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Drilled

Drilled

Pushkin Industries 254 Episodes Oct 9, 2026

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. In September 2025, a group of Brazilian ministers trekked all the way to chilly North Dakota to see a presentation on a new type of clean energy project, one that promised to help them deliver Brazilian President Lula’s dream of turning Brazil into “the Saudi Arabia of sustainable aviation fuels.” It was the latest in a string of projects from Midwest Republican kingmaker and corn ethanol magnate Bruce Rastetter, whose investments in Brazil might just transform him into a global carbon czar, even as his Summit pipeline carbon project faces fierce opposition from Iowa to North Dakota. The problem? It all requires loads of land and none of it does a thing about climate change.

Episodes

How Tech Billionaires Broke Democracy | The Spill
How Tech Billionaires Broke Democracy | The Spill Oct 9, 2026 2249 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 Reic
Garifuna land defenders vs. Survivor (as in the TV show) | The Spill
Garifuna land defenders vs. Survivor (as in the TV show) | The Spill Oct 2, 2026 2822 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
Carbon Credit Markets Have a Human Rights Problem | The Spill
Carbon Credit Markets Have a Human Rights Problem | The Spill Sep 25, 2026 2383 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. Meanwhi
The Invitation from OCCUPY!: An Unfinished Uprising
The Invitation from OCCUPY!: An Unfinished Uprising Sep 22, 2026 2376 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/l
The Climate Movement Fights Back | The Spill
The Climate Movement Fights Back | The Spill Sep 18, 2026 2513 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.
Welcome to "The Spill," Our New Weekly Newscast
Welcome to "The Spill," Our New Weekly Newscast Sep 11, 2026 2898 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 Guardia
Episode 3: The Story of a Decade-Long Investigation
Episode 3: The Story of a Decade-Long Investigation Sep 8, 2026 2370 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
Episode 2: The Real Outside Agitators of Iowa
Episode 2: The Real Outside Agitators of Iowa Sep 1, 2026 2621 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
Episode 1: North Dakota’s Facebook Mercenaries
Episode 1: North Dakota’s Facebook Mercenaries Aug 25, 2026 2270 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 partners
Welcome to The Propagandist
Welcome to The Propagandist Aug 11, 2026 138 10 years ago, rural North Dakota became the hub of one of the largest Indigenous-led protests in decades, and one of the largest climate protests ever in U.S. history: Standing Rock. What started as a protest against a pipeline turned into a political flashpoint thanks to social media. The pipeline company's private security contractors exploited the moment, using propaganda to fan the flames of l
A Tipping Point
A Tipping Point Jun 16, 2026 2063 Treating climate solutions like an infinite money cheat might not be a great way to actually solve the problem, though it's sure to make plenty of "green" entrepreneurs rich. It makes sense that businessmen would stay focused on profits, but why do climate advocates keep supporting these ideas? This season is a collaboration with the Intercept Brasil. You can get the show in Portuguese on their fe
The Saudi Arabia of Biofuels
The Saudi Arabia of Biofuels Jun 9, 2026 2403 With the sustainable aviation fuel industry set to explode, carbon capture has thrown the corn ethanol industry a lifeline...but what does another corn ethanol boom mean for everyone else? This season is a collaboration with the Intercept Brasil. You can get the show in Portuguese on their feed as well, and companion stories at: https://www.intercept.com.br/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

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