Exxon Responsible for 5 Percent of All Historical CO2 Emissions
Since its founding as the Standard Oil Trust in 1882, ExxonMobil and its predecessor companies have been responsible for between 4.7 and 5.3 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. Ever. In the whole world. So claims a report, “Exxon’s Climate Footprint,” drawn from two studies commissioned by Friends of the Earth International. Exxon’s historical emissions amount to about 22 billion tons — three times the current annual global emissions total. The report also condemns the company for its long history of undermining climate change science and policy, particularly in lobbying against the Kyoto Protocol. ExxonMobil took issue with the report, pointing out that its energy-conservation efforts have led to a 37 percent increase in efficiency over the past 25 years. Besides, worrying about massive global climate disruption isn’t good for the bottom line: “We don’t invest to make social statements at the expense of shareholder return,” ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond said last year.
