The Firms Most Responsible for Carbon Emissions

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 New data show how fossil fuel companies have driven climate crisis despite industry knowing dangers

• Half a century of dither and denial – a climate crisis timeline
• Why we need political action to tackle the oil, coal and gas companies - video explainer

The Guardian today reveals the 20 fossil fuel companies whose relentless exploitation of the world’s oil, gas and coal reserves can be directly linked to more than one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the modern era.

New data from world-renowned researchers reveals how this cohort of state-owned and multinational firms are driving the climate emergency that threatens the future of humanity, and details how they have continued to expand their operations despite being aware of the industry’s devastating impact on the planet.  To read more by Matthew Taylor and Jonathan Watts click here on  the polluters

COMMENT. One issue is that the polluters have long known they are polluting and have denied or done too little to minimise their impact.

But another —and perhaps more pressing— issue is how to produce environmentally-friendly power alternatives in sufficient quantities and at acceptable costs that we will not need coal, oil and gas.

In addition to introducing policies to reduce emissions, governments urgently need to support serious research into existing power alternatives,  and power-derived products like plastic that are so much a part of our everyday lives.

-- ACW