It is widely accepted that the energy products of major oil and gas companies have contributed significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and planetary warming over the past century. Decarbonising the global economy by the middle of this century to avoid dangerous climate change cannot occur without a profound transformation of these companies' fossil-fuel-based business models.
In response, some energy companies have expressed plans to transition from fossil fuels to clean alternatives, but previous research suggests limited progress.
A 12-year analysis of the companies BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell has revealed that their discourse and pledges related to transitioning to clean energy do not align with their business actions and investments. Mei Li and colleagues at Tohoku University, Japan, presented their findings in the open-access journal PLoS ONE this week.
To gain deeper insights into clean-energy transition activity, Li and...