The Climate Accountability Scorecard

The Climate Accountability Scorecard evaluates the climate-related actions and disclosures of several major fossil fuel companies, including BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Arch Coal, CONSOL Energy, and Peabody Energy. The report assigns scores based on criteria such as support for the Paris Agreement, the use of internal carbon pricing, and the transparency of greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Findings indicate a widespread lack of company-wide emissions reduction plans and varying levels of transparency regarding low-carbon research and development investments.

• Several major fossil fuel companies, including Arch Coal, CONSOL Energy, Peabody Energy, and ExxonMobil, have not publicly expressed support for the global temperature goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
• A significant number of the evaluated companies, including Arch Coal, BP, CONSOL Energy, ExxonMobil, and Peabody Energy, lack a company-wide plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• BP and Royal Dutch Shell both utilize a carbon price of $40 per tonne in their investment decisions, though the full scope of the supply chain covered by this price is not fully disclosed.
• BP and Royal Dutch Shell have committed to the World Bank's 'Zero Routine Flaring by 2030' initiative to eliminate routine gas flaring.
• ExxonMobil uses a proxy cost of carbon in its long-term business strategies that may reach $80 per ton by 2040 in some geographies.
• Royal Dutch Shell and ConocoPhillips provide comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions disclosures, including indirect emissions from downstream activities such as the use of sold products.
• Many companies, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, do not provide an annual breakdown of the specific amount of total research and development spending allocated to low-carbon investments.
• Arch Coal and CONSOL Energy received 'Egregious' total scores for their planning for a world free from carbon pollution, scoring -11 and -8 respectively.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). The Climate Accountability Scorecard. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/climate-accountability-scorecard-appendix-planning-for-carbon-free-world.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. The Climate Accountability Scorecard. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/climate-accountability-scorecard-appendix-planning-for-carbon-free-world.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=The Climate Accountability Scorecard |date=October 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/climate-accountability-scorecard-appendix-planning-for-carbon-free-world.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016climate, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{The Climate Accountability Scorecard}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/10/climate-accountability-scorecard-appendix-planning-for-carbon-free-world.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }