Global energy giants are putting their financial clout into renewables. But parallel investments in cleaner fossil fuels can lead to better outcomes as well.
The news of BP diluting its Net Zero targets should come as no surprise. For the last five or six years, industry giants like BP, Shell, and others have repeatedly promised a future of sustainability, making grand commitments to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2030, 2040, and beyond.
They’ve invested millions into new technologies and painted an inspiring picture of a greener future. But every time we inch closer to those targets, we see the same story play out—they retreat, acknowledging the uncomfortable truth that we are still dependent on fossil fuels. Why wouldn’t they?
The fossil fuel industry is structured in a way that rewards maintaining the status quo. These companies profit immensely from both sides of the energy transition. They hype up clean technologies to capture the attention of investors and the public while simultaneously manipulating fuel prices to stay high, ensuring profitability for the foreseeable future. The reality is, while they publicly support green initiatives, their actions reveal a different agenda—delaying meaningful change to maximise profits.
It’s no secret that solutions to make fossil fuels cleaner and more efficient already exist, yet they’re largely ignored by industry giants. These technologies can improve fuel performance by up to 20%, cut emissions drastically, and significantly reduce particulates during and after combustion.
Despite being 100% natural and scalable, such solutions don’t fit within the traditional profit model. Major players prefer investing in carbon capture and other technologies that are, at best, decades away from real impact—all while continuing their heavy reliance on fossil fuels.
This isn’t about sustainability; it’s about profit.
The truth is, the tools to make a real, immediate impact on fossil fuel emissions are available, but big industry won’t pivot because it risks undercutting their long-standing profitability.
The ongoing manipulation of fossil fuel prices further underscores this. Inflated prices allow them to claim they are investing in future technologies, but in reality, they are merely preserving the status quo.
What we need is a radical shift in how we approach the energy transition. Instead of empty promises for 2050, we need tangible solutions today. The clean-up of fossil fuel emissions must begin now.
Industry giants need to be held accountable, and proven, clean technologies should be embraced, not ignored. The planet can’t afford another decade of profits over sustainability.
The reality we face
As we look to the future, many are quick to declare that fossil fuels need to be left behind. But the reality is that fossil fuels are still the most efficient, energy-dense sources we have. The problem is not fossil fuels themselves; it is the outdated ways we have been using them.
With innovation, we have the power to clean, optimise, and reform fossil fuels to be part of the sustainable future we all desire. The global narrative around fossil fuels is overdue for a change.
The conversation must shift from stopping fossil fuels to cleaning them up. This is how we can sustain our planet and economy until true alternative energy solutions are ready for prime time.
Would you rather drive change by improving what we have or wait for the future while harming our present?
Gulf News Article with guest writer Rob Mortimer
