NYT drops sponsorship of oil conference after activist pressure
The New York Times has abruptly withdrawn its sponsorship of a controversial oil conference after finding its offices targeted by climate campaigners angered at its fossil fuel support.
NYT drops sponsorship of oil conference after activist pressure
Activists had begun targeting the paper over its partnership with the 'Oil & Money Conference' scheduled to take place later this month in London. It is expected to draw a raft of oil executives as well as senior figures from oil-producing nations.
Mounting alarm at a growing climate crisis driven by overuse of fossil fuels has sparked a fierce backlash however with this strength of feeling forcing the NYT to change its stance citing ‘cause for concern’ over the gatherings subject matter.
In a statement, the media giant said: “We want there to be no question of our independence or even the potential appearance of a conflict of interest. Over the last several years [the New York Times] has significantly expanded its reporting on climate change and its impact, as well as broader investigative and explanatory coverage of energy and environmental policy,” the spokeswoman said.
“We have a large team focused solely on the topic and in the last year alone we’ve travelled to every continent to document the effects of a warming planet.”
In addition to facing the sight of protesters picketing its headquarters over the summer, the NYT has faced pressure to increase its coverage of climate change issues as well as adopt ‘climate emergency’ language.
The Drum recently hosted Extinction Rebellion at The Drum Arms to hear the message 'If there's no planet, there's no profit'.