Fossil fuel companies knew they were damaging the planet—and spent millions to mislead the public. Is the law about to catch up with them? Read more >
Kathy's Latest Posts
Reality Bites: Fossil Fuel Companies Face Climate Liability Claims After Decades of Denial
June 10, 2019 9:22 AM EDT
Votes of No-Confidence in ExxonMobil’s Climate Leadership
June 4, 2019 2:56 PM EDT
Before entering ExxonMobil’s annual meeting in Dallas last week, shareholders had to pass local activists holding a 100-foot-long banner with the message “Climate Crisis: #ExxonKnew—Make Them Pay.” I attended the meeting for the fourth year in a row and was not surprised that, once inside, shareholders wanted a voice in the company’s handling of climate change issues. ExxonMobil blocked them from voting on shareholder proposals specifically about climate change, so they used every opportunity to express their discontent with the company’s climate action. Despite the spin that shareholders “rejected” the climate-related proposals, the results are actually a vote of no-confidence in how ExxonMobil’s leadership is addressing climate change.
Photo: Mike Mozart/Flickr
Shell Puts Trade Groups on Notice about Climate Policy
April 2, 2019 2:42 PM EDT
Today, Royal Dutch Shell published its Industry Associations Climate Review, delivering on a promise made late last year to leading institutional investors who are concerned about climate change. Shell’s review follows a similar report published by BHP in late 2017, and raises the transparency bar for fossil fuel industry competitors and their trade groups. Read more >
Photo: Mike Mozart/Flickr
What to Expect—and Not to Expect—in ExxonMobil’s 2019 Climate Risk Report
January 31, 2019 10:03 AM EDT
The release of ExxonMobil’s 2019 Outlook for Energy and its 2019 Energy and Carbon Summary may come as early as this week. Published in response to shareholder demands, the 2018 Energy and Carbon Summary was supposed to disclose the company’s plans for a world in which global temperature increase is kept well below two degrees Celsius (2°C). Drawing on UCS’s 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard and our ongoing engagement with the company, here are four things to expect—and one thing not to expect—in ExxonMobil’s 2019 Energy and Carbon Summary.
BP’s Hypocrisy on Climate Policy
December 19, 2018 3:54 PM EDT
BP has repeatedly touted its support for the ambition of Paris climate agreement and called for a government policy framework, including a price on carbon, to help prevent the worst effects of global warming. Yet BP’s support of the “No on I-1631” campaign, sponsored by trade association Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), goes against these sentiments and frustrates progress on much needed new carbon pricing law or policy. Read more >