Exxon Knew
AND KEPT POISONING FOR PROFIT
In 2015, investigative journalists uncovered internal company memos documenting that Exxon scientists knew about global warming as of 1981. Further research found that they predicted the extent of the global warming we’ve since experienced with remarkable precision even earlier, in the 1970s.
Having learned that its product endangered our well-being, did Exxon stop? No. Did they warn us? No. Did they make changes? Yes. They began to incorporate climate change projections into their operational planning, including closely studying how to adapt their Arctic operations to rising sea levels. And they prepared and then carried out a decades-long disinformation campaign to keep the public in the dark.
The campaign’s tactics vary widely. Sometimes the focus has been to sow false doubt, sometimes to mock our concern, sometimes to pretend that fossil fuels are essential to American identity...and on. The deeper strategy is always the same: to cover up the truth so that we stay quiet.
Exxon has had partners in this disinformation. It has been documented that Shell knew as of the 1980s. The fossil fuel industry trade group, the American Petroleum Institute, knew in 1968. The coal industry, in 1966.
Two-thirds of fossil fuel pollution has been emitted since 1980, after the point at which Exxon started lying. To contemplate the human losses since then, and the staggering harm to climate justice communities, to the web of life, to our economies, to us all, is a grim exercise but an important one. The fossil fuel industry must be excluded from official discussions about how we move forward.
“I KNOW HOW THIS INFORMATION LOOKS—WHEN TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT, IT SEEMS BAD.”
–DARREN WOODS, EXXON CEO
FROM THE 1980S THROUGH THE 2000S, MOBIL (LATER EXXONMOBIL) PLACED ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF THE NEW YORK TIMES TO SOW CLIMATE DENIAL AND INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION. THE ONES SHOWN HERE RANGE FROM 1996-2000.
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History of Exxon’s knowledge of climate change and how it influenced their decision making
LA Times: What Exxon knew about the Earth's melting ArcticMisinformation campaign
Scientific American: Exxon Knew about Climate Change almost 40 years ago
Union of Concerned Scientists: The Climate Deception DossiersShell knew
The Guardian: Shell and Exxon's secret 1980s climate change warningsAPI knew
The Guardian: Oil industry knew of 'serious' climate concerns more than 45 years agoCoal knew
Mother Jones: Coal Knew, TooTwo-thirds of emissions since 1980
The Guardian: Historical climate emissions reveal responsibility of big polluting nations -
