Fossil Free Media (FFM) is an environmental activist group that calls for public relations and advertising agencies to stop working with oil companies. ¹ The organization contends that fossil fuels contribute to the climate emergency and to racial injustice. It also has called for a windfall profits tax on oil companies. ^{2 3}

Background

Fossil Free Media describes itself as a “nonprofit media lab that supports the movement to end fossil fuels.” It provides communications support and resources for individuals and organizations to address what it calls the “climate emergency.” ⁴

FFM says it is building a network of influencers to amplify more people “fighting for climate justice.” ⁵ Fossil Free Media says it wants to establish anti-fossil fuel messaging and talking points to “tell a better story about the end of fossil fuels.” ⁶

Projects

Fossil Free Media runs what it calls “Clean Creative” to discourage companies from working with oil, coal and gas companies.  The claims that public relations and advertising agencies have signed its pledge not to work with conventional energy companies. ⁷

Fossil Free Media works with the YEARS Project on a video series that is critical of the energy industry. ⁸

The group funds investigative journalists reporting critical stories on conventional energy companies and leads a rapid response program when climate issues are in the news. ⁹

The organization is also engaged in research and polling, working with polling firms and think tanks to show public support for anti-fossil fuel policies. ¹⁰ Fossil Free Media and Data for Progress released a poll that found 77 percent of young voters including 90 percent of Democrats were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about climate change. ¹¹

Fossil Free Media backs a network of artists working with local environmentalist groups, engages artists in national campaigns, and provides video capacity for smaller anti-fossil fuel projects. ^{12 13}

Messaging and Talking Points

Fossil Fuel Media has produced research that argues “addiction” to fossil fuels worsens the impact of COVID-19 and other diseases for people of color. The group also published research arguing conventional energy drags down the economy and that weather-dependent energy is a better investment. ¹⁴

The organization contends that conventional energy causes racial injustice because “people of color are the most directly impacted by pollution and climate change because of the fossil fuel industry’s racial discrimination.” ¹⁵

The group has also published research that argues for a “managed decline of fossil fuel production.” ¹⁶

FFM further advocates for a windfall profits tax on oil companies. ¹⁷

Leadership

Jamie Henn is the director of Fossil Free Media. ¹⁸ He launched Fossil Free Media to support public relations firms and advertising agencies that oppose oil companies. Henn, a resident of Concord, New Hampshire, is the co-founder of 350.org, an environmentalist activist group with a presence in 188 countries that focuses on online campaigns against oil, gas, and coal exploration. ^{19 20} While at 350.org, Henn argued that advertising agencies helped legitimize the conventional energy industry. ²¹ Henn was also the strategic communications director for 350.org, where he ran publicity campaigns including Global Climate Strikes, the People’s Climate Marches, opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, and the ExxonKnew campaign. He led 350.org’s work with the United Nations for more than a decade. ²²

Duncan Meisel, an environmentalist activist, is the manager of the Clean Creatives program. ²³

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2. “Fossil Free Research Library.” Fossil Free Media. Accessed October 22, 2022. https://fossilfree.media/research/
3. Press Release. Fossil Free Media. “Big Oil Lies: Fossil Free Media releases report in advance of Congress’ Big Oil disinformation hearing today.” Action Network. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-congress-stop-the-oil-profiteering
4. “Fossil Free Media.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/company/fossil-free-media/about/
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8. “Projects.” Fossil Free Media. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://fossilfree.media/projects/
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11.  ^[1] DiPaola, Cassidy. “Young Voters Want Biden to Act on Climate and Fossil Fuel Industry Accountability.” Data for Progress. March 28, 2022. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2022/3/28/young-voters-want-biden-to-act-on-climate-and-fossil-fuel-industry-accountability
12. “Fossil Free Media.” Common Dreams. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.commondreams.org/organization/fossil-free-media
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15.  “Fossil Free Research Library.” Fossil Free Media. Accessed October 22, 2022. https://fossilfree.media/research/
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17. Press Release. Fossil Free Media. “Big Oil Lies: Fossil Free Media releases report in advance of Congress’ Big Oil disinformation hearing today.” Action Network. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-congress-stop-the-oil-profiteering
18. Corbett, Jessica. “Emissions Unleashed by Manchin Deal Would ‘Wipe Out’ Any Climate Gains: Analysis.” Common Dreams. September 27, 2022. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/27/emissions-unleashed-manchin-deal-would-wipe-out-any-climate-gains-analysis
19. “Jamie Henn.” The Nation. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.thenation.com/authors/jamie-henn/
20. Henn, Jamie. “Oppose Manchin’s dirty deal.” Concord Monitor. September 21, 2022. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.concordmonitor.com/My-Turn-Pipelines-Across-the-Appalachian-Mountains-No-Thanks-48067293
21. Timperley, Jocelyn. “‘We’re going after creatives that greenwash fossil fuels’: the group targeting ad agencies.” The Guardian. September 11, 2021. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/11/greenwash-fossil-fuels-ad-agencies
22.  “Jamie Henn.” Fossil Free University. Accessed October 28, 2022. Accessed https://www.fossilfreeuniversity.org/faculty/jamie-henn
23. “Clean Creatives.” K.R. Foundation. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://krfnd.org/case/inside-the-movement-copy/