A recent analysis of multiple climate-related initiatives suggests that several projects labeled as “low carbon” are not significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels and may, in some cases, be helping to extend it.
Researchers reviewed dozens of initiatives linked to oil and gas companies, including biofuel production, carbon capture systems, green hydrogen projects, forest restoration schemes, and renewable energy installations. While these projects are often presented as part of the energy transition, the findings indicate that they rarely displace fossil fuel use in a meaningful way.
Instead, many of these efforts appear to function alongside continued oil and gas extraction. In some cases, carbon capture technologies are connected to enhanced oil recovery, a process in which captured carbon dioxide is injected into underground reservoirs to extract additional fossil fuels. This, researchers argue, can extend the lifespan of oil fields rather than reduce overall emissions.
Similarly, renewable energy projects owned or used by fossil fuel companies are sometimes designed to power extraction and refining operations rather than replace fossil fuel-based energy generation. According to the analysis, this limits their impact on broader decarbonization of energy systems.
The study also highlights concerns around biofuel and carbon offset projects, noting that they can lead to land use conflicts. In some regions, such projects have been associated with the displacement of local or Indigenous communities and the conversion of land previously used for food production into industrial-scale plantations or conservation offsets.
Researchers further argue that public subsidies are often directed toward these initiatives, allowing companies to present climate leadership while making only limited changes to their core business models. As a result, critics describe many of these projects as “false solutions” that delay a full transition away from fossil fuels.
The findings suggest that while such initiatives may contribute to emissions management on paper, their real-world impact on reducing fossil fuel dependence is often limited. This raises broader questions about how climate progress is measured and whether current policies are sufficient to drive a structural shift in global energy systems.