ExxonMobil Internal Files Add to Evidence of Climate Deception Campaign
Newly released internal documents from a lawsuit add to evidence that ExxonMobil was aware of climate change risks and internally questioned its own environmental solutions.
New internal documents have emerged, bolstering evidence of a potential campaign by ExxonMobil to downplay the threat of climate change. In June 1988, the same year NASA scientist James Hansen testified to Congress about global warming, Exxon researcher Frank Sprow internally warned colleagues of substantial negative impacts on the company if a global consensus emerged demanding action on greenhouse gas effects.
Sprow's memo is part of documents released in connection with an ongoing lawsuit filed by Massachusetts against ExxonMobil in 2019. While the memo was quoted in a 2023 Wall Street Journal article, it had not previously been published in full. Several other newly disclosed documents, now brought to light, also include more recent statements from Exxon scientists challenging the company's claims regarding biofuels and carbon capture and storage solutions.
These documents suggest that ExxonMobil possessed knowledge of climate change risks decades ago. Concurrently, the company's own scientists have internally expressed skepticism about technologies it promotes as environmentally friendly, such as carbon capture and biofuels.
The release of these documents as part of legal proceedings raises questions about the company's conduct and communication concerning climate change. The information adds further weight to discussions about the responsibility of fossil fuel companies in addressing the climate crisis.