Bob Dudley
Bob Dudley

BP is engaged in some good old-fashioned "greenwashing" as its CEO Bob Dudley calls for the oil & gas business to respond to the public's demands for action on the global warming front, while the British energy giant fights tooth and nail against US regulations to curb methane emissions.

Speaking tonight at the CERAWeek energy fest, which the Wall Street Journal calls the "premier industry conference," Dudley will urge audience members to adopt a "progressive, but pragmatic" approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As head of the company that once enjoyed a "green halo" for its "Beyond Petroleum" campaign, Dudley will argue for more engagement with young people and environmental activists.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported today that BP has "lobbied intensively to weaken US rules on methane emissions even as the energy group cast itself as leading a campaign to cut the release of potent greenhouse gas." E.g., BP claims it plans to tailor its business strategy to meet the emissions targets of the Paris climate accords.

According to documents collated by Greenpeace's Unearthed unit, BP lobbied the Trump administration to roll back emissions standards that were put into place by President Obama.

It claimed the measures were too costly and labor-intensive, according to the FT. BP also expressed concerns with regulatory overlap.

The unwinding of Bureau of Land Management and Environmental Protection Agency rules will lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions, according to the activists.

Dudley will warn the CERAWeek crowd about the public's eroding trust of the energy sector.

BP's greenwashing is among reasons why that trust is on the skids.