7gen Bloc

The BBC recently reported that British Petroleum, now known as BP, has given up on the idea that BP really stands for Beyond Petroleum. BP was widely recognized as the first oil company to acknowledge the real threat of climate change, and under the leadership of their former CEO, Lord Browne, they developed an in-house carbon trading program. They were also willing to partner with environmental organizations, even if they chose to work with some of the more business friendly groups like ED, formerly known as the Environmental Defense Fund.

Greenpeace's senior climate change adviser, Charlie Kronick, has suggested that stepping away from its pledge to be "green" was the only thing holding the company back from making further cuts to its environmental programs. "Now that BP is blissfully released from its pledge to invest in clean energy, it has a carte blanche to sell off its unprofitable green energy arm. It can get back to doing what it does best, being a 100% fossil fuels train wreck," he told the BBC.

Not surprisingly, BP denies that it is moving away from its commitment to the environment. In the BBC report, David Nicholas, a BP spokesman says, "The change represents an evolution and expansion of green as a brand value rather than a replacement. The new brand value, 'Responsible,' encompasses BP's original aspirations towards the environment, in addition to other key areas such as safety and social welfare. Our aspirations remain absolutely unchanged: no accidents, no harm to people, and no damage to the environment."

While I'd like to believe BP, their position leaves me feeling a bit hollow. I can only assume that the company has always been committed to no accidents and no harm to people, which would mean that any great awakening they may have experienced was centered on the commitment, however implausible, that as an oil company they would do "no damage to the environment."

And that's before you consider that BP recently reduced its investment in renewable energy by 30%, and cut its solar power workforce by a quarter. Given that, what might they have in mind when they say they are as committed to fighting global warming as ever?