Companies Pumping the Most Greenhouse Gas Into the Atmosphere

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40. BP
> 2019 CO2 equivalent emissions: 15,377,834 metric tons
> Environmental justice, poor population share: 19% – #12 highest out of 100 corporations
> Environmental justice, minority population share: 75% – #3 highest
> Pct. of CO2 equivalent emissions from single facility: 32% – #49 highest
> Industrial sectors: Petroleum and natural gas systems, refineries, power plants, chemicals, other

Since 2000, BP has been fined for more than $34 billion in environment-related offenses. About half of that total were fines related to its responsibility for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, the biggest environmental fine ever. The British petroleum giant’s Whiting, Indiana, facility was responsible for 32% of its CO2 equivalent emissions. BP reported $157.7 billion in revenue and $7.6 billion in profit in 2021 alone.

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39. Dow Inc.
> 2019 CO2 equivalent emissions: 16,126,051 metric tons
> Environmental justice, poor population share: 16% – #31 highest out of 100 corporations
> Environmental justice, minority population share: 48% – #39 highest
> Pct. of CO2 equivalent emissions from single facility: 26% – #59 highest
> Industrial sectors: Chemicals, power plants, metals, waste, petroleum and natural gas systems, other

Chemical company Dow has racked up nearly $260 million in environmental penalties since 2000. In 2011, the Midland, Michigan, company agreed to pay the federal government a $2.5 million civil penalty to settle alleged environmental violations at its chemical manufacturing and research complex in Midland. Dow reported nearly $55 billion in revenue and $6.3 billion in net income in 2021.

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38. Waste Management
> 2019 CO2 equivalent emissions: 16,159,383 metric tons
> Environmental justice, poor population share: 13% – #67 highest out of 100 corporations
> Environmental justice, minority population share: 48% – #39 highest
> Pct. of CO2 equivalent emissions from single facility: 5% – #98 highest
> Industrial sectors: Waste

The Eagle Point Landfill in Ball Ground, Georgia, has the highest share of CO2 equivalent emissions from a single facility at Houston-based Waste Management, the waste management colossus.

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37. Royal Dutch Shell
> 2019 CO2 equivalent emissions: 16,504,977 metric tons
> Environmental justice, poor population share: 16% – #31 highest out of 100 corporations
> Environmental justice, minority population share: 67% – #13 highest
> Pct. of CO2 equivalent emissions from single facility: 24% – #63 highest
> Industrial sectors: Refineries, petroleum and natural gas systems, chemicals, other

In May 2021, the energy company was ordered by a Dutch civil court to cut its CO2 emissions by 45% compared with 2019 levels by 2030. Four of Royal Dutch Shell’s manufacturing and refining facilities have a percentage of CO2 equivalent emissions from a single facility of 11% or above. Shell reported $261.5 billion in revenue and $20 billion in net earnings in 2021.

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36. CMS Energy
> 2019 CO2 equivalent emissions: 17,391,563 metric tons
> Environmental justice, poor population share: 23% – #2 highest out of 100 corporations
> Environmental justice, minority population share: 48% – #39 highest
> Pct. of CO2 equivalent emissions from single facility: 48% – #32 highest
> Industrial sectors: Power plants, petroleum and natural gas systems, other

The Jackson, Michigan, energy company has received more than $10 million in environmental fines since 2000. In 2014, CMS said it would cut emissions from five coal-fired power plants in Michigan to resolve air pollution complaints. The company reported $7.3 billion in revenue in 2021 alone.