Is Global Warming Real? America’s Biggest Oil and Gas Company Say Yes

In April 2014, ExxonMobil (ExM), one of America’s largest oil and gas suppliers, published two papers on the subject of climate change. Entitled “Energy and Climate” and “Energy and Carbon – Managing the Risks”, the papers appeared to suggest that ExM was ready to admit that burning fossil fuels contributed to climate change.

Neither report denies the reality of climate change

While neither report denies the reality of climate change, nor do they suggest taking immediate, aggressive action. Instead, ExM argues for adaption and mitigation, suggesting we’ll all have to become less reliant on fossil fuels in future. In addition to this, as fossil fuel deposits diminish, prices are set to rise. In response to this, ExM acknowledges the need to set a price on carbon.

When it comes to tackling climate change head on, ExM merely attempts to dodge responsibility, suggesting that regulation is the responsibility of governments, who will exert insufficient pressure and fail to put the proper regulations in place. This will result in a rise in global temperatures.

Alternatives and cut backs

When companies like ExM – who make money from the sale of fossil fuels – suggest fossil fuels are damaging the planet irrevocably and we ought to use less, we should all sit up and listen. However, renewable energy sources alone are unlikely to satisfy our current energy demands.

Almost all of us use devices powered by fossil fuels every day. Yet very few of us know how much energy our appliances require or how much each individual appliance costs to run. As the price of energy rises, we’re all likely to become more “energy-aware”, meaning we may attempt to make savings by cutting back on the amount of energy we use.

Meanwhile, the majority of contemporary product designers and developers are striving to make their products as energy efficient as possible. Around four years ago, engineer Scott Brusaw and his wife pioneered the idea of taking solar power to the next level by replacing the 75,000-miles of roadways in the United States with solar panels. But is it still a viable idea? We find out in this story: Will We Ever Drive on Solar Powered Roads? And if this wasn’t enough, we’ve also scientists are even looking at the possibility of producing energy from lightning, pistachios and poo! Whatever next!?