ExxonMobil's board loses climate scientist with minimal impact
Susan Avery, the first climate scientist on ExxonMobil's board, is stepping down after seven years without significant progress on the company's climate policies.
Emily Sanders reports for DeSmog.
In short:
- Susan Avery, a physicist and atmospheric scientist, joined ExxonMobil’s board in 2017, hoping to influence the company's climate policies.
- Despite her presence, ExxonMobil continued to spread climate disinformation and recently sued shareholders advocating for emissions reductions.
- Avery's departure coincides with increased shareholder activism and legal pressures on ExxonMobil regarding its climate actions.
Key quote:
“People wanted to give her an opportunity to change things from within... [that responsibility] certainly has not borne out in reality.”
— Kathy Mulvey, Union of Concerned Scientists
Why this matters:
ExxonMobil's ongoing resistance to climate accountability emphasizes the challenges faced by insiders trying to push for environmental reform within major fossil fuel companies. Will Avery’s exit serve as a wake-up call for ExxonMobil and similar companies to reassess their commitments to environmental sustainability?
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