The U.S. Senate Budget Committee convened a hearing on Wednesday morning to address the persistent efforts of major fossil fuel companies and trade groups to obstruct climate action while falsely positioning themselves as part of the solution.
The hearing stemmed from an investigation initiated by the House Oversight Committee in 2021 into the conduct and communications of Exxon, BP, Shell, Chevron, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Both committees jointly released a report titled “Denial, Disinformation, and Doublespeak: Big Oil’s Evolving Efforts to Avoid Accountability for Climate Change” on Tuesday.
Jamie Raskin of Maryland (Credits: BBC)
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, highlighted key findings from the investigation during his testimony before the Senate.
He emphasized how the report uncovered substantial evidence of deceptive practices within the industry, demonstrating a stark contrast between public statements and internal actions.
Hearing Includes Testimony from Experts and Advocates
Raskin outlined several deceptive tactics employed by these companies and trade groups, including making public commitments to climate goals while privately acknowledging their infeasibility, shifting from climate denial to promoting natural gas while concealing the industry’s role in exacerbating climate change, and investing in low-carbon technologies while internally acknowledging their limitations.
Raskin pointed out the industry’s reliance on trade associations to disseminate climate disinformation, impede effective climate policies, and collaborate with academic institutions to greenwash its image while influencing research and gaining political access.
The hearing also featured testimony from experts and advocates, including Sharon Eubanks, former director of the Department of Justice’s Tobacco Litigation Team, Geoffrey Supran, an environmental science and policy professor at the University of Miami, Ariel Cohen, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Michael Ratner, an energy policy specialist at the Congressional Research Service.
Supran condemned the oil industry’s deliberate efforts to mislead the public about its historical role in perpetuating climate change, emphasizing the need for accountability.
Eubanks drew parallels between the fossil fuel industry’s deceptive practices and the tobacco industry’s past actions, suggesting that the Department of Justice should investigate the fossil fuel industry’s fraudulent conduct.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) advocated for his Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act, which aims to hold companies accountable for their carbon emissions by charging them for their pollution.
Van Hollen emphasized the importance of making polluters financially responsible for their contributions to climate change and funding a just transition to renewable energy.
Oil Company (Credits: CNN)
Various climate and governance organizations voiced support for holding the fossil fuel industry accountable for its deception and misconduct. They called on policymakers and prosecutors to take decisive action to address the industry’s role in exacerbating climate change and prioritize the transition to clean energy sources.
Reflecting on the hearing, environmentalist Bill McKibben underscored a remarkable shift in Democratic leadership’s stance on fossil gas, highlighting growing recognition of its environmental impacts. McKibben expressed optimism that increased scrutiny of the fossil fuel industry could lead to stronger measures to address climate change.
Raskin emphasized the urgent need to end the fossil fuel industry’s campaign of deception and hold it accountable for its role in obstructing climate action. He warned that without transparency and accountability, efforts to address climate change would be undermined, jeopardizing the future of the planet.
