Search Climate Insights Directory

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) developed a methodology to assess eight major investor-owned oil, gas, and coal companies on their climate responsibility. The assessment uses 28 metrics across four broad areas: renouncing disinformation, planning for a carbon-free world, supporting effective climate policies, and disclosing climate risks. Companies are scored on a five-point scale from 'advanced' to 'egregious' based on publicly available data from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018.

The Union of Concerned Scientists' 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard Appendix C evaluates fossil fuel companies based on their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use of internal carbon pricing, and transparency in reporting. The assessment finds that most companies, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Peabody Energy, have insufficient plans aligned with the Paris Agreement. While some companies like BP and Royal Dutch Shell have implemented internal carbon prices of $40 per tonne, the report highlights a general lack of comprehensive, company-wide net-zero targets and detailed disclosure of low-carbon research and development investments.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) found that while Chevron improved its emissions and political spending disclosures, it continues to misrepresent climate science, maintain leadership roles in trade groups that spread disinformation, and lacks a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations or products.

The Union of Concerned Scientists evaluated Peabody Energy's climate actions from July 2016 to June 2018, finding that while the company follows best practices in political spending disclosure, it remains 'egregious' in its lack of emissions reduction targets and its support for the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. The company is criticized for downplaying climate science in public statements and maintaining leadership roles in trade associations that spread climate disinformation.

The 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard evaluates eight major oil, gas, and coal companies, finding that while some have made minor improvements due to shareholder and legal pressure, their overall actions remain insufficient to align with the Paris climate agreement. The report highlights continued reliance on trade associations that spread disinformation and a systemic failure to set company-wide net-zero emissions targets.

The 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard evaluates Royal Dutch Shell's response to climate change, noting that while the company acknowledges climate science and supports the Paris Agreement in principle, it lacks a concrete net-zero action plan and maintains ties to industry groups that spread climate disinformation.

The report identifies that Canada remains a significant provider of oil and gas subsidies within the G7. It details various federal tax deductions and direct funding programs for the industry, noting that while some subsidies appeared to decrease between 2015 and 2016, this was largely due to low oil prices and accounting practices rather than complete elimination. The authors argue that these fiscal supports create a risk of stranded assets and undermine the transition to renewable energy.

The document argues that Canada remains a significant provider of fossil fuel subsidies among G7 nations, despite some reforms. It details various federal mechanisms of support, including tax deductions for exploration and development, and direct funding for innovation and carbon capture. The report highlights that the apparent decrease in subsidies between 2013 and 2016 was largely due to low oil prices and accounting practices that allow companies to defer tax deductions, rather than a complete elimination of support. It further argues that these subsidies are incompatible with Canada's climate goals and the need for a just transition for workers.

The document outlines five specific actions for achieving carbon-free electricity: implementing Renewable Portfolio Standards, phasing out coal plants, modernizing rate designs, integrating distributed energy resources into grid planning, and expanding community solar access.

The briefing highlights the dual role of the mining industry in the energy transition, noting its necessity in providing raw materials for low-carbon technologies while remaining a significant source of global emissions. It advocates for the adoption of science-based targets, the use of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework, and the cocreation of a comprehensive decarbonization pathway to mitigate physical and financial climate risks.

The report argues that climate change poses significant physical and transition risks to financial assets, particularly in high-carbon sectors, and that these risks are often not adequately priced into the market. It highlights the potential for 'stranded assets' in fossil fuels and coal, while simultaneously identifying substantial growth opportunities in renewable energy, green infrastructure, and energy efficiency. The document concludes that climate-aware investing is a necessity that can match or outperform conventional benchmarks without sacrificing returns.

The document outlines a dialogue between stakeholders on the necessity of a managed decline of Canada's oil and gas sector to avoid the economic and social disruptions of an unmanaged collapse. It emphasizes that climate leadership for wealthy fossil fuel producers requires ending production expansion and implementing supply-side policies. Key discussions focus on the need for a dedicated transition fund, the reform of fossil fuel subsidies and Alberta's low royalty regimes, and the importance of participatory planning that protects workers and communities. The paper argues that a comprehensive policy portfolio—combining demand-side carbon pricing with supply-side production limits—is essential for Canada to meet its global fair share of emissions reductions.

Climate change is causing record-breaking wildfires, ocean acidification, and declining snowpack in Washington, threatening the state's shellfish, forestry, and hydroelectric industries. Projections suggest temperatures could rise by 5°F to 8.5°F by the end of the century, with significant risks to coastal property and forest health. The document advocates for carbon pricing, cleaner transportation fuels, and a transition to zero-carbon electricity to mitigate these risks.

The document outlines the process for developing long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies, emphasizing their role in guiding near- and medium-term actions and avoiding stranded assets. It details essential design elements, including long-term visions, sectoral pathways, and the critical role of the energy sector. The paper also discusses the use of modeling, scenarios, and qualitative inputs to inform these strategies, while highlighting the importance of transparent communication and just transitions.

The report evaluates 22 trade-related policy options to support climate action, categorising them into general trade system support, border carbon adjustments, and fossil fuel subsidy reform, while assessing their political feasibility across short, medium, and long-term horizons.

Danone aims for full value-chain carbon neutrality by 2050, with intermediate 2030 targets to reduce scope 1, 2, and 3 emission intensity by 50% and achieve a 30% absolute reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions. As of 2017, the company's total greenhouse gas emissions were 21.6 million tons, with 93.2% originating from Scope 3. Key initiatives include transitioning to 100% renewable electricity via RE100, implementing regenerative agricultural practices with 140,000 global farmers, and utilizing the Cool Farm Tool for farm-level quantification. Specific projects include a carbon-neutral evian bottling site powered by hydro-electric energy and the Livelihoods Carbon Fund, which supports mangrove restoration in Senegal, Indonesia, and India.

The study argues that current national climate plans are insufficient and would necessitate disruptive changes after 2030. By implementing a global roll-out of regional regulatory policies across energy, transport, buildings, industry, and land use, global CO2 emissions could be reduced by an additional 10 GtCO2eq by 2030. While these policies are less disruptive than immediate global carbon pricing, they result in higher economic impacts, suggesting they should complement rather than replace carbon pricing to achieve the Paris goals.

The report evaluates 22 options to make the international trade system more supportive of climate action, categorising them into general WTO reforms, border carbon adjustments (BCAs), and fossil fuel subsidy reforms. It concludes that legal changes at the WTO are currently unfeasible due to geopolitical tensions and the requirement for consensus. Instead, it identifies 'low-hanging fruit' such as procedural changes, including the integration of climate expertise into dispute panels and enhanced coordination between the WTO and UNFCCC. The report also highlights the role of regional trade agreements (RTAs) and plurilateral initiatives, like the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA), as more viable paths for like-minded countries to advance climate objectives.

The document critiques the use of carbon offsetting within carbon pricing schemes, asserting that it allows entities to avoid genuine emission reductions. It highlights that while the EU has excluded international offsets for post-2020 domestic targets, Canada and China continue to support or allow them. The author specifically warns that the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) planned sector-wide offsetting scheme risks using low-quality credits to bypass the polluter pays principle. Referencing a European Commission study, the text claims only 2% of UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects clearly reduce emissions.

The document criticizes G7 nations for continuing to provide approximately $100 billion annually in fossil fuel subsidies despite commitments to phase them out since 2009. It highlights the contradiction between these subsidies and the goals of the Paris Agreement and carbon pricing, specifically citing Canada's recent investment in oil pipeline nationalization to increase tar sand exports.