Unearthed)
The oil giant claims to be a leader on tackling methane emissions but successfully lobbied against two major regulations tackling the problem
Lawrence Carter
BP is now a major player in US onshore oil and gas exploration. Photo: Les Stone/Greenpeace
BP is now a major player in US onshore oil and gas exploration. Photo: Les Stone/Greenpeace
British oil major BP successfully lobbied the Trump administration to roll back key climate regulations preventing the release of methane into the atmosphere, despite claiming to support the Paris agreement to limit global warming to well below 2C.
An investigation by Unearthed has found that both directly and through its hands-on role in a network of powerful trade associations, BP first opposed and then helped reverse rules that would have prevented the release of millions of tons of methane from US oil and gas operations over the coming years.
The regulations were a fundamental part of the United States’ strategy for reducing its emissions in line with commitments made as part of the Paris climate change agreement.
Scientists have warned that rising levels of methane, which is 34 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, are one of the biggest threats to global attempts to limit climate change.
The news comes as BP pursues what it calls its first global advertising campaign in a decade, pushing the message that the company is “working harder than ever to create cleaner, greener, smarter energy,” including natural gas.
The company has sought to present itself as a leader on methane reduction, signing an industry pledge to “advocate for sound policy and regulations on methane” and volunteering to reduce the methane intensity of its operations to 0.2%.
But an ongoing investigation by Unearthed into BP and other international oil majors’ efforts to dismantle US environmental regulations has found:
- BP directly lobbied the Trump administration and Congress to repeal a rule restricting the deliberate venting and flaring of methane on federal lands
- The company asked officials to weaken a separate Environmental Protection Agency rule targeting methane leaking from drilling operations
- BP funds and helps coordinate multiple industry lobby groups that have fiercely opposed rules to limit methane emissions
- At least 1.7 million tons of methane could be released into the atmosphere over the next seven years as a result of the rollbacks, equivalent to 58 million tons of carbon dioxide
Responding to the findings, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who sits on the US Senate environment committee, told Unearthed: “BP claims to support a price on carbon emissions, but spent millions to defeat a price on carbon in Washington State.”
“In yet another example of corporate doublespeak, BP claims to support limiting wasteful methane leakage and flaring, yet lobbied against a common sense rule to do just that. I wish I could say I was surprised, but I’m not,” the Senator continued.
Last year the company spent almost $13 million opposing moves to establish a carbon tax in Washington State, despite publicly stating its support for carbon taxation.
BP’s new advertising campaign talks up the company’s work on “cleaner natural gas”, as well as solar and wind energy.
