Tracing the Tides

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that the 122 largest fossil fuel and cement producers, termed 'Carbon Majors', are responsible for nearly half of present-day surface temperature increases and nearly one-third of observed global mean sea level rise. The research indicates that past emissions from these entities have already guaranteed an additional 10 to 22 inches of sea level rise by 2300. The document argues that these corporations knowingly misled the public and obstructed climate policy, and it advocates for using legal pathways and multilateral negotiations to hold them financially and legally responsible for climate damages, particularly for vulnerable island nations.

• Emissions from the 122 largest fossil fuel and cement producers (Carbon Majors) between 1854 and 2020 are responsible for 45% of the current increase in global average surface temperature and 29% of the observed global mean sea level rise.
• Past emissions from Carbon Majors have already committed the planet to a further increase in sea levels by the year 2300, regardless of future emission levels, with a projected average increase of 14 inches (ranging from 10 to 22 inches).
• Fossil fuel companies possessed internal knowledge of the risks their products posed to the climate as early as the 1950s, and by the 1970s and 1980s, companies like Shell and ExxonMobil had developed climate models projecting current impacts, yet they funded disinformation and blocked climate policies.
• Sea level rise disproportionately impacts those who contributed least to climate change, specifically island nations such as members of the Alliance of Small Island States, threatening their land, cultural heritage, and economic stability.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2025). Tracing the Tides. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/Tracing-the-Tides.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Tracing the Tides. 2025. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/Tracing-the-Tides.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Tracing the Tides |date=March 2025 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/Tracing-the-Tides.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2025tracing, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Tracing the Tides}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/Tracing-the-Tides.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }