Thanks to @roycekurmelovs for writing about fossil fuel sponsorship in the Guardian, discussing the list of Australian sponsorships I've been collating.

"Fossil fuel interests have signed more than 500 sponsorship deals with Australian arts, sport, education and community organisations, prompting accusations they are “engineering a social licence to operate” in the face of growing public pressure on coal, gas and oil."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/27/fossil-fuel-interests-revealed-to-have-signed-more-than-500-sponsorship-deals-with-australian-bodies

The list is non-exhaustive and I'm always updating it - so if there are inaccuracies, or things I've missed - feel free to let me know.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16SSOx_z6mGOwbLwhOgJ0AbPyKMGFSW5_kUMmClfSA1s/edit?usp=sharing

#FossilFuelSponsorships #SocialLicence #ClimateAction

I showed someone my list of more tan 500 Australian fossil fuel sponsorships today and they were dispirited by the length of the list, which wasn't my intention.

I don't feel that way for the following reasons:

1. The list is long but the vast majority of organisations don't have fossil fuel sponsors. Eg there is one children's literature festival sponsored by fossil fuels - and many others that aren't, showing that it can be done.

2. There's significant momentum with major fossil fuel sponsorships being rejected, for example The Perth Festival, Cricket Australia, the Science Experience, Questacon. When controversy over these individual sponsorships are publicized the general arguments against fossil fuel sponsorship also become more widely known and understood.

3. Tobacco sponsorship was just as ubiquitous and seemingly necessary to sports and cultural groups. But we all learned to live without it.

Fossil fuel companies would like us to believe they support everything we love, but they don't. They cherry pick a few events/organisations/regions to support and then exaggerate their contribution. We can have nice things without them.

#FossilFuelSponsorships #FossilAdBan #TobaccoBan #FossilFuels

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16SSOx_z6mGOwbLwhOgJ0AbPyKMGFSW5_kUMmClfSA1s/edit?usp=sharing

Hooray?! My Chumps list has reached 500 rows. That is 500 sponsorships by fossil companies for community / sport / arts/ environment organisations in Australia.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16SSOx_z6mGOwbLwhOgJ0AbPyKMGFSW5_kUMmClfSA1s/edit?usp=sharing

It's a lot, but actually, most organisations DON'T receive money from fossil fuel companies.
Unfortunately those that do provide an opportunity for the fossil fuel industry to tell everyone how great and essential they are (they are neither).

I look forward to this list getting shorter one day!

#FossilAdBan #FossilFuelSponsorships #ClimateAction #GreenWashing #ArtsWashing #SportsWashing