The forgotten oil ads that told us climate change was nothing

Since the 1980s, fossil fuel firms have run ads touting climate denial messages - many of which they'd now like us to forget. Here's our visual guide

Why is meaningful action to avert the climate crisis proving so difficult? It is, at least in part, because of ads.

The fossil fuel industry has perpetrated a multi-decade, multibillion dollar disinformation, propaganda and lobbying campaign to delay climate action by confusing the public and policymakers about the climate crisis and its solutions. This has involved a remarkable array of advertisements - with headlines ranging from Lies they tell our children" to Oil pumps life" - seeking to convince the public that the climate crisis is not real, not human-made, not serious and not solvable. The campaign continues to this day.

Life Magazine, 1962