Big Oil is Still Lying

The report argues that the fossil fuel industry has shifted from outright climate denial to a strategy of 'duplicity,' using greenwashing and misleading claims to protect profits while expanding fossil fuel production. It details how companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, and Chevron overstate their clean energy investments, set unrealistic or retracted emissions goals, promote unviable 'false solutions' such as carbon capture and algae biofuels, use front groups to lobby against climate policy, and shift responsibility for emissions onto individual consumers.

• Major oil and gas companies play a minimal role in the global energy transition, with an IEA 2023 analysis showing they account for only 1% of all global clean energy investments. In 2022, these companies invested approximately 2.5% of their capital expenditures in clean energy, significantly below the 50% projected by the IEA as necessary to align with Paris Agreement goals by 2030.
• Oil giants are expanding fossil fuel production in contradiction to the Paris Agreement, with combined plans to exceed globally-agreed production levels by 110% by 2030. Specific examples include ExxonMobil's $60 billion merger with Pioneer Natural Resources to double production in the Permian Basin and Chevron's $53 billion acquisition of Hess.
• The industry promotes 'false solutions' that prolong fossil fuel use. Natural gas is marketed as 'lower-carbon,' though methane leaks can make it 'as bad as coal.' Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is touted as a solution, but 80% of existing operations as of 2021 are used for 'enhanced oil recovery' to extract more crude oil.
• Fossil fuel companies use 'shadow groups' and trade associations to oppose climate policies while maintaining a positive public image. For example, Shell, Exxon, Chevron, and BP are members of the American Petroleum Institute (API), which lobbies against greenhouse gas regulations and renewable energy standards.
• The industry shifts the blame for climate change onto individual consumers through the concept of the 'personal carbon footprint,' a term popularized by BP. This strategy frames the companies as passive participants responding to 'energy demand' rather than primary drivers of the crisis.

APA

Center for Climate Integrity (2024). Big Oil is Still Lying. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/Big-Oil-Lies-Report-2024.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Integrity. Big Oil is Still Lying. 2024. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/Big-Oil-Lies-Report-2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Integrity |title=Big Oil is Still Lying |date=2024 |url=https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/Big-Oil-Lies-Report-2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimateintegrity2024big, author = {{Center for Climate Integrity}}, title = {{Big Oil is Still Lying}}, institution = {Center for Climate Integrity}, year = {2024}, url = {https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/Big-Oil-Lies-Report-2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }