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.

Fossil Finance Violations: Tracking Fossil Fuel Projects that violate commitments to end international public finance for fossil fuels

*Updated June 2024* Oil Change International analysis shows that several major countries continue to pump $6.2 billion in public finance into international fossil fuel projects despite committing to end this support by the end of 2022.

Sky’s Limit Data Update: Shut Down 60% of Existing Fossil Fuel Extraction to Keep 1.5°C in Reach

This new analysis, an update to the data in our landmark Sky's Limit series, finds that the majority of the fossil fuel reserves within active fields and mines must now stay in the ground. Using updated 2023 data, the proportion of coal, oil, and gas reserves that must remain unextracted to meet the 1.5°C limit has increased from nearly 40% in 2018 to almost 60% in 2023.

Ceres principles risk eradicating progress on net-zero norms

US non-profit Ceres has produced a paper aimed at explaining actions that oil and gas exploration and production companies (E&Ps) can take to reduce their emissions. It is also supposed to provide useful information on climate alignment to the sector’s investors and bankers. The paper suffers from a number of alarming weaknesses which threaten to reverse progress on setting standards for net-zero finance. Consequently, Reclaim Finance, Oil Change International, urgewald, CIEL, and Stand.Earth have jointly published this analysis in response.

Big Oil Reality Check 2023 — An Assessment of TotalEnergies, Eni, and Equinor’s Climate Plans

These briefings reveal that Total, Eni, and Equinor are on the cusp of approving a surge of new oil and gas development. If they proceed with all the projects in their anticipated pipeline for 2023, Eni could rank as the world’s third worst oil and gas expander this year and Equinor as the world’s eighth worst by the total volume of new reserves approved for extraction.

Unburnable Carbon in Protected Areas

This new analysis shows that over 47 Gigatonnes of CO2 could be released by extracting and burning fossil fuels from within protected areas.

Briefing: G7 countries can shift billions into clean energy if they strengthen their commitment to end international fossil finance

The new briefing provides preliminary energy finance data for 2022 and shows that not only investments in new fossil fuel infrastructure are incompatible with meeting climate goals, but also that they are not needed for energy security and development goals.

Briefing: Japan’s Toxic Energy Strategy for Asia

This briefing explains how Japan’s “Green Transformation (GX)” policy is a greenwashing exercise designed to benefit corporate interests and prolong the use of fossil fuels when renewable energy solutions are reliable, available, cleaner, and cheaper. 

Briefing: G20 government finance enabled 82% of LNG export infrastructure expansion, breaking climate promises

This new briefing shows G20 government institutions were involved in financing 82% of new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export terminal capacity built from 2012-2022, providing at least USD 78 billion in loans, guarantees, and equity investments for new LNG export terminal capacity projects.

Civil Society Joint Position: Oil and Gas Restrictions under the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits

This joint position launched by 175 civil society organisations from 45 countries calls on world leaders to end OECD export finance for oil and gas, and explains how it can be done.

Italian government considering support for international fossil fuel projects that would emit 3.5 times Italy’s annual emissions, despite major climate promise

New Briefing: Despite pledging to stop international financing for fossil fuel projects by the end of 2022, the Italian Government is continuing to actively consider financing for major international fossil fuel projects that could emit greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to at least 3.5 times Italy’s annual emissions.