The recently concluded COP28 global climate conference was seen by many as a success, but by some as a failure. More than previous conferences, COP28 brought an outsized presence and perhaps influence from the fossil fuel industry. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? It’s complicated. The industry is fiercely protective of its own interests, so it will resist any efforts to reduce or reduce demand for its products. But you can’t talk about climate change solutions without including these critical players in the discussion. Many of the wealthy see a ban on fossil fuels as a direct attack on their lifestyles and prosperity. It’s not surprising, then, that the privileged – which includes oil companies, banks, insurance companies, and much of the ecosystem of today’s economy – would fight to protect their privilege. The fossil fuel industry has a long history of suppressing evidence, often from its own scientists, about climate change. They use the same playbook that tobacco companies have used to push back against the harmful health effects of tobacco, often supported by the same set of public relations and lobbying guns for hire. (Adjar Ibrahim)