The Earth’s Temperature Will Rise Above the 2°C Global Warming Cap by 2050

Earth is getting hotter and human efforts fail to stem the increase in temperature. ExxonMobil said today that the world will reach 25 billion metric tons of energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2050. Moreover, oil and natural gas are still projected to meet more than half (54%) of the world’s energy needs in 2050. Exxon was aware of climate change as early as 1977 and spent millions decades refuting the evidence that burning fossil fuel releases carbon dioxide, increasing earth's temperature.

ExxonMobil is the largest US oil producer. It published its energy outlook today and projects the world will reach 25 billion metric tons of energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2050. That is more than twice of the 11 billion metric tons the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say would be needed on average in its Lower 2°C scenarios.

“An energy transition is underway, but it is not yet happening at the scale or on the timetable required to achieve society’s net-zero ambitions,” according to ExxonMobil.

Companies in every industry have unveiled goals to reduce carbon. But as Zöe Baldwin of Shell noted at a the recent World Surfactant Congress, most companies don't have a credible plan to achieve those goals. 

Related Content