Air pollution and climate change are public health emergencies throughout much of the U.S., disproportionately harming the communities who have done the least to cause the crisis. 

You know this already. You’re here, engaging with this toolkit, because you are already committed to reducing dangerous climate pollution. 

You are also well aware of the importance of communications as a means of engaging the public on these crucial issues. And you’ve likely had to witness, or even combat, misinformation.

Unfortunately, the oil industry, and a couple other industries that profit from unchecked pollution, understand this dynamic well. For decades, the oil, gas, trucking, and automotive sectors have invested heavily in disinformation campaigns to safeguard  fossil fuels and internal combustion engines. For some industries, it’s about maintaining business as usual. For Big Oil, the transition from gas-powered vehicles to electric cars and public transit is an existential threat. 

These industries have deployed comprehensive public relations (PR) strategies to deceive the public on a number of transportation policy issues, such as:

• The public health impacts of tailpipe pollution

• The climate impacts of car and truck dependency

• The practicality and economic feasibility of transportation electrification

• The practicality and feasibility of public transit systems and other vehicle alternatives

These strategies have existed for decades, but in recent years, as electric vehicle technology has expanded dramatically, the industry has accelerated efforts to kill electric cars and protect gas-powered vehicles. 

Nationwide, our partners and colleagues are seeing these campaigns manifest in a number of ways, including:

• Front groups and “astroturfing” (false grassroots efforts)

• Disinformation campaigns

• “Captured” and “co-opted” messengers and other third-party validator techniques