The Centre for Climate Reporting (CCR) is a journalism nonprofit organization based in the United Kingdom that reports on environmental issues including climate change. The organization is known for using deceptive tactics including the creation of fake websites, setting up interviews using fake aliases, and using hidden cameras to record said interviews and releasing audio recordings online. The group has previously reported on energy policy within Saudi Arabia, coverage of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), and a set-up conversation with Center for Renewing America founder Russell Vought regarding Project 2025. ^{1 2}

Activities

July 2024 Meeting with Russell Vought

In July 2024, two members of CCR arranged a meeting with Center for Renewing America founder Russell Vought in Washington D.C by posing as relatives of a fake New Mexico-based conservative donor and even used other tactics such as fake websites, a fake LinkedIn profile, and planted hidden cameras and recording devices within the hotel suite where the interview was held. During the interview, Vought claimed that Center for Renewing America was creating drafts of executive orders, regulations and other memos that could be used in the event of a 2nd Trump Administration. He also discussed policy proposals regarding immigration such as the deporting of undocumented migrants within the United States. Following the interview, the clips of the recordings were released online and to several news outlets including CNN. Centre co-founder and director Lawrence Carter defended the tactics used, claiming, “We broadly follow the UK’s press regulator guidelines on this, which say that it is justified if it is in the public interest and not obtainable via other means…[w]e therefore weigh the subject’s reasonable expectation of privacy with the public interest.” ³

1. Devine, Curt, Casey Tolan, Audrey Ash, and Kyung Lah. “Hidden-camera video shows Project 2025 co-author discussing his secret work preparing for a second Trump term.” CNN, August 15, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/15/politics/russ-vought-project-2025-trump-secret-recording-invs/index.html
2. “Home.” Centre for Climate Reporting, Accessed August 16, 2024. https://climate-reporting.org/
3. Devine, Curt, Casey Tolan, Audrey Ash, and Kyung Lah. “Hidden-camera video shows Project 2025 co-author discussing his secret work preparing for a second Trump term.” CNN, August 15, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/15/politics/russ-vought-project-2025-trump-secret-recording-invs/index.html