Before I even start talking about how absurd this is and how it might literally kill the entirety of life on earth, here are the 10 companies responsible for about 50% of ALL the CO2 emitted by humanity between the years of 2016 and 2022:
- China Coal: The leading coal producer in China was the single largest emitter in the planet, with a staggering 72,993 metric tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere, equating to 25.79% of the world’s total emissions during the period.
- Saudi Aramco, the oil giant from Saudi Arabia, contributed with 13,256 metric tons of CO2, which represented 4.84% of the global emissions total.
- Gazprom, Russia’s behemoth natural gas exporter, added 10,127 metric tons of CO2, or 3.26% of the emissions tally.
- Coal India, a subsidiary of a Chinese coal company operating in India, was responsible for 8,509 metric tons of CO2, making up 3.01% of the emissions.
- China Cement, as the top Chinese cement producer, contributed with 8,155 metric tons of CO2, accounting for 3.21% of the emissions.
- The National Iranian Oil Company released 8,176 metric tons of CO2, which amounts to 2.80% of the global total.
- Rosneft, another Russian company and a major player in the oil industry, emitted 5,734 metric tons of CO2, or 2.07% of the total emissions.
- China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) added 4,966 metric tons of CO2, which equates to 1.71% of the global emissions.
- Abu Dhabi National Oil Company was responsible for 4,746 metric tons of CO2, contributing to 1.70% of the emissions.
- ExxonMobil, major American multinational oil and gas corporation, known for being one of the world’s largest energy companies by revenue, 4,086 metric tons or 1.4%.
The study conducted by InfluenceMap, based on information from the Carbon Majors database, found that the group of ten companies were responsible for half (approximately 50%) of all global CO2 emissions over the past seven years, from 2016 to 2022. These businesses are engaged in the extraction of fossil fuels and the production of cement, an industry that alone is responsible for at least 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The research also highlighted a notable increase in pollution stemming from state-owned enterprises. This trend is most pronounced in the Asian coal industry. Despite efforts from European and North American nations to reduce pollution in this sector, the rapid growth of the cement industries in China and India has kept overall emissions high.
The research shows that there are no leading regions when it comes to emissions reductions. Asia and the Middle East stand out as the regions associated with the highest emissions increases, alongside companies from Africa, Europe, and South America. North America is the only region to buck this trend, with a slim majority of companies linked to decreasing emissions.
– Tzeporah Berman, President of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Fossil Fuels
Why is CO2 a problem?
CO2 emissions are one of the primary contributors to global warming, a phenomenon characterized by the gradual increase in the Earth’s average atmospheric temperature that results from the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that allows Earth to retain heat from the sun, but the excess of certain gases, including CO2, traps more heat than is naturally released back into space, leading to warmer temperatures. This warming has far-reaching implications for the planet’s climate, ecosystems, and human societies.
The impacts of global warming are diverse and severe, ranging from rising sea levels due to melting ice caps and glaciers, which can lead to coastal flooding and the displacement of coastal communities, to more frequent and severe weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts. These events can disrupt food and water supplies, agriculture, and livelihoods, as well as lead to increased mortality rates from heatwaves and other extreme conditions. Additionally, global warming is altering ecosystems, affecting biodiversity, and threatening the extinction of many species that cannot adapt to the changing conditions quickly enough.
