Drilled
Drilled
Pushkin Industries
Drilled is a true-crime climate change podcast exposing how corporate corruption and political operatives built decades of climate denial and delay. Hosted and reported by award-winning investigative climate journalists and led by Amy Westervelt, each season unravels new evidence of deception, disinformation, and the power structures keeping real climate solutions out of reach.
The Paradox of Mining Lithium to Save the Planet | The Spill
Most proposals to keep fossil fuels in the ground rely on taking new minerals out of the ground — especially lithium, a major component in the batteries powering electric vehicles. In Thea Riofrancos' book, Extraction, she visits the communities most impacted by lithium mining, explores the mineral's politics and history, and proposes a pathway toward harm reduction. Reading list from today’s show:1. Thea Riofrancos' book, Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism 2. Amy Westervelt's new book, Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 16
1 hr 3 min
How Tech Billionaires Broke Democracy | The Spill
Tech billionaires have increasing influence over all aspects of our lives, and it's not by accident. Amy Westervelt and Gil Durán both recently published books examining the ideas and individuals driving the phenomenon. They discuss what it has to do with the climate crisis and the deterioration of democracy. Reading list from today’s show:1. Gil Durán's new book, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy 2. Amy Westervelt's new book, Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy3. Lithub interview between Gil and AmySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 9
37 min
Garifuna land defenders vs. Survivor (as in the TV show) | The Spill
Amy Westervelt, Nina Lakhani and Alleen Brown chat about Standing Rock 10 years later, Global Witness's latest report on assassinations of land defenders, and why Palestinians in Gaza are land defenders, too. Meanwhile, Afro-Indigenous Garífuna leaders in Honduras have set up an occupation in front of the country's Supreme Court, in defense of their land rights. Nina interviews Karen Spring, coordinator of the the Honduras Solidarity Network, about what this has to do with Trump and the TV show Survivor. Reading list from today’s show:1. The Propagandist, Drilled's narrative podcast series on propaganda aimed against the Standing Rock movement2. Global Witness's annual report on assassinations of land defenders 3. Nina Lakhani's chapter on ecocide in Gaza is featured in the book Gaza: The Story of a Genocide 4. Nina's other book, Who Killed Berta Cáceres?: Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet 5. El libro de Nina, traducción al español, ¿Quién mató a Berta Cáceres? 6. Reportage desde el campamento de resistencia Garífuna por la periodista Mexicana Blanche Petrich 7. Amy Westervelt's new book, Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke DemocracySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 2
47 min
Carbon Credit Markets Have a Human Rights Problem | The Spill
Drilled global climate justice reporter Nina Lakhani interviews Elisa Morgera, the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change about Morgera’s latest report on the fundamental shortcomings of credit markets. Posed as a solution to the climate crisis, carbon credit markets have for years failed to deliver, while violating the human rights of the people most impacted by the climate crisis. Meanwhile, states have developed carbon tunnel-vision, fixating on schemes to reduce carbon emissions, while avoiding the root cause of the issue: fossil fuels. Lakhani and Morgera discuss all that and more.Reading list from today’s show: 1. Elisa Morgera's latest report on rethinking carbon markets. 2. Elisa's report on transforming food systems3. Diana Taremwa-Karakire's recent piece for Drilled on a Kenyan carbon credit project4. Nina Lakhani’s analysis on the Santa Marta climate conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels  5. More reporting on the failures of carbon markets  6. Amy Westervelt's book: https://geni.us/broughttoyoubySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 25
39 min
The Invitation from OCCUPY!: An Unfinished Uprising
Today we're sharing an episode of OCCUPY!: An Unfinished Uprising. The story of Occupy Wall Street — how it exploded, how it collapsed, and why its lessons may matter more now than ever before — from the voices of activists who camped out in New York City for two months. If you like what you hear, find OCCUPY!: An Unfinished Uprising wherever you listen to podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 22
39 min
The Climate Movement Fights Back | The Spill
In this week's episode Alleen Brown speaks with Aru Shiney-Ajay, executive director of The Sunrise Movement about being infiltrated by the feds, why fighting authoritarianism is a climate fight, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 18
41 min
Welcome to "The Spill," Our New Weekly Newscast
Amy Westervelt, Nina Lakhani and Alleen Brown on the world on fire, how the media is covering the climate crisis, what's happening with the industry as a whole, and how it all relates to rising authoritarianism. The Spill is our new weekly show to bring you news, rants, and interviews in between narrative seasons. Reading list from today's show: Amy's book: geni.us/broughttoyouby The Guardian on fossil fuel companies' war profiteering: https://www.theguardian.com/business/ng-interactive/2026/aug/04/revealed-major-oil-firms-make-93bn-profits-amid-war-and-climate-crisis Nina's past reporting on extreme heat deaths: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2025/oct/09/extreme-heat-deaths-autopsy Drilled coverage of criminal conduct in Venezuela: https://drilled.media/news/hopenhaym Drilled reporting on the U.S.-Venezuela-Guyana triangle: https://drilled.media/news/guyana-venezuela Alleen's new series "The Propagandist": https://drilled.media/podcasts/drilled/16/s16-ep01 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 11
48 min
Episode 3: The Story of a Decade-Long Investigation
Alleen could only put together a story like this because she's stayed on the beat for a decade, building relationships and hunting for documents. At the 10-year anniversary of the Standing Rock movement, she gives us a look at why it's important for democracy for journalists to go deeper than breaking news. Speaking of which...Buy Amy's book! https://geni.us/broughttoyoubyFor a look at the primary documents underpinning this series, head to https://drilled.media/.This mini-series was reported in partnership with High Country News, and a print feature accompanying it is available on their website: https://www.hcn.org/issues/58-8/inside-standing-rocks-propaganda-war/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 8
39 min
Episode 2: The Real Outside Agitators of Iowa
The pipeline has been built, the protest camps disbanded, but the fight isn't over. As pipeline opponents set up a new camp in Iowa, the Tiger Swan propagandists follow them, this time with the help of an undercover infiltrator. A WhatsApp chat reveals the private spies' machinations.For a look at the primary documents underpinning this episode, head to https://drilled.media/.This mini-series was reported in partnership with High Country News, and a print feature accompanying it is available on their website: https://www.hcn.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 1
43 min
Episode 1: North Dakota’s Facebook Mercenaries
As protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline began to grow in North Dakota, a new seemingly grassroots Facebook page emerged. In this episode we meet the hired gun behind it, Robert Rice, who was working for the pipeline company's private security company, Tiger Swan.For a look at the primary documents underpinning this episode, head to the Drilled site. This mini-series was reported in partnership with High Country News, and a print feature accompanying it is available on their website. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 25
37 min
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