Why Major Oil and Gas Companies Are Doubling Down on Climate Advertising: A Deep Dive into Their Strategies

Oil and gas companies are facing more lawsuits over their role in climate change. Unlike many other industries that are facing stricter regulations, these companies continue to promote themselves as environmentally friendly. This shift started in the early 2000s after the Kyoto Protocol, when many companies moved away from denying climate change altogether.

These companies now boast about their investments in technologies like carbon capture, biofuels, solar, and hydrogen energy. However, critics argue that these claims distract from the ongoing drilling and extraction of fossil fuels. Benjamin Franta, a climate litigation expert at Oxford University, points out that this form of “greenwashing” is just as harmful as outright climate denial. His research shows that many ads from major oil companies have shifted focus from fossil fuel promotion to claims of leadership in low-carbon technologies.

For instance, BP urges consumers to “Join us on the journey to a lower carbon future,” while ExxonMobil states, “This technology is one of the ways we’re advancing climate solutions.” Interestingly, messaging around carbon neutrality goals, once a hot topic, has faded recently. This change comes during a time when the public and politicians are increasingly focused on climate issues.

Legal challenges are also intensifying. For example, TotalEnergies is awaiting a court ruling in France to determine if it misled consumers with its climate pledges. This case could influence how similar claims are handled moving forward, especially as other legal battles unfold against oil companies around the world.

In Spain, Repsol successfully defended itself against accusations of misleading advertising related to sustainability. Meanwhile, a New York court recently dismissed a greenwashing claim against another oil firm. In Australia, investors are watching a case against Santos, which has claimed it will be carbon neutral by 2040.

Regulatory frameworks are tightening up, especially in sectors like aviation, food, and fashion. For example, a new EU directive will ban terms like “carbon neutral” on product labels by 2026. H&M and Zalando have had to drop vague sustainability claims under regulatory pressure; even airlines like KLM have faced scrutiny over misleading climate ads.

In Europe, the landscape is shifting. Sybrig Smit from the NewClimate Institute observed that while some companies are scaling back unsubstantiated claims, many have genuinely improved their sustainability efforts. However, fossil fuel companies remain under fire as major contributors to climate change, often accused of spreading misleading information for decades.

Legal actions are ramping up in both Europe and the U.S. California is even pushing for large payments from oil companies to address the costs of climate change, reminiscent of how tobacco companies were forced to compensate for the health impacts of smoking.

As climate change continues to dominate global discussions, the tactics of oil and gas companies will be closely examined. How they navigate legal pressures and public sentiment will be crucial in the coming years.

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