Exxon’s new data shows that it is polluting as much as the entire Canadian nation
By Kemol King
Kaieteur News – Last week ExxonMobil released its ‘Scope Three’ emissions data for 2019 – the first time the company has published such data, after coming under pressure from its investors. The numbers immediately give a very clear picture of why the company has hidden them for so long. Exxon’s Scope Three emissions are higher than any other oil company in the West, according to data from Bloomberg. Emissions are more bulky than many countries, and are about the same as the entire Canadian nation.
If you are new to the terminology used when referring to emissions, there are three acceptable emissions categories for this type of reporting from companies like ExxonMobil: Scopes One, Two and Three.
In its report entitled ‘ExxonMobil 2021 Energy and Carbon Summary,’ it is explained that Scope One emissions data generally covers the direct greenhouse gas emissions of ExxonMobil operations, while Scope Two data tells investors and the public about the emissions indirect greenhouse gases from purchased energy. by the company to power its operations. Scope Three data refers to the company’s indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of its fuel and other products.
Exxon’s sales of petroleum products for 2019 amounted to 730 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Royal Dutch Shell comes in second with 694 million tonnes, followed by Total, Chevron, BP and ENI with 416 million, 413 million, 357 million and 255 million respectively.
When those numbers are compared to countries, it shows ExxonMobil’s Scope Three emissions are as much as a developed country. According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada emitted just over 729 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2018. Australia emitted 558 million tonnes, while France, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom emitted 452 million, 334 million, 520 million, and 465 million respectively.
ExxonMobil is beaten by the more powerful, populous countries like Germany, Japan and the United States, which emitted 858 million, 1.24 billion and 6.68 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide respectively.
Exxon prefers to focus on Scope One and Two. It has taken the view that Scope Three emissions do not fairly represent its efforts to protect the environment. That may be because the company has not announced any targets to reduce its Scope Three emissions. He is convinced that meaningful Scope Three emission reductions would eventually be driven by changes in society’s energy use and the development of more affordable low emission technologies.
Exxon’s competitors, meanwhile, have set targets to reduce their Scope Three emissions, Bloomberg reported. Shell, for example, plans to reduce its Scope Three emissions by about 30 percent by 2035 and 65 percent by 2050.