Shell-funded school materials accused of downplaying fossil fuels’ climate impact

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Australia’s Queensland Museum is under scrutiny after a new Comms Declare investigation found that Shell-funded educational materials used by children as young as 10 downplay the role of fossil fuels in driving climate change
• The museum has received over AUD 10.25 million (€5.84m) from Shell’s QGC gas business since 2015, enabling extensive brand visibility and potential influence over school curricula

🔭 The context: Corporate sponsorship of STEM education programs is common in Australia, but fossil fuel involvement has become increasingly controversial as climate impacts intensify
• Shell and other oil and gas companies have previously been criticised for using educational partnerships to promote technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) while minimising discussion of emissions from coal, oil, and gas, despite these being recognised as the main drivers of global warming.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Shaping how children understand climate science influences society’s long-term capacity to respond to the crisis
• Materials that omit or obscure the central role of fossil fuel combustion risk normalising continued dependence on high-emission energy systems and weakening public support for necessary policy shifts
• The report warns that redirecting focus toward CCS as a “solution” can serve as greenwashing, delaying structural emissions cuts and distorting scientific literacy at a critical moment

⏭️ What’s next: Environmental groups including Comms Declare and the Queensland Conservation Council are calling for the museum to terminate its Shell partnership and audit all learning materials for scientific integrity
• Queensland Museum maintains that Shell does not influence content, but mounting public pressure may prompt governance reviews, updated funding policies, or a shift toward independent, climate-aligned education resources

💬 One quote: “This is climate obstruction dressed up as education,” said Belinda Noble, founder of Comms Declare. “We wouldn’t let Big Tobacco sponsor teaching materials”

📈 One stat: Fossil fuels account for ~68% of global greenhouse gas emissions and ~90% of CO₂ emissions, according to the UN, figures largely absent from the Shell-branded school materials.

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Shell, and its peers like TotalEnergies, and BP

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