"End the Gaslighting:" Climate Activists Disrupt North American Gas Forum to Demand an End to the Gas Industry's Lies

Washington, DC – Today, a coalition of climate groups including Extinction Rebellion Northeast, Extinction Rebellion DC (XRDC), Scientist Rebellion, and Climate Defiance disrupted the North American Gas Forum to demand an end to the gas industry's lies and gaslighting that are accelerating climate chaos and endangering billions of lives around the globe.

Events began with a banner drop at Rock Creek Parkway that read, "DON'T BE GASLIT. NATURAL GAS = METHANE = FOSSIL FUEL = EXTINCTION. UNITE. REBEL. SURVIVE." Dozens of activists then led a joyful march to the Park Hyatt hotel where the conference is taking place and held a rally outside. Activists inside, complete with music, chanting, and a banner reading BUSINESS AS USUAL IS CLIMATE DISASTER, made noise inside to disrupt the fireside chat session for Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources in the US Department of State, Geoffrey Pyatt. Security forced activists out of the hotel, where the chanting and rally continued.

Rebels crowded Geoffrey Pyatt’s car while leaving, demanding “End Fossil Fuels.” The action concluded with a die-in outside the hotel entrance.

"We've had enough of the gas industry's lies. Gas industry executives and the politicians they pay for are hurting our communities while gaslighting the public and politicians through deceptive marketing campaigns to hide the truth of their destruction. The government and our current economic and social systems have failed to hold the gas industry accountable, so we stepped into our collective power today to disrupt the gas industry's detrimental plans and demand the fossil-free future we all deserve," said Rachel (they/them), a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion DC.

The gas industry invested in a decades-long advertising push to make their product appear safe and appealing despite knowing the serious health consequences of their product for over a century. They are taking tactics from the tobacco industry's playbook to avoid regulations at the expense of people and the planet's health and safety.

"Given the consensus of scientists and agencies around the world that fossil fuel use must end NOW, it's absurd that the industry is gathering at conferences like this one to figure out how they can keep profiting off of the destruction of people and the planet," said Ali Hadjarian, Ph.D. (he/him), a spokesperson for Scientist Rebellion. "The science is clear: methane is damaging our health and accelerating our descent into climate chaos. Even the industry's so-called 'solutions' like renewable natural gas and gas certifications are just more hoaxes to delay climate action. Methane's time is up. The gas industry must accept this rather than invest in lies and stranded assets."

“The methane gas industry is poisoning our communities, and our government and economic system not only fail to hold the gas industry accountable but continue to incentivize it as the world burns. Politicians like Geoffrey Pyatt cozy up to the industry to make a buck while the rest of us suffer the consequences,” said Betty (she/her), a spokesperson for Climate Defiance. “Stop buying the gas industry’s lies and start treating gas like the dirty fossil fuel it is. Respect us or expect us.”

In order to meet our climate commitments, the government must stop approving climate bombs like gas export facilities on the Gulf coast – which if all are approved, would be the same as operating 143 coal plants for 45 years – and the Mountain Valley Pipeline and redirect that investment into clean energy and climate resiliency. Methane gas is not part of a livable future, no matter how much the gas industry attempts to say otherwise.

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