They not only knew global warming was happening at an alarming rate, but were able to map out accurately the picture we are seeing today.

A study in the peer-reviewed journal Science this month revealed that Texas-based oil and gas behemoth Exxon "in private and academic circles since the late 1970s and early 1980s, predicted global warming correctly and skillfully".

Researchers from Harvard and Potsdam University said: "Our findings demonstrate that ExxonMobil didn’t just know something about global warming decades ago — they knew as much as academic and government scientists knew. 

"But whereas those scientists worked to communicate what they knew, ExxonMobil worked to deny it — including overemphasising uncertainties, denigrating climate models, mythologising global cooling, feigning ignorance about the discernibility of human-caused warming, and staying silent about the possibility of stranded fossil fuel assets in a carbon-constrained world."

ExxonMobil has denied the allegations and said it was "committed to being part of the solution to climate change and the risks it poses".

Across the world, oil and gas giants realise the jig is up now that the connected world becomes more aware and educated about climate issues.

For many, the new plan now that denial is no longer viable? Let's greenwash everything instead. 

Greenwashing

Put simply, greenwashing refers to the practice by firms and organisations of boosting their environmental credentials and image through slick marketing and evidence-free or out-of-context claims.

One brilliant marketing ploy in the early years of this century was the coining of the "carbon footprint" phrase by slick oil salesmen, putting the onus on regular people and their actions to deflect away from their own continued nefarious environmental practices, coated in a veneer of respectability. 

British Petroleum, better known as BP, is responsible for the "carbon footprint" term, and boy, has it worked a charm. 

Unveiled 19 years ago in a genius campaign, the carbon footprint idea gave people a way to examine their own individual emissions, all the while allowing fossil fuel executives the chance to show people they cared and were on the side of environmental good. 

While people today still calculate their own personal carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions are still being pumped into the atmosphere at enormous rates by fossil fuel companies. 

Carbon footprint is the everyday lexicon, and greenwashing is stronger than ever.

How serious are global players about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and averting a climate and biodiversity disaster in the future? 

If the next UN conference of the parties (Cop) climate summit in the United Arab Emirates is any indication, it is not unreasonable to assume they are not really all that serious, despite the historic pledges made at various Cop events in recent years, eliciting hope among those who care about the environment that systemic change will soon be afoot.

Cop28 and big oil

Cop28 will be headed up by Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber as its president, who also serves as the UAE's climate envoy. As president of Cop28, it will be his job to bring countries together to reach new climate change consensus and action plans. So far, so good.

Only Sultan al-Jaber is head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), the 12th largest oil-producing firm in the world. It would be akin to appointing Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to head up an international panel on eliminating the murder of journalists. 

Teresa Anderson, global lead on climate justice at poverty and injustice non-governmental organisation ActionAid summed up the disgust among environmental activists.

"This appointment goes beyond putting the fox in charge of the henhouse," she said.

Head of the Climate Action Network, which encompasses more than 1,500 civil society groups, Tasneem Essop excoriated the farcical appointment.

"If he does not step down as CEO [of Adnoc], it will be tantamount to a full-scale capture of the UN climate talks by a petrostate national oil company and its associated fossil fuel lobbyists."

So far, the calls have fallen on deaf ears. US climate envoy and former secretary of state John Kerry, described the appointment of Sultan al-Jaber as a "terrific choice". 

Oil industry obfuscators must be rubbing their hands in glee. Their 1970s' game plan has been exposed but the dangerous play continues.