A new report from Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) has shed light on social media greenwashing by fossil fuel companies, including spending millions on TikTok ads to promote unproven solutions.
The study found that oil and gas giant Chevron has run what CAAD calls “pervasive and calculated campaigns” across social media, pumping ad spend into a range of different channels. According to the report, the company spent around $1.8 million on TikTok ads for its “renewable gasoline blend”, marketed as an eco-friendly alternative to “traditional gasoline”.
The fossil fuel industry also invests heavily in promoting its Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, a process of underground storage that Chevron claims reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The study found that Google searches for “carbon capture” surface results from Chevron, ExxonMobil, Saudi Aramco and BP ahead of “any reputable and/or scientific sources on the topic”, suggesting a high degree of paid search advertising.
Google search results displaying sponsored content from Saudi Aramco and Chevron.
Meanwhile on Google-owned YouTube, a video from Shell is among the top “organic” results for CCS searches, according to the report. Crude oil company Enbridge was also found to be advertising on the search term.
Fuelling misinformation
CAAD argues that CCS is being marketed as a “silver-bullet” solution to reducing GHG emissions, despite the technology consistently falling short of United Nations (UN) standards. At COP28, InfluenceMap, a climate research group, reported that over 80 percent of corporate engagement on CCS was at odds with guidance from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
“As the global public becomes increasingly aware of and concerned about the climate crisis, outright denial has lost its former sheen – except for a small but committed set of actors,” said the report. “In response, the fossil fuel lobby has been forced to change tactics, adopting language to portray itself as a key part of the solution to climate change, instead of its chief culprit.”
Capturing Gen Z
As part of the analysis, CAAD reviewed all videos on Chevron’s TikTok account, observing that the company is targeting Gen Z in its aesthetics and messaging. The videos feature scientifically dubious claims, including finding a “safe place” to store carbon underground, but omit any mention of climate change or phasing out fossil fuels.
Screenshot from a video on Chevron’s official TikTok account.
The study also notes the influencer-style content that deliberately resembles scientific material on TikTok. “It brings the company closer to other viral content from influencers and science communicators on the platform and, potentially, increases the appeal for younger users,” said the report.
And CAAD points out Chevron’s “strategic” choice of presenters on TikTok. The report notes a disparity between the proportion of people of colour who host their videos (75 percent), and their representation on Chevron’s Board of Directors (16 percent).
The social footprint
The organisation also searched for CCS and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) on Meta’s Ad Library, finding ExxonMobil and the Houston CCS Alliance to be “most prolific” advertisers on Facebook and Instagram. These include direct lobbying efforts, including calls for individuals to contact the Governor of Wyoming to express their support for carbon capture.
A post on X promoting CCS from US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
The report suggests that social posts on the topic mostly stem from politicians or the fossil fuel lobby. It notes that while CCS is not widely discussed on Facebook and Instagram, industry self-promotion is frequent. And much of the criticism of CCS on social media is tied to conspiracy theories, according to the report, highlighting one Instagram post that claimed: “Carbon capture is being used to create graphene oxide which then goes into the vaccines [needle emoji] to create nanotech. Trans humanism. Say no to graphine oxide!!!!”. It has over 2,600 likes.
CAAD argued for tighter regulation on fossil fuel advertising, restricting oil and gas firms from touting solutions that effectively enable them to continue operating without reducing their carbon emissions.
“Unfortunately, those genuinely committed to solving the climate crisis struggle to compete with the sheer spending power of the fossil fuel lobby,” said the report. “That makes it more vital than ever to have governance, transparency and accountability regimes that insulate policymaking from corporate influence. It is also why we need far more stringent criteria and safeguards around fossil fuel advertising, both on- and offline. Public understanding must be informed by the science, not warped by special interests. As for social media platforms, we should question why and where they profiteer off Big Oil and Gas, even if it remains the highest bidder.”
