Research

Oil Change International publishes upwards of 20 reports and briefings every year focused on supporting the movement for a just phase-out of fossil fuels.

Banking on Climate Chaos 2021: Fossil Fuel Finance Report

This report analyzes fossil fuel financing from the world’s 60 largest commercial and investment banks — aggregating their leading roles in lending and underwriting of debt and equity issuances — and reveals that these banks poured a total of USD $3.8 trillion into fossil fuels from 2016–2020.

Getting On Track to 1.5°C: The IEA’s Opportunity to Steer Investments towards Success in Meeting the Paris Goals

The IEA has a crucial opportunity in 2021 to guide the world towards 1.5°C-aligned energy investment. We outline crucial steps the IEA must take to get on track.

New Money Behind the Mountain Valley Pipeline: Eight U.S. Banks Dominate the Top 10 Backers

A new report by Oil Change International on the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) reveals that banks have continued pouring money into the project over recent years, despite numerous warnings that the project has been financially unsustainable and a threat to the climate. This analysis, an update to our 2017 report, reveals that the estimated cost of the Mountain Valley Pipeline has nearly doubled since 2017, increasing the potential project cost from USD 3.5 billion to between $6.3 and $6.5 billion.

Doubling Back and Doubling Down: G20 Scorecard on Fossil Fuel Funding

In this new report we consider recovery commitments and pre-pandemic policies to rank G20 countries' progress in phasing out support to fossil fuels. We find at least USD 584 billion per year between 2017 and 2019 in public support for fossil fuels from G20 governments. 

Fracking Fiasco: The Banks That Fueled the U.S. Shale Bust

A new report by Oil Change International and Rainforest Action Network (RAN) shows how major banks have continued pouring money into fracking companies in recent years despite numerous warnings that the sector was financially unsustainable — on top of the well-documented environmental, health and climate impacts of the industry.

Discussion Paper: Big Oil Reality Check — Assessing Oil And Gas Climate Plans

Our new discussion paper analyzes the current climate commitments of eight of the largest integrated oil and fossil gas companies, and reveals that none come close to aligning their actions with the urgent 1.5°C global warming limit as outlined by the Paris Agreement.

Principles for Paris-Aligned Financial Institutions: Climate Impact, Fossil Fuels, and Deforestation

Sixty climate and human rights groups from around the globe have issued a set of "Principles for Paris-Aligned Financial Institutions" to offer a roadmap for the decarbonization of the finance sector on a timetable aligned with the Paris Agreement.

Export Development Canada’s Role in Bailing Out the Oil and Gas Sector

Canada’s export bank, Export Development Canada (EDC), already provides on average nearly fourteen billion dollars in support to oil and gas companies each year. As a result, Canada ranks second highest among G20 countries in public finance for fossil fuels. Now the federal government is using EDC to channel even more support to the oil and gas sector, which has been intensely lobbying the government for a bailout package of up to $30 billion.

Distributed Funds for Distributed Renewable Energy: Ensuring African Energy Access Finance Reaches Local Actors

Communities in Africa have generally contributed the least to climate change, been undermined the most by international trade and finance policies, and have a right to better international support for distributed renewable energy. In order to reach universal energy access before the 2030 target set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, international public finance institutions have an urgent responsibility to provide more funding and better financial transparency and tracking for distributed renewable energy. Additionally, they have a responsibility to foster local participation in and ownership of distributed renewable energy initiatives. This briefing provides recommendations for how international public finance institutions can fulfill this responsibility, while revealing that from 2016 to 2018, fossil fuels received more than 3.5 times the support than all kinds of renewable energy did during this period.

Past Time for Action: Subsidies and Public Finance for Fossil Fuels in the Netherlands

Amidst a climate crisis and global pandemic, it's essential that countries develop public finance packages that phase out fossil fuel production and invest in a just, green transition toward renewable energy that benefits communities and industry workers. While the Netherlands has committed to redirect financial flows from fossil fuels to climate action, this report reveals that the Dutch Government continues to provide billions — at least €8.3 billion per year — in taxpayer backed support for the production and use of fossil fuels.