This past weekend, a group of oil companies (though not Chevron) announced a pledge to reduce their methane emissions - but scientists say that is only accounting for a small fraction of overall emissions from oil and gas. That includes reducing emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, during fossil fuel extraction. More often, it describes cleaning up the production and use of fossil fuels. "You're just doing it with fewer emissions, but the end product still can have a lot of carbon in it," Mahdavi says.įor Chevron and other companies investing in "lower carbon" initiatives, the phrase sometimes refers to cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels, like getting energy from heat inside the Earth. He says when companies push for more "lower carbon energy," it typically means continuing to produce and use oil and gas - but with somewhat cleaner extraction and processing methods. Mahdavi says the focus should be on the words "low" or "lower." It doesn't mean no carbon emissions, he says. "We believe the future of energy is lower carbon," Chevron, an NPR sponsor, frequently emphasizes in ads and speeches. Many oil companies talk about their support for "low carbon energy" and "lower carbon energy." Most carbon dioxide emissions come from burning oil, gas and coal - and they heat the planet. "Carbon," short for carbon dioxide, is at the heart of climate talks. Here are five key, but sometimes confusing, phrases about climate change commonly used by oil companies - and why they matter. "Language is very revealing."īut this language isn't always straightforward. "It's important to consider what these companies are committing to, what policies they support," says Paasha Mahdavi, associate professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, noting that oil companies' language can make it into policy. Yet they also argue strongly for the world's continued use of massive quantities of fossil fuels, which power both the global economy and their profits.īut climate scientists say it's crucial to cut fossil fuel use sharply to avoid some of the worst effects of global warming. Most oil companies acknowledge that climate change is real. So what are oil producers saying in their pledges and statements about climate change? And what does it actually mean? The oil cartel OPEC has its own pavilion at this meeting, known as COP28, and giant oil companies are playing a prominent role, to the dismay of climate activists. And the oil industry has a big platform at the talks. This year's climate conference is taking place in the United Arab Emirates, a major oil and gas producing country that's looking to increase its oil production. Just a few years ago, oil companies said they felt unwelcome at United Nations climate talks.
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