If greenwashing were an appropriate response, Canada would be a world leader in addressing climate change. One well-funded practitioner is Pathways Alliance, a consortium of big Canadian oil companies that Toronto Star says is preaching “industry knows best” when it comes to combating climate change.

Pathways is a classic example of greenwashing: advertising or marketing spin intended to convince the public, often deceptively, that an organization’s policies or products are environmentally friendly.

Pathways Alliance emerged from organizations earlier known as Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), Oil Sands Community Alliance (OSCA), and Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero Alliance. These were bundled together as Pathways Alliance in 2022.

Greenpeace communications officer Adeoluwa Atayero has written numerous article worth attention.

In 2021, a group of big Canadian oil companies joined forces, calling themselves the Pathways Alliance. This group includes Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Cenovus Energy, ConocoPhillips Canada, Imperial, MEG Energy, and Suncor Energy. Together, they control a whopping 95% of Canada’s oil sands production and about 63% of Canada’s total oil production and they have collectively booked a record profit of over $35 billion in 2022. On the surface, they claim to be on a mission to help fight climate change, aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and assisting Canada in meeting its climate goals. Sounds great, right? But when we take a closer look, we find some concerning issues that show the real impact the Pathways Alliance and its members are having on our climate.