China's Oil and Gas Firms Accused of 'Greenwashing' LNG Purchases by Greenpeace

Greenpeace has accused major oil and gas companies in China, including PetroChina and CNOOC Gas and Power, of using low-quality carbon offsets to "greenwash" their imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) while failing to make significant emissions reduction commitments. These companies have signed long-term contracts with Shell to purchase "carbon neutral" LNG, which relies on "forest offsets" to balance out carbon emissions. Greenpeace argues that this branding is misleading and serves as a smokescreen for continued carbon emissions. The organization also highlights inconsistencies in measuring offsets and the vulnerability of forests tied to offset schemes to fires. The rising sales of "carbon neutral" LNG are driven by increasing gas demand in Asia, particularly in China.