A new report from Greenpeace Nordic exposes the huge gap between Equinor’s greenwashing and the company’s aggressive pursuit of new oil and gas.
The report titled «The truth about Equinor’s global projects«, takes a closer look at four of Equinor’s global projects that have faced strong public and political opposition, as well as the company’s role in increased oil and gas extraction on the Norwegian continental shelf. The projects covered are Rosebank in the UK, Bay du Nord in Canada, Bacalhau in Brazil and exploration in the Argentine Sea.
Equinor spends millions presenting themselves as a broad energy company, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Equinor is one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies, and one of the most aggressive companies in terms of opening new oil and gas projects.
Read the report below to learn more about Equinor’s global projects.
Exposes Equinor’s true nature
The report shines a spotlight on the gap between Equinor’s investment in new fossil fuel companies and the company’s «green» marketing campaigns. Equinor refers to itself as a «broad energy company», despite the fact that only 0.13 percent of the energy it produced in 2022 was renewable and only 3 percent of the investments went to renewable energy. The UN and the International Energy Agency have determined that there is no room for any new coal, oil or gas projects if we are to manage to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Still, Equinor is planning to increase production by 3 percent in 2023, continue to increase production until 2026, and maintain current production levels in 2030, according to CEO Anders Opedal.
Equinor’s new fossil fuel projects will worsen the climate crisis, threaten vulnerable marine habitats, and can have catastrophic consequences for local communities dependent on income from fishing and tourism.
Equnior = a global climate villain
Equinor is facing huge opposition in countries around the world where the company is pursuing new fossil fuel projects. Last month, more than 40 protests were organised across the UK in reaction to Equinor’s decision to move with the controversial Rosebank oil field, the largest undeveloped oil field in the UK. On 2 October, activists from the Greenpeace ship Witness protested against Equinor’s plans to start seismic shooting and oil exploration off the coast of Argentina. Equinor’s projects are currently facing or will face legal challenges in Canada, Argentina and the UK.
The report has been written by Grenpeace Nordic on behalf of the Equinor Out coalition which brings together environmental and climate organisations in Norway, the UK, Canada, Argentina, and Brazil that are fighting against Equinor’s fossil fuel projects.
Stine Wilhelmsen, campaigner at Greenpeace Norway, says: “Equinor spends millions portraying themselves as a company committed to the energy transition, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The facts clearly show how our state-owned oil company continues to ignore climate science, Norway’s climate and nature commitments, and the Norwegian government’s expectations of state-owned companies. We hope this report can contribute to exposing Equinor’s true nature.”
Karoline Andaur, head of the WWF-Norway said: “Equinor must take the Paris Agreement seriously and have a strategy that is aligned with the 1.5 degree target. This must involve climate measures throughout the value chain, from production to combustion. This means an actual downscaling of fossil fuel production and a major transition to renewable energy. In addition, Equinor has to respect the Global Biodiversity Framework, and stop building new oil and gas fields in our most vulnerable and valuable marine areas.”
Bibi Elberse, Stop Rosebank campaigner, said: People in the UK know that the Rosebank oil field will do nothing to lower our fuel bills or increase UK energy security. It will just deepen the climate crisis while making Equinor richer. This is why hundreds of people protested outside the Norwegian Embassy last month and why over a hundred charities, as well as politicians from all parties, are demanding it be stopped. Equinor’s expansion plans are why Norway is increasingly seen as a climate villain around the world, when it could be using its wealth and expertise to rollout cheap, clean energy. It is beyond time that the Norwegian government forced Equinor to make the shift away from fossil fuels, starting with pulling out of Rosebank.
Conor Curtis, Head of Communications, Sierra Club Canada, said: “Hundreds have rallied against Equinor’s Bay du Nord in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. So many more have sent messages highlighting the huge climate impact and biodiversity risks Bay du Nord would create. The project also poses huge economic risks for people here. It’s time for Equinor and the Norwegian government to finally listen and cancel Bay du Nord.”
Maria Victoria Emanuelli, Lead Campaigner 350.org Latin America, said: “Equinor is leading the exploration of new frontiers in the Argentinean South Atlantic Sea, although the communities in Argentina are against this offshore project and thousands of people keep fighting against it. This shows how Equinor acts against its own commitments and contributes directly to the sea environment destruction and climate change.”
Equinor jobber for å åpne nye, kontroversielle utenlandsprosjekter, som Rosebank i Storbritannia og Bay du Nord i Canada. Dette må stoppes, signer oppropet!
