ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ExxonMobil climate change controversy

ExxonMobil is a big company that makes money by digging up oil and gas from the ground and selling it to people who use it for things like driving cars and heating homes. Scientists have found that burning oil and gas releases a gas called carbon dioxide, which makes the Earth's atmosphere warmer and causes climate change.

Some people believe that ExxonMobil knew about this for a long time but didn't tell anyone. They think that ExxonMobil knew that their products were harming the environment, but they kept quiet so that they could make more money.

This controversy started when some news articles and investigations claimed that ExxonMobil's internal documents showed that the company knew about climate change decades ago but publicly downplayed the risks and continued to promote the use of fossil fuels. Some people accused the company of misleading the public and contributing to climate change.

ExxonMobil denies these accusations and says that they have been transparent about their research on climate change. They argue that they have been trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and invested in alternative energy sources. They also point out that climate change is a complex issue that involves many factors beyond oil and gas production.

Overall, the ExxonMobil climate change controversy is about whether the company knew about the risks of fossil fuels on the environment and whether they were honest with the public about it.