESG and sustainability are the latest manifestations of a tried-and-true strategy for the consulting industry.

February 27, 2023: ‘Crafting an illusion’: US rail firms’ multimillion-dollar PR push. Norfolk Southern, the company behind the Ohio train crash, and other rail firms spent millions on marketing and lobbying.

January 15, 2023: The world’s biggest PR firm claims to be an expert on trust—but is it? Edelman, which will publish the latest edition of its ‘trust barometer’ at Davos, says trust is its legacy—but critics say it’s reluctant to follow its own advice.

December 22, 2022: The American PR firm helping Saudi Arabia clean up its image. Edelman signed $9.6m in deals with the Saudi government over the past four years to sanitize the Islamic kingdom’s image.

December 6, 2022: The Companies That Are Killing Creativity. ‘Chokepoint capitalists’ discourage creativity and dehumanize workers—all while making investors and executives rich.

November 20, 2022: The savior CEO and the empty promise of ‘stakeholder capitalism’. Companies may claim to serve employees, communities and the planet—but two books show profit still comes first.

November 6, 2022: Biden’s climate bill victory was hard won. Now, the real battle starts. Implementing the $369bn Inflation Reduction Act amid tight deadlines and high-stakes midterm elections will be a challenge.

October 11, 2022: A Progressive, and Persuasive, Case for a Politics of Persuasion. Anand Giridharadas’s ‘The Persuaders’ profiles activists, organizers, and change-makers charting a path to power through changing minds and ‘calling in.’

September 15, 2022: Republicans plan legal assault on climate disclosure rules for public companies. The SEC’s proposed new rules, which would require public corporations to disclose climate-related information, have been criticized by industry groups.

August 19, 2022: How a top US business lobby promised climate action—but worked to block efforts. The Business Roundtable is spending liberally to weaken efforts that would enable investors to hold companies accountable for their climate promises.

June 17, 2022: End-of-the-World Novels Are ‘Memento Mori’ for Civilization. Why envisioning the collapse of civilization can be unexpectedly life-affirming.

April 8, 2022: How BlackRock Is Exploiting The Climate Crisis. In this week’s Lever/Breaking Points conversation, Adam Lowenstein discusses how the investment giant stands to win, no matter what happens to our planet. 🎥

April 4, 2022: For BlackRock, The Climate Crisis Is a Win-Win-Win. No matter how — or whether — governments tackle climate change, the world’s biggest asset manager has positioned itself to cash in.

February 15, 2022: ‘McKinsey for Kids’: An Insidious Tool Kit for Spreading Corporate Influence. By projecting an image of expertise and empathy, McKinsey’s ‘thought leadership’ helps the firm preserve and perpetuate its power.

November 2, 2021: What ESG Investing and Ozy Media Have in Common. How much longer can we afford to believe the promise of sustainable investing?

September 27, 2021: Analog Cravings in a Digital World. Overwhelmed by information, and searching for ‘The End.’ 🎧

August 29, 2021: Strongman Leaders, Strongman Tech. Authoritarian leaders and Big Tech have a lot in common. 🎧

August 2, 2021: Platitudes and Wishful Thinking Won’t Save American Democracy. Democrats are talking like democracy is in crisis. Why aren’t they acting like it? 🎧

November 12, 2020: Why Obama Writes. The power of writing, according to the forty-fourth president. 📧 🎧

September 26, 2020: How Do Republicans Get Away With It? Isabel Wilkerson’s ‘Caste’ sheds light on the GOP’s head-spinning double standards. 📧

September 7, 2020: Good Work Takes Time. Even in an age of instant gratification and “fake it till you make it,” some creators quietly do their work, however long it takes. 🎧

July 31, 2020: Remembering John Lewis, America’s Pilot Light. Two stories about a man who always kept the faith. 📧

May 29, 2020: Life Advice from Barack Obama. What the forty-fourth president has to say about reading novels, making fewer decisions, and finding time to think. 📧