Close
Search
Menu Menu

57 companies linked to 80% of GHG emissions since 2016

Credit: Thred
By
London, UK
1 energy + Add Energy
What is energy?
Want to show your appreciation? Give an article “Energy” and it will help us know what you like.
0 comments
0 comments

A report from the Carbon Majors Database reveals that a mere 57 companies have been responsible for 80% of global GHG emissions since 2016.

Disclaimer: This update is not intended to create a sense of nihilism or apathy regarding attitudes towards civil action and the mitigation of climate change.

We prefer to pontificate that transparency is the key to ultimately holding offenders responsible. So, with that in mind, let’s bear witness to the latest revelations.

The Carbon Majors Database has published a new report stating that just 57 companies are linked to as much as 80% of GHG emissions generated since 2016. Why 2016, you ask? Because that was the year that the Paris Agreement was formally established.

It’s no secret that oil barons, both state and corporate-owned, are the key driver of anthropogenic climate change, but the data shows that this cohort of mega-emitters significantly scaled up their output immediately after the green reform was drawn up.

In the seven years since, ExxonMobil has been public enemy number one – linked to 3.6 gigatons of CO2, equivalent to 1.4% of all emissions globally. Close behind were Shell, BP, Chevron, and TotalEnergies who were each responsible for another 1% respectively.

The report’s most notable trend is the drastic upturn in emissions from state-owned producers since 2016, particularly in the Asian coal sector. You can zero in on the specifics of nations and industries on Influence Map, which was established in 2013.

If you’re after one major summation to take from this, however, it’s that the fossil fuel industry never had any intention of honouring the terms of the Paris Agreement. Make no mistake, our present lack of progress is largely attributable to the entities listed.

While any lack of sustainable progress was previously easy to conceal, though, the future will require many of these companies to own their stance brazenly and deal with the consequences.

In 2023, a non-profit organisation called International Reporting Standards Foundation released climate-related disclosure standards.

These provide governments, investors, and – most importantly – the public with a detailed overview of how companies are performing in terms of their sustainable rehabilitations.

https://youtu.be/sYNhUg7mmnU

Thanks to these efforts and other online resources, the greenwashing tactics of corporations can be unearthed quicker than a barrel of crude oil. Frothy PR campaigns talking of social responsibility won’t fly when easily accessible data underscores the grim reality.

We will be among thousands of others closely watching the progress – or lack thereof – of the 57 companies identified in the coming years.

We’re hopeful that the efforts of Influence Map and Carbon Majors Data won’t be in vain, but we’re not exactly holding our breath. Either way, we’ll be stockpiling our evidence from transparency reports.

The onus to change cannot be placed on civilians and individual action when the practices of a few greedy outfits brought us here to begin with. The same cohort is now scuppering efforts to turn the tide.

Tech Editor London, UK

I’m Jamie (He/Him), the Deputy Editor and a Senior Writer at Thred. Keeping up with social media updates and revolutionary technology is my forte, but when away from my keyboard, you’ll probably find me wrapped around a large Tango ice blast at the latest mediocre horror flick. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

Popular

Keep up with thred by signing up to our planet-positive newsletter!

More from thred.

How is coffee being affected by the climate crisis?
Credit: Thred
Planet

How is coffee being affected by the climate crisis?

Already, rising temperatures are leading to lower yields and higher prices. If global heating continues to worsen, the land suitable for coffee cultivation will halve by 2050 and the plant itself could disappear entirely by the end of the century, which would have a profound impact on the 120m people worldwide whose livelihoods depend on its beans. For many, climate change remains a distant threat. Though the crisis dominates our news...

By London, UK
Opinion – ‘man or bear’ debate reflects misogynistic violence
Credit: Thred
People

Opinion – ‘man or bear’ debate reflects misogynistic violence

‘Would you rather be stuck in the forest with a man or a bear?’ is an intriguing theoretical discussion that’s currently playing out on social media. Met with nearly complete unanimity among women, many men have tellingly reacted with the kind of gaslighting and deflection that’s painfully familiar to survivors of sexual assault. If you were alone in the forest, would you rather encounter a bear or a man? This...

By London, UK
Antarctic wildlife at risk of being ‘sunburnt’
Credit: Pexels
Planet

Antarctic wildlife at risk of being ‘sunburnt’

The hole in the Earth’s ozone layer is remaining open for longer periods than previously observed. This is exposing penguins, seals, and other animals to heightened levels of harmful UV radiation. We know that temperatures are rising. We also know that summer months are becoming warmer and will continue to do so until we phase out fossil fuels and drastically reduce emissions. For humans, while the impacts of extreme heat can be...

By London, UK
Breaking down Biden’s $95 billion aid package for US allies
Credit: Unsplash
People

Breaking down Biden’s $95 billion aid package for US allies

The legislation signed by President Joe Biden allocates $95 billion in emergency spending for aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. However, critics argue that the aid package reflects US efforts to maintain global leadership amid a potential power grab by China.  In late April, President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion bipartisan emergency spending law to provide aid for US allies Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. An estimated $26 billion is...

By Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia
Accessibility