Gas giant Shell has been keeping the big issue of climate change under wraps since the early 90’s. How do we know? The video, Climate of Concern, produced by Shell in 1991 was recently released. In it, we learn that Shell has long known about the risks and real threat of climate change. They just prefer to do little to try and stop it.

Climate of Concern is a 28 minute documentary that was produced by Shell and meant for public viewing. It was primarily shown in schools and universities as a way to warn the next generation. Shell understood that climate change would have catastrophic negative effects on the world and needed to be dealt with. Unfortunately, that understanding did nothing to change their actions.

In the film, Shell explains that if climate change were to become more drastic we would see climate refugees, famine, floods and more extreme weather. They recognize that the burning of fossil fuels releases dangerous emissions into the air that cause climate change. The film goes on to say that solar heat and wind energy are both valuable alternatives. In the end, the only solution is to reduce and stop the burning of fossil fuels.

Despite this bold stance against fossil fuels, Shell has acted oppositely in the past 26 years since their film’s release. They continued to look for more oil and gas, invested in tar sands, promoted fracking and joined lobby groups that doubted the authenticity of climate change.