General Discussion

Fossil Fuel Accountability

Oil, gas, and coal companies share an outsized responsibility for the climate crisis.

Union of Concerned Scientists

Excerpt...

More than 50 years ago, scientists at major fossil fuel companies considered how climate change should factor into decisions about new fossil fuel extraction. Their concerns echoed the latest science of the time, which showed an increasing link between fossil fuels and global warming.

Corporate decision makers didn’t listen. Instead, they chose to downplay and distort the evidence of climate change, engaging in a decades-long campaign against climate action. Their tactics included everything from counterfeit science, to the harassment of scientists, to manufactured uncertainty with no scientific basis.

Even today, industry trade groups and associations spread disinformation on climate change, while corporate lobbyists influence politicians and regulators—all with the financial backing and support of major fossil fuel companies.

Greenwashing

The fossil fuel industry’s role in preventing climate action may come as a surprise to some.

Many leading companies routinely market or brand themselves as being part of the climate solution, while actively working behind the scenes to undermine or limit the scope of climate policies and regulations—a tactic known as “greenwashing.”

But despite their advertisements touting renewable energy, none of the major oil, gas, and coal companies have meaningfully contributed to climate change solutions. They certainly haven’t updated their business plans to reflect climate realities.

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https://www.ucsusa.org/climate/accountability#:~:text=Instead%2C%20they%20chose%20to%20downplay,uncertainty%20with%20no%20scientific%20basis.