The campaign organisation, Extinction Rebellion, is targeting workers in the oil and gas industry to persuade them to blow the whistle on corporate greenwash.

Billboards and online adverts on the professional networking site, LinkedIn, are directed at researchers, scientists and technicians, Extinction Rebellion said today:

“They are best placed to recognise the gulf between their bosses’ public pronouncements and actual efforts to decarbonise”.

The adverts will target staff in four major fossil fuel companies: Shell, Exxon, Total and Chevron.

The first set is aimed at Shell staff, urging them to “Whistle blow for the planet”. Staff will be directed to XR’s TruthTeller whistleblowing platform, launched earlier this year.

The launch follows last week’s acquittal of six XR members on trial for criminal damage at Shell’s London headquarters.

XR said fossil fuel companies had been warned decades ago by their scientific staff about the threat from global warming and the need for immediate action.

It said the industry had thrown doubt on the science and frustrated international agreement. It accused companies of falsely claiming to be prioritising cuts in carbon emissions.

Zoë Blackler, coordinator of XR’s TruthTeller project, said:

“Fossil fuel companies are not decarbonising at anything like the speed required, but you wouldn’t know that from their PR.

“Behind the spin and the greenwash, even those claiming to be working towards net-zero continue to invest heavily in oil and gas, with only minor investment in renewables.

“Some companies have not even set net-zero targets, while making vague boasts that suggest otherwise.

“Outside pressure on these companies to take radical action is mounting daily.

“But for change to happen fast enough there also needs to be pressure from within. Which is why TruthTeller is inviting employees to tell the world what is really going on inside these companies and put their bosses on notice that they are being watched.”