Big Oil Reality Check
The Big Oil Reality Check report finds that the climate pledges and plans of 8 international oil and gas companies fail to align with international agreements to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Comparing corporate policies to the bare minimum
Big Oil Reality Check assesses the companies against ten criteria representing the bare minimum for aligning with the Paris Agreement to limit global heating below 1.5°C. You can see the results in this table.
Table Key
- Grossly insufficient
- Insufficient
- Partially aligned
- Close to being aligned
- Full aligned
AMBITION
INTEGRITY
PEOPLE-CENTERED TRANSITIONS
ENI
Our analysis reveals how ENI’s climate plans fail to align with international commitments to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Stop exploration
Grossly insufficient
Stop approving new extraction projects
Grossly insufficient
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Grossly insufficient
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Partially aligned
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
Insufficient
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Grossly insufficient
Partially aligned
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Insufficient
Insufficient
Insufficient
Stop exploration
Stop approving new extraction projects
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Partially aligned
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Insufficient
Equinor
Our analysis reveals how Equinor’s climate plans fail to align with international commitments to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Stop exploration
Grossly insufficient
Stop approving new extraction projects
Grossly insufficient
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Grossly insufficient
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
Insufficient
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Grossly insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Stop exploration
Stop approving new extraction projects
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
ExxonMobil
Our analysis reveals how ExxonMobil’s climate plans fail to align with international commitments to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Stop exploration
Grossly insufficient
Stop approving new extraction projects
Grossly insufficient
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Grossly insufficient
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Grossly insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
Grossly insufficient
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Grossly insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Stop exploration
Stop approving new extraction projects
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Shell
Our analysis reveals how Shell’s climate plans fail to align with international commitments to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Stop exploration
Grossly insufficient
Stop approving new extraction projects
Grossly insufficient
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Grossly insufficient
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
Insufficient
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Grossly insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Stop exploration
Stop approving new extraction projects
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
TotalEnergies
Our analysis reveals how TotalEnergies’ climate plans fail to align with international commitments to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Stop exploration
Grossly insufficient
Stop approving new extraction projects
Grossly insufficient
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Grossly insufficient
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
Insufficient
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Stop exploration
Stop approving new extraction projects
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
TotalEnergies
Our analysis reveals how TotalEnergies’ climate plans fail to align with international commitments to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
Stop exploration
Grossly insufficient
Stop approving new extraction projects
Grossly insufficient
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Grossly insufficient
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
Insufficient
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Insufficient
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Stop exploration
Stop approving new extraction projects
Decline oil and gas production year-on-year to 2030
Set explicit end-date for oil and gas extraction and long-term production phaseout plan, aligned with 1.5°C
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Pursue methane reductions that serve climate goals, not greenwashing
End lobbying and ads that obstruct climate solutions
Set absolute target(s) to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions, including value chain emissions
Do not rely on carbon sequestration or offsets
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Insufficient
Grossly insufficient
Key Findings
These oil majors fail to align with international agreements to phase out fossil fuels and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC.
- Every company is “Grossly Insufficient” or “Insufficient” on a majority of criteria.
- Three companies (Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil) are “Grossly Insufficient” — our lowest rating — on all criteria.
Combined, these 8 companies’ current oil and gas extraction plans are consistent with more than 2.4°C of global temperature rise, likely leading to global devastation.
- These 8 companies alone are on track to use 30% of our remaining carbon budget to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
Ambition: Of the 8 analyzed companies, 6 have explicit goals to increase oil and gas production. Even those without such plans are advancing new fossil fuel projects and selling polluting assets rather than shutting them down, masking their actions as contributing to an energy transition while perpetuating climate pollution.
Integrity: None of the companies we analyzed have set comprehensive targets to ensure their total emissions decline rapidly and consistently, starting now. Every company intends to rely on carbon capture and storage (CCS), offsets, and/or other methods that delay and distract from ending fossil fuels, and prolong the health and community safety impacts of dirty energy.
People-Centered Transitions: All companies fail to meet basic criteria for just transition plans for workers and communities where they operate. All companies fail to meet basic criteria on upholding human rights.
Download the report
The case for keeping oil, gas, and coal in the ground has never been stronger. Despite this, the fossil fuel industry and its enablers have already licensed, permitted, and constructed more oil and gas fields, coal mines, and other fossil fuel infrastructure than is compatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C.
Read the report for our full analysis, sources, and methodology.
While last year the world committed to transition away from fossil fuels at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the Big Oil Reality Check report reveals oil and gas companies are moving in the opposite direction, by doubling down on drilling that unleashes damage to our climate and fuels disasters by poisoning us, our air, land, and water.
If oil and gas companies were serious about the climate crisis, the first way they would show it would be ceasing to add new fuel to the fire — meaning no new exploration, expansion, or production of fossil fuels. Instead we find that:
6 of the 8 companies we analyzed (Chevron, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, ConocoPhillips, Equinor, and Eni) have explicit goals to increase oil & gas production.
Even those companies (BP and Shell) that don’t have explicit plans to increase total production are putting forward new fossil fuel projects for approval, while framing themselves as contributing to the energy transition with a different strategy: selling polluting assets to other companies who will almost certainly make sure those fossil fuels are burned. Selling polluting assets can make it look like BP and Shell are heading in a better direction, but unless oil and gas fields are retired, the reality is this strategy protects their bottom lines while climate pollution continues.
The Big Oil Reality Check report reveals that none of the companies we analyzed have set comprehensive targets to ensure their total emissions decline rapidly and consistently, starting now. Instead of phasing out production as rapidly as possible:
Every company intends to rely on carbon capture and storage (CCS), offsets, and/or other methods that delay and distract from ending fossil fuels, and prolong the health and community safety impacts of dirty energy.
Many companies (Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies) can meet their existing climate pledges without even cutting total climate pollution below current levels within this decade.
There is evidence that all companies are lobbying against climate action, greenwashing, and otherwise maneuvering to undermine the energy transition.
While many companies have co-opted the language of just transition from labor and climate justice movements in recent years, all the companies fail to meet basic criteria for just transition plans for workers and communities where they operate. Five companies score Grossly Insufficient and three score Insufficient.
All companies fail to meet basic criteria on upholding human rights, with five scoring Grossly Insufficient and three scoring Insufficient. These companies’ track record when it comes to protecting human rights and Indigenous Peoples’ rights is deeply concerning. Each is experiencing resistance from frontline communities to their projects based on human rights, health, and/or safety concerns. An Oil Change International investigation in March 2024 revealed that ExxonMobil, Chevron, TotalEnergies, BP, Shell, and Eni are all complicit in facilitating the supply of crude oil to Israel. This is in the context of the Israeli military’s ongoing massacre of Palestinians in Gaza and mounting evidence of war crimes. Human rights are non-negotiable and these companies’ apparent disregard for it is yet another reason they should not be trusted to take climate action.
Dive into the individual companies
