Regan Brown
Despite growing awareness of the dangers of fossil fuels, fossil fuel companies have been accused of spreading disinformation and obstructing climate policies. Evidence suggests that fossil fuel companies have been aware of the harmful effects of their products for decades, with internal documents from ExxonMobil revealing accurate projections of global warming as early as the 1970s. Instead of acknowledging the issue, these companies have engaged in campaigns of deception, similar to those employed by the tobacco industry, to downplay the risks and mislead the public. This has led to lawsuits being filed against major fossil fuel companies for fraud and climate damages. The American Petroleum Institute, for instance, was found to be spreading misinformation about climate change as early as 1980. The question of who bears responsibility for the climate crisis is a pressing one, with fossil fuel companies facing increasing scrutiny for their role in driving climate change and hindering the transition to renewable energy sources.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fossil fuel companies' awareness of climate change | As early as the 1950s |
| Action taken by fossil fuel companies | Spread misinformation, denied the existence of climate change, and lobbied against climate action |
| Impact of their actions | Increased global temperatures and sea levels, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, species extinction, food scarcity, and worsening health and poverty for millions |
| Efforts to hold fossil fuel companies accountable | Lawsuits, calls for a ban on fossil fuel advertising without health warnings, and campaigns for a phase-out of fossil fuels |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuel companies' early knowledge of climate change
Fossil fuel companies have long been aware of the connection between their products and climate change. As early as 1959, oil industry executives understood the link between burning fossil fuels and climate change. This understanding was further confirmed by industry scientists, who found that the burning of fossil fuels contributed to anthropogenic climate change. Despite this knowledge, fossil fuel companies engaged in campaigns of disinformation and denial, downplaying and distorting the evidence of climate change.
One notable example is Exxon, which according to an investigation by InsideClimate News, has known about climate change since as early as 1977. Despite this knowledge, the company spent decades refusing to publicly acknowledge climate change and even promoted misinformation. Exxon also played a role in preventing the US from signing the Kyoto Protocol in 1998, an international treaty aimed at controlling greenhouse gas emissions.
Another instance is the American Petroleum Institute (API), which was found to be spreading false and misleading information about climate change as early as 1980. The API cast doubt on the danger of global warming and invoked the work of popular astronomer Carl Sagan, who suggested that human activities such as deforestation could lead to a cooling phenomenon that counteracts the greenhouse effect. However, Sagan's work did not deny the threat of global warming from fossil fuels, as suggested by the API.
In addition to Exxon and API, other major oil, gas, and coal companies have been complicit in spreading disinformation and obstructing climate policies. These companies have repeatedly fought against efforts to move away from fossil fuels and have failed to contribute meaningfully to climate change solutions. As a result, they now face a wave of lawsuits for their role in the climate crisis and their deception of the public.
While fossil fuel companies have long understood the impact of their products on the climate, they chose to prioritize profits over acknowledging the harmful effects of their products. Their actions have contributed to a delay in addressing the climate crisis and have had significant consequences for the planet and humanity.
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Misinformation campaigns
The fossil fuel industry has a long history of spreading misinformation and disinformation about the climate crisis. Despite knowing about the harmful effects of their products, many fossil fuel companies have deceived the public about climate science and policy. For example, Exxon scientists predicted global warming with "shocking skill and accuracy" as early as the 1970s, yet the company spent the next few decades denying the existence of climate change and promoting misinformation. Similarly, a newly discovered archival document from 1980 shows that the American Petroleum Institute was spreading false and misleading information about climate change to promote policies favourable to the fossil fuel industry.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has exposed the tactics used by fossil fuel companies to sideline science, deceive the public, and buy influence. These tactics include counterfeit science, the harassment of scientists, and the manufacture of uncertainty with no scientific basis. Industry trade groups and associations continue to spread disinformation on climate change, while corporate lobbyists influence politicians and regulators with the financial backing of major fossil fuel companies.
One of the most notorious examples of misinformation campaigns by the fossil fuel industry is the "global cooling" narrative. In the 1970s, Exxon scientists created models and analyses projecting global warming from carbon dioxide emissions. However, instead of acknowledging the problem, the company chose to sow doubt and promote a narrative that climate change would lead to a "cooling phenomenon" rather than global warming. Exxon even helped create the Global Climate Coalition in 1989 to question the scientific basis for concern about climate change and lobbied against the United States signing the Kyoto Protocol in 1998.
The fossil fuel industry's misinformation campaigns have had a significant impact on delaying climate action and increasing global temperatures and sea levels. As a result, fossil fuel companies now face a wave of lawsuits for their role in the climate crisis and their failure to contribute to climate change solutions.
To combat these misinformation campaigns, scientists and researchers are uncovering and exposing the internal documents and communications of fossil fuel companies. Additionally, campaigns have been launched calling for a ban on fossil fuel advertising unless it includes a tobacco-style health warning to inform the public about the true impacts of fossil fuels.
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Lawsuits against fossil fuel companies
The energy business is one of the largest industries in the world, with major fossil fuel companies routinely making billion-dollar profits. Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, produce carbon dioxide (CO2) when burnt, and CO2 is the main driver of climate change. Despite this, many of the world's largest fossil fuel companies have knowingly deceived the public about climate science and policy.
In recent years, fossil fuel companies have faced a wave of new lawsuits for their role in the climate crisis. These lawsuits have been filed by counties, municipalities, cities, and states in the US, as well as in other countries such as Belgium, Canada, France, and Indonesia. The lawsuits allege that fossil fuel companies have misled consumers about their role in causing climate change and their early knowledge of climate science. They also argue that companies should pay compensation for the costs of climate change impacts, such as increasing flooding, forest fires, and heatwaves.
One example of these lawsuits is the case filed by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin in July 2018 against 21 fossil fuel companies, including Chevron Corporation, Exxon Mobil, BP, and other major oil producers. The suit advances eight claims against the companies for producing, promoting, and marketing fossil fuel products while concealing the known hazards of their products. The severe harms caused by climate change that Rhode Island has experienced and will continue to experience include substantial sea-level rise, more frequent and severe flooding, extreme precipitation events, and drought.
Another example is the lawsuit filed by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong in September 2020 against Exxon Mobil. The lawsuit advances eight claims against the company for producing, promoting, and marketing its oil products while engaging in a campaign of deception to conceal from Connecticut consumers that burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change. Attorney General Tong also notes that Exxon Mobil's actions include multiple violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) that have caused harm in Connecticut through rising sea levels, wildlife degradation, and property devaluation and damage for the state's residents.
In addition to seeking damages for the impact of extreme weather events, some lawsuits have also requested courts to force fossil fuel companies to halt new investments in fossil fuel projects and reduce their oil and gas production. For example, in Belgium, a farmer supported by several environmental NGOs began legal action against TotalEnergies, requesting the court to force the company to reduce its oil and gas production by 75% by 2040.
The outcomes of these lawsuits could have significant implications for the liability of the oil and gas industry and the liability insurance market. Additionally, there is a growing trend of lawsuits targeting the climate risk management practices of corporate boards and directors, addressing how companies should manage the risks associated with the climate crisis and the transition to net zero.
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The role of fossil fuels in climate change
The burning of fossil fuels has significantly contributed to global warming and climate change. The greenhouse effect, caused by the release of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, leading to an increase in global temperatures. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming. In 2018, 89% of global CO2 emissions originated from fossil fuels and industry.
The impact of fossil fuels on the climate has been recognised for decades. As early as the 1970s and 1980s, scientists and organisations like the American Petroleum Institute (API) were aware of the potential consequences of fossil fuel usage. However, instead of taking proactive measures, some fossil fuel companies chose to downplay and distort the evidence, engaging in campaigns of disinformation to mislead the public and influence policymakers.
Despite commitments like the Paris Agreement, where governments pledged to reduce carbon emissions, fossil fuel companies remain major polluters. They continue to produce and sell fossil fuel products while investing minimally in renewable energy solutions. As a result, lawsuits have been filed against major fossil fuel companies for fraud and climate damages.
To address the role of fossil fuels in climate change, a transition to renewable energy sources is imperative. While natural gas is sometimes promoted as a cleaner alternative, it still accounts for a significant portion of carbon emissions. Phasing out fossil fuels and holding companies accountable for their actions and disinformation campaigns are crucial steps towards mitigating the impact of climate change.
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Fossil fuel companies' obstruction of climate policies
Fossil fuel companies have long been aware of the harmful effects of their products and their contribution to global warming. However, instead of taking action to reduce their impact on the climate, many of these companies have engaged in campaigns of deception and disinformation to obstruct climate policies and protect their profits.
More than 50 years ago, scientists at major fossil fuel companies considered how climate change should factor into decisions about new fossil fuel extraction. Despite this knowledge, corporate decision-makers chose to downplay and distort the evidence, engaging in a decades-long campaign against climate action. This included tactics such as spreading disinformation, harassing scientists, and manufacturing uncertainty.
Today, fossil fuel companies continue to obstruct climate policies through various means. One common tactic is lobbying, where companies influence public officeholders and policymakers to promote pro-fossil fuel agendas and prevent the passage of strong climate policies. Fossil fuel companies have also been accused of "greenwashing", where they market themselves as part of the climate solution while simultaneously working to undermine or limit the scope of climate policies and regulations.
In addition to these more covert tactics, fossil fuel companies have also taken to social media to spread their message and discourage actions that would reduce the use of their products. A recent study analyzed over 125,000 tweets posted by fossil fuel companies and found that their climate communications were aligned and coordinated to "reinforce existing infrastructure and inhibit change". This included denying the existence of climate change, downplaying its severity, or arguing that it is being adequately addressed.
The obstruction of climate policies by fossil fuel companies has had real-world consequences. Despite global commitments to reduce carbon emissions, such as the Paris Agreement, the world is on track to produce more than double the amount of coal, oil, and gas by 2030 than can be burned if we are to limit global warming. As a result, fossil fuel companies face a wave of new lawsuits for their role in the climate crisis and their deception of the public.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, fossil fuel companies have been found to have knowingly deceived the public about the climate crisis. They have been accused of spreading misinformation and obstructing climate policies. For example, the American Petroleum Institute was found to have spread misinformation about climate change in 1980 to promote policies favorable to the fossil fuel industry.
When fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat, causing global warming and leading to an increase in global temperatures and sea levels. This can result in extreme weather, biodiversity loss, species extinction, food scarcity, and worsening health and poverty for millions worldwide.
Despite their advertisements touting renewable energy, major fossil fuel companies have not significantly contributed to climate change solutions or updated their business plans to reflect climate realities. They continue to spread disinformation and fight efforts to transition to alternative energy sources. However, some companies, like BP, have started to shift their advertising resources towards advocating for progressive climate policies.
