ConocoPhillips is the world’s largest “independent exploration and production company based on reserves and oil production.” They operate in 15 countries including the US, Canada, and Norway. The company began as a filling station in 1909, and has grown to produce about 1.5 million barrels of oil per day.
Climate Change:
Until 2013, ConocoPhillips was a significant contributor to the American Legislative Exchange Council, which is “an important conduit for climate science disinformation and policy proposals designed to block climate action.” In the 2020 election cycle, ConocoPhillips donated over $1 million to the Senate Leadership Fund and Super PACS to fund climate denialist Republicans, like Donald Trump. They influence environmental legislation by encouraging “its employees and others to attend the rallies and stoke up pressure on senators.”
ConocoPhillips uses language to “misrepresent climate science by stating that increased concentrations of global warming emissions in the atmosphere “can lead” (rather than “are leading”) to adverse climate effects, emphasizing uncertainties, and talking about “managing” (rather than “reducing”) emissions.” Their statement on climate science dismisses climate research and IPCC reports, inaccurately represents data, and claims that it is sufficient for their company to manage, rather than reduce, emissions.
Their emission reduction targets undervalue renewable energy and have declined to take responsibility for the effect of their product on climate change. They focus on decreasing emissions per barrel, but ignore their total emissions.
Alaska:
In 2020, ConocoPhillips was approved to develop a site near Beaufort Sea, where the effects of climate change are already being felt. A representative has stated temperatures will rise “if global emissions continue to increase” and that changes “are incremental.” This statement does not acknowledge the company’s role in rising emissions and dismisses the climate change effects Alaskans already feel.
CEO Ryan Lance defends ConocoPhillips projects in Alaska and deflects responsibility for their contributions to climate change. He stated, “I think you’ll see what we’ve done has been responsible and done with the environment in mind.” Lance has denied climate change in Alaska stating, “Alaska is not a snow globe, right? Some people want to just shake it up and put it up on their shelf, and say ‘Ooh, that’s a pretty thing up there.”
See also:
American Legislative Exchange Council
Donald Trump
Climate of Denial