Did you know that just 10 corporations are responsible for nearly half of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions? It’s a staggering fact that raises serious questions about corporate accountability and environmental stewardship. But here’s where it gets even more eye-opening: researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) have unveiled the Greenhouse 100 Suppliers Index, a groundbreaking report that ranks the biggest corporate culprits behind these emissions. And this is the part most people miss: the data used for this index might be among the last publicly available, thanks to a controversial decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to scale back its Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program until 2034.
The top offenders include household names like Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, Exxon Mobil, and Valero Energy. Each of these companies produced fossil fuels that resulted in over 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions—a mind-boggling figure that underscores their outsized impact on the climate. Coal mining giants Core Natural Resources (a merger of Arch Resources and CONSOL Energy) and Peabody Energy also rank high, alongside Chevron, Enterprise Products Partners, PDVSA, and PBF Energy. Together, these 10 corporations account for a staggering 44% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
The index relies on 2023 data from the EPA’s reporting program, which tracks emissions from oil, natural gas (methane), and coal supplies. But with the EPA’s decision to curtail this program, future transparency is at risk. Here’s the controversial part: Professor Michael Ash, co-director of PERI’s Corporate Toxics Information Project, warns that this move leaves policymakers, communities, and consumers ‘flying in the dark,’ forced to rely on voluntary corporate reports that may be incomplete or misleading. ‘The Greenhouse 100 Index is a vital tool for holding corporations accountable,’ Ash explains. ‘Without access to this data, the public’s right to know—and act—is severely compromised.’
To make this information accessible, PERI has launched a free, open-access online tool that includes all 778 companies in the EPA’s database, even privately held ones like Koch Industries, which ranks 11th with over 100 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions. The tool also breaks down emissions by state, with Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, California, and Illinois topping the list. But here’s the question that sparks debate: Is it enough to simply know who’s polluting the most, or should there be stricter regulations to curb these emissions? And what role should consumers and investors play in demanding change?
This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the future of our planet. As Ash puts it, ‘Our goal is to empower public participation in environmental decision-making, turning the right to know into the right to clean air, clean water, and a livable planet.’ Now, we want to hear from you: Do you think corporations should be held more accountable for their emissions? Or is the responsibility on governments and individuals to drive change? Let’s start the conversation—because this is one issue we can’t afford to ignore.
