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How Big Oil’s Big Money Influences Climate Research

Summary

A new study published in *WIREs Climate Change* reveals the extensive influence of fossil fuel companies on university climate research, uncovering hundreds of cases where oil funding led to conflicts of interest. Companies like ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron have donated millions to universities, subtly steering academic research toward industry-favored solutions, such as carbon capture, rather than phasing out fossil fuels. The study highlights how these financial ties allow oil companies to shape the direction of climate discourse while maintaining credibility. Activists and researchers are increasingly calling on universities to sever ties with fossil fuel industries.

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