Top 20 fossil fuel companies behind the source of a third of all carbon emissions

(This Guardian article also says that "90% of the emissions attributed to the top 20 climate culprits was from use of their products, such as petrol, jet fuel, natural gas, and thermal coal. One-tenth came from extracting, refining, and delivering the finished fuels." so the USERS of all that energy bear responsibility too - but it is clear that the massive use of fossil fuels is crucial in the pile-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the cause of much of climate change.)

"New data from world-renowned researchers reveals how this cohort of state-owned and multinational firms are driving the climate emergency that threatens the future of humanity, and details how they have continued to expand their operations despite being aware of the industry’s devastating impact on the planet.

The analysis, by Richard Heede at the Climate Accountability Institute in the US, the world’s leading authority on big oil’s role in the escalating climate emergency, evaluates what the global corporations have extracted from the ground, and the subsequent emissions these fossil fuels are responsible for since 1965 – the point at which experts say the environmental impact of fossil fuels was known by both industry leaders and politicians.

The top 20 companies on the list have contributed to 35% of all energy-related carbon dioxide and methane worldwide, totalling 480bn tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) since 1965.

Those identified range from investor-owned firms – household names such as Chevron, Exxon, BP and Shell – to state-owned companies including Saudi Aramco and Gazprom.

Chevron topped the list of the eight investor-owned corporations, followed closely by Exxon, BP and Shell. Together these four global businesses are behind more than 10% of the world’s carbon emissions since 1965.The top 20 companies have contributed to 480bn tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent since 1965

Billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent

Saudi Aramco 59.26
Chevron 43.35
Gazprom 43.23
ExxonMobil 41.90
National Iranian Oil Co 35.66
BP 34.02
Royal Dutch Shell 31.95
Coal India 23.12
Pemex 22.65
Petróleos de Venezuela 15.75
PetroChina 15.63
Peabody Energy 15.39
ConocoPhillips 15.23
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co 13.84
Kuwait Petroleum Corp 13.48
Iraq National Oil Co 12.60
Total SA 12.35
Sonatrach 12.30
BHP Billiton 9.80
Petrobras 8.68
www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/revealed-20-firms-third-carbon-emissions
climateaccountability.org/