THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) found that while ExxonMobil improved its scores in some areas—such as leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and supporting a federal carbon tax—it continues to misrepresent climate science and maintain leadership roles in trade groups that spread disinformation. The company lacks a company-wide net-zero emissions target and has actively blocked climate-related shareholder resolutions.

• ExxonMobil has taken specific steps to distance itself from certain anti-climate groups and support specific policies, including pressuring ALEC to drop an anti-climate science resolution in December 2017 and leaving the organization in July 2018. Additionally, the company is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council and supports a federal carbon tax.
• The company continues to misrepresent climate science in public statements by emphasizing uncertainty and suggesting a conflict between economic development and climate solutions.
• ExxonMobil maintains leadership positions in several industry groups that the UCS identifies as sources of climate disinformation, including the American Petroleum Institute (API), where CEO Darren Woods serves as chair of the board, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA).
• ExxonMobil has not established a company-wide plan to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century, which the UCS notes would be necessary to align with the Paris climate agreement's temperature goals.
• The company has actively opposed climate-related shareholder initiatives, seeking to block such resolutions in 2017 and 2018 and recommending that shareholders vote against all of them during those years.
• ExxonMobil announced targets to reduce methane emissions by 15 percent and flaring by 25 percent by 2020.
• Regarding risk disclosure, ExxonMobil acknowledges physical risks and competition from renewable energy but fails to disclose reputational risks or the climate-related litigation in which it is a defendant.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2018). THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD. https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/gw-accountability-scorecard18-Exxon.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD. 2018. https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/gw-accountability-scorecard18-Exxon.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD |date=October 2018 |url=https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/gw-accountability-scorecard18-Exxon.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists20182018, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/gw-accountability-scorecard18-Exxon.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }