"Latest Carbon Majors analysis finds global CO2 emissions are traceable to an increasingly concentrated set of producers, many of which are expanding fossil fuel output and blocking climate action."
"As fossil fuel-based carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise to record levels, a new analysis shows that a majority of these emissions can be traced back to a shrinking number of large corporate entities.
Just 32 companies accounted for over half of global fossil carbon emissions in 2024, according to a report published Wednesday by the U.K.-based think tank InfluenceMap. That is down from 36 companies responsible for half the global CO2 emissions in 2023, and 38 companies five years ago.
The analysis is the latest update to the Carbon Majors database, which tracks the world’s largest oil, gas, coal and cement producers and uses production data to calculate the carbon emissions from each entity’s production. The database, first developed by researcher Richard Heede and now hosted by InfluenceMap, quantifies current and historical emissions attributable to nearly 180 companies and provides annual updates. It is the only database of its kind tracking corporate-generated carbon emissions dating back to the start of the Industrial Revolution, research that’s being used in efforts to hold major polluters accountable for climate harms."
Dana Drugmand reports for Inside Climate News January 21, 2026.
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