100 companies are responsible for 70% of global CO2 emissions.

Omissions

• The 70–71% figure refers to CUMULATIVE industrial greenhouse gas emissions between 1988 and 2015 (CDP 2017), not to current annual global emissions — a nuance the claim omits.
• The 100 entities include state-owned producers (e.g., Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, Coal India) in addition to private companies.
• The percentage measures emissions 'linked to' fossil fuel production (i.e., emissions from burning the fuels they sold), which is a scope-3 attribution methodology, not the companies' own operational emissions.
• More recent Carbon Majors data (2025 update) actually shows that fewer than 100 entities (78 corporate and state producers) account for over 70% of historical emissions, so the claim is conservative on the number of companies.

Sources

• PrimaryCDP — Carbon Majors press releaseGroundbreaking 'Carbon Majors' research finds 100 active fossil fuel producers are linked to 71% of industrial greenhouse gas emissions (since 1988).
• PrimaryCarbon Majors Database — Launch Report briefingOver 70% of these global CO2 emissions historically can be attributed to just 78 corporate and state producing entities.
• SecondaryThe GuardianJust 100 companies have been the source of more than 70% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions since 1988, according to a new report.