In a stunning revelation, private communications obtained by US Democrats on the House oversight committee expose the fossil fuel industry's long-standing efforts to downplay the dangers of burning fossil fuels and undermine climate change actions. The newly revealed documents, dating back to November 2015, shed light on the deceptive practices of major oil firms such as Exxon, Shell, BP, and Chevron, as well as their lobbying organizations, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the US Chamber of Commerce.

The documents, which were part of an investigation launched in 2021 by the House committee, unveil a decades-long campaign by big oil to mislead the public about the economic and climate harms of their products. Despite pledging support for international climate efforts and making public statements backing climate laws and regulations, the internal communications demonstrate that these commitments are incompatible with their own climate plans.

"For decades, the fossil-fuel industry has known about the economic and climate harms of its products but has deceived the American public to keep collecting more than $600bn each year in subsidies while raking in record-breaking profits," said Sheldon Whitehouse, the Rhode Island Democrat who chairs the committee.

The documents show that Exxon, in particular, was aware of the dangers of the climate crisis for decades but chose to hide this information from the public. Previous reporting from Inside Climate News and the Los Angeles Times in 2015 already indicated Exxon's knowledge of the climate risks, but the company firmly rejected the findings at the time. However, internal communications now confirm the accuracy of the reports.

The fossil fuel industry's strategy has evolved to a more sophisticated approach of "deception, disinformation, and doublespeak," rather than outright denial of climate change. While oil companies have made public commitments to combat climate change and voiced support for the Paris climate agreement, their internal communications raise doubts about the sincerity of these statements.

For instance, BP announced plans to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050, but private emails indicate doubts within the company's top brass about achieving this goal. Similarly, Shell pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 publicly, but internal documents suggest that the timeline may be pushed back to 2060 or 2070.

In addition to downplaying the dangers of fossil fuels, the documents reveal that oil companies have sought to portray natural gas as a climate-friendly fuel, despite acknowledging behind closed doors that its use is not compatible with international climate goals. BP, in a confidential 2018 presentation, discussed the challenge posed by journalists reporting on the planet-heating nature of natural gas and recommended a communication campaign to maintain the role of gas in the energy transition.

Furthermore, the documents expose the contradicting positions of these oil companies on climate policies. While publicly opposing the Trump administration's rollbacks on methane emissions, BP and other oil firms were privately aligned with the proposal. Shell also contradicted its public support for a carbon tax by fighting against such a policy in Washington state.

The newly revealed documents have raised concerns about the transparency and credibility of big oil firms, as they refused to fully comply with the congressional investigation and redacted or withheld relevant information. The implications of these revelations extend beyond the congressional investigation as the industry faces an increasing number of lawsuits for allegedly misleading the public about the dangers of fossil fuels.

The Center for Climate Integrity, which has been supporting these lawsuits, stated that the documents could provide additional evidence to advance the cases. Lawsuits filed by Chicago, Pennsylvania's Bucks County, Puerto Rico, and the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe have already cited previous subpoenaed documents from the House oversight committee to support their claims.

As the truth about big oil's deceptive practices comes to light, questions are being raised about the accountability and responsibility of these fossil fuel giants in addressing the climate crisis. The revelations highlight the urgent need for stronger regulations, transparency, and a transition to cleaner energy sources as the world grapples with the consequences of climate change.