A notable exception to the automotive media’s lack of attention to climate change was a package of stories Automotive News published in 2007. No, not last month or last year — a decade ago. Let’s take a nostalgic look back in time when the auto industry’s leading trade journal made a substantive effort to cover one of the most impactful issues of the 21st Century.
The lead headline was surprisingly honest and direct: “The heat is on: How global warming is closing in on the U.S. auto industry.”
Acknowledging the auto industry’s sins
The lead story in the package, which was cowritten by Harry Stoffer and Peter Brown (2007), offered a useful overview of climate science and policy options. The writers noted that automobile emissions were increasing despite technology advances because automakers usually focused more on increasing vehicle size and performance rather than fuel economy.
See also ‘CO2 emissions: Automakers still partying like it’s 1975’
Stoffer and Brown stated that “scientists have reached near unanimity that human activity — including the burning of gasoline in cars and trucks — contributes to global warming.” They further noted that “the phenomenon is happening faster than they (scientists) had feared. Average global temperatures in the past 10 years were among the highest since records have been kept.”
Meanwhile, Stoffer and Brown wrote that during the previous decade “automakers have fended off nearly every government attempt to reduce the fuel consumption of cars and trucks.” And while the industry had introduced hybrids and other promising technologies, “the hard fact of the here and now is that the average U.S. vehicle is heavier and less fuel-efficient than it was 20 years ago.”
Included in the package of stories was useful contextual data, such as that globally light vehicles emitted roughly 11 percent of man-made carbon dioxide in 2000 — and that the U.S. accounted for 45 percent of the planet’s CO2 emissions from cars and light trucks. This was more than twice as much as Europe. Back then, China only accounted for 2 percent of light vehicle CO2 emissions (Stoffer, 2007).
Why is substantive climate change coverage so rare?
This is the kind of in-depth and “big picture” reporting that Automotive News should have been doing at least a decade earlier. Even more importantly, the trade journal should have regularly updated this coverage.
That hasn’t happened. Instead, when climate change has been covered at all it has largely focused on the minutiae of product strategies and policy nuts and bolts regarding CAFE fuel economy regulations.
It’s understandable why. The man with his name on the building, Keith Crain, has repeatedly expressed resistance to addressing climate change. For example, in his weekly column he has complained about “odious rules” (go here) and admitted that “I just don’t get” what he described as “EV fever” (go here).
Perhaps reader pushback has also had a chilling effect on aggressive reporting. As a case in point, letter writer Kevin Lawler (2009) complained that as “a periodical devoted to the auto industry, you have the responsibility to offer both sides of this issue, preferably by individuals with a scientific background.” The writer proceeded to dish out discredited theories by climate change denialists.
Substantive journalism will inevitably elicit pushback — particularly on an issue as controversial as climate change. Harry Stoffer and Peter Brown deserve credit taking the risk of showing the rest of the automotive media the kind of indepth coverage that is needed. Stoffer quite rightly received an Eddie Award for his effort (Automotive News, 2007).
Only one question: When will Automotive News get around to publishing a follow-up package of stories on climate change that is of equal or better quality? After Keith Crain retires, perhaps?
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RE:SOURCES
- Automotive News; 2007. “AN wins award for ‘Heat is on.'” Posted November 12; accessed November 28, 2018.
- Lawler, Kevin; 2009. “Global warming? Show us science.” Automotive News. Posted February 2; accessed accessed November 28, 2018.
- Stoffer, Harry; 2007. “The ABCs of CO2.” Automotive News. Posted February 5; accessed November 28, 2018.
- Stoffer, Harry and Peter Brown; 2007. “The heat is on: How global warming is closing in on the U.S. auto industry.” Automotive News. Posted February 5; accessed November 28, 2018.
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