Big Oil Execs Called to Testify at Climate Hearing

Senator Bernie Sanders Calls on Heads of Exxon, Chevron, and BP to testify at hearing next week on “The Cost of Inaction on Climate Change” and Says BP Already Declined

Press Releases

April 8, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following a CBS report that BP America Chairman and President David C. Lawler has declined an invitation from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders to testify at a Thursday, April 15, hearing on “The Cost of Inaction on Climate Change,” Richard Wiles, executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity, released the following statement: 

“BP routinely claims to be committed to climate solutions, but its U.S. CEO is now refusing to publicly discuss these immensely important issues with members of Congress. What is BP afraid of? 

“If the leadership of Exxon and Chevron is truly committed to working with policymakers on climate action, we expect them to quickly accept Senator Sanders’ invitation to testify. If they refuse, it will just be the latest example of their dishonesty and duplicity when it comes to climate. 

“The truth is that executives from BP, Exxon, Chevron, and other Big Oil companies have spent decades lying to the American people about their commitment to solving climate change and the catastrophic climate damages they knew their products would cause. Refusing to testify just shines more light on their unwillingness to come clean on climate.”