From random new technologies to vague decarbonization goals and hypocritical business tactics, corporations have long perpetrated the mistruth that they will bring a solution to climate change. However, the issue is far more complex and interwoven than their efforts can reach. As inherently profit-over-planet entities, humanity cannot entrust them with the future of the world.

It is easy to forget a simple yet vast conflict of interest: maximizing profits often means disregarding the environment, and companies have almost always chosen profit. While regulations for them have increased, the earth’s deterioration has progressed at a greater rate. Companies, while perhaps complying, seemingly do not actually intend on bringing emissions down to a benign level. 

Take large energy companies as an example. Many continue expanding fossil fuel use over trying to phase in renewables; it is just the logical way to make more money. British Petroleum, for instance, acknowledges the climate crisis but has been aggressively expanding procurement of oil fields and gas production. The company has invested in a small amount of clean energy subsidies for the sake of publicity. Despite minimal significance in comparison to their fossil fuel endeavors, the company has advertised the investments heavily in an attempt to convince the public that they actually care about the environment. In fact, most top oil firms have made vows to reduce fuel extraction and transition to renewables but have done the opposite in reality.

This is a tactic called “greenwashing”: marketing and PR that depicts an organization or product as more environmentally-friendly than it actually is. Carbon neutrality claims and decarbonization goals—often empty promises—are a poster child of this. Most corporations work toward this by using carbon offsets, which involve paying other groups to complete and verify projects that counteract emissions, such as reforestation. However, the actual effectiveness of this is hard to measure. Even if offsets do work, there is a limit on how much they can actually amend, especially in comparison to rapidly rising climate change. 

Additionally, many corporate goals, such as Amazon’s to be net-zero by 2040, would be realized after the roughly-2030 estimate of global warming irreversibility—not to mention that it is uncertain if Amazon will actually follow through. Simply put, corporations are too far invested in profit to genuinely change to support the planet. In fact, from falsified emissions tests for seemingly efficient cars to misleading “planet-friendly” investments, sometimes corporations just lie. 

That is not to deny that some companies are trying. Various firms are genuinely invested in developing environmentally sustainable solutions. The unfortunate truth, however, is that these efforts mean little if others do not follow. Solving the climate crisis requires a united effort on all fronts. For instance, society cannot implement renewable energy without installing battery networks and replacing gas-powered vehicles; it is impossible to create a truly zero-emissions product or service if its power sources, manufacturing, and supply chains are not also at or near zero. And offsets will not fix systemic problems like these. Experimental technologies being applied on a case-by-case basis will also not be enough to get by. A full revolution in human thinking and strategy is needed to implement a solution. 

Corporate efforts for climate change are often misleading, a small bandage on a gaping wound presented as something more than it actually is. The solution to climate change can only lie in meaningfully addressing the larger picture with broad-based concern.