The climate change debate has gone through several phases, but one constant player lurks in the shadows: the oil industry. This is not just a scientific disagreement, but one of the longest and most expensive disinformation campaigns in corporate history.
As an expert on industrial issues, it is both fascinating and worrying to see how the strategy of major energy companies has evolved. Their tactics have mutated over time, moving from outright denial to a sophisticated "sowing of doubt" that continues to influence global policy.
Phase 1: The open secret (1960s-1980s)
Herein lies the core of the ethical problem. We know that since the 1960s, the companies themselves, including giants like ExxonMobil, were conducting their own internal research on fossil fuels and climate.
The conclusion? Their scientists predicted with astonishing accuracy the increase in CO2 and the global warming we are experiencing today. However, instead of acting or reporting, this data was rigorously suppressed. Publicly, the industry funded studies that refuted any link between its products and the climate. This was the era of strategic silence.
Phase 2: Active denial (1990s-2000s)
As the scientific evidence became global and irrefutable, silence was no longer an option. The strategy shifted to active denial.
The oil industry used its immense economic power to fund lobbying groups, think tanks, and media campaigns designed to sow confusion. The key message was not that "it wasn't happening," but rather that "scientists disagree" or that the phenomenon was "natural."
This modus operandi sought to keep society in a state of comfortable doubt. The objective was clear: to delay any regulations that threatened the sale of barrels. It must be acknowledged that, for decades, this tactic was considerably successful in lulling public awareness.
Phase 3: Strategic “doubt” and lobbying (2010 - Present)
Today, with global warming a palpable and irrefutable reality, the strategy has changed again, becoming more subtle and cynical: strategic obstruction.
Oil companies can no longer deny the science, so they attend the UN Climate Change Conferences (COP). Their objective? Not to cooperate, but to lobby to weaken or sabotage any agreement that implies a real commitment to reducing fossil fuels. They use economic fear as a weapon: “If we change, there will be unemployment, crisis, and uncertainty.” All the while, they spread lies on social media and other platforms.
At the same time, some of these companies invest a small portion in renewable energy to create an image of "responsibility," while their core business and majority investments remain focused on oil and gas extraction—a practice known as "greenwashing."
Fortunately, economic reality is doing what ethics could not: forcing change. The cost of solar and wind energy has plummeted, surpassing fossil fuels in many cases. The drop in battery prices is driving the electric vehicle revolution, as well as supporting backup systems for power grids.
The inertia of the oil industry is immense, and they will continue to fight tooth and nail to maintain their dominance. However, history teaches us that adaptation is the only guarantee of survival. Those who cling to the past, no matter how large they may be, will eventually fall.
We are left with one open and crucial question: who will ultimately hold these corporations accountable for the economic and social damage and the wasted time caused by their denial campaign?
Time will tell, but social and legal pressure, and above all, the competitiveness of clean energy, are the forces I hope will bring justice.
What I don't know is whether they will arrive too late.
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