Given Information on Emissions Types, Half of the Public Says Oil Sector Must Do More Than It Has Pl

Last month, Exxon Mobil Corp. joined the ranks of oil majors with a net-zero-by-2050 pledge. Or, more specifically, it is now among those pledging to zero out pollution from their own operations -- known as Scope 1 and 2 emissions -- on that timeline, leaving out the bulk of sector-related emissions.

These additional emissions are largely external, but connected to a company’s activities or products: for instance, those from an Exxon customer’s car burning the brand’s petroleum. Known as Scope 3, these emissions and their potential persistence is a question mark when it comes to how the world at large will reach net zero in a matter of decades.

While the language of “scope” and “net zero” is typically the province of policymakers and corporations, a new Morning Consult survey found that when the concepts are explained in terms of sector ambition and responsibility, much of the public believes these pledges are not enough.

A third of U.S. adults said the operational net-zero pledges from Exxon and its competitors like Chevron Corp., Royal Dutch Shell PLC and BP PLC are not sufficiently ambitious, though a nearly equal share said the commitments are “just right.” When asked specifically about the different emission types, over half of the public said major oil and gas companies have a responsibility to reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

Cynthia Cummis, director of private sector climate mitigation at the World Resources Institute, agrees.

“An oil and gas target is not credible without looking at the full life-cycle and addressing Scopes 1, 2 and both upstream and downstream Scope 3 emissions,” she said. “It is absolutely feasible to set targets around all scopes for an oil company or any type of company.”

On Feb. 8, the House Oversight and Reform committee is scheduled to hear from members of the boards of directors of Exxon, BP, Chevron and Shell Oil (Royal Dutch Shell’s U.S. subsidiary) on the topic of their emissions commitments, and specifically on whether they are consistent with 2015’s Paris Climate Agreement, which called for the world to reach net zero by 2050.

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