The United States Senate Committee on the Budget and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Democrats have released a comprehensive report, accompanied by tens of thousands of internal documents, uncovering disturbing evidence of fossil fuel companies’ efforts to mislead the public and investors regarding the impact of their products on climate change.
Among the revelations:
- Internal documents from Exxon reveal the company’s knowledge of the link between fossil fuel combustion and climate change for over six decades. Despite this, Exxon actively worked to undermine climate action and deny scientific consensus, as confirmed by a 2015 email acknowledging the accuracy of reports challenging the company’s stance.
- Despite public opposition to a Trump administration rollback on methane emissions regulation by BP and other oil companies, the American Petroleum Institute (API), the largest US oil lobbying group, supported the proposal. Internal emails from BP executives revealed alignment with the EPA’s plan, contradicting public statements.
- A confidential 2018 draft presentation from BP highlighted challenges posed by media coverage on the climate impact of natural gas, particularly methane emissions. The presentation outlined a communication strategy to promote gas as a partner in the energy transition, positioning BP favorably.
- Disturbingly, an email disclosed Exxon’s surveillance of an activist, with the company’s chief security officer monitoring the individual’s location and social media activity.
- Shell’s internal documents detailed collaborations with academic institutions to advance the role of gas, including partnerships with Imperial College London and the University of California, Berkeley, funded by the company.
These revelations underscore the depth of deception within the fossil fuel industry and raise serious questions about corporate accountability and transparency in addressing climate change.
For more details,, read the Press Release and the full Report ‘Denial, Disinformation, and Doublespeak: Big Oil’s Evolving Efforts to Avoid Accountability for Climate Change.’
Source: Press Release
