This year, ‘greenrinsing’ – shifting climate targets after luring investment – cast a shadow over corporate decarbonisation efforts, while fossil fuel firms leaned on carbon capture technologies to justify ongoing expansion and promoted natural gas as "clean".

As Big Oil draws criticism for delaying climate action, the British government's Chevening scholarship programme has come under scrutiny for accepting Petronas' sponsorship. Climate advocacy group Rimbawatch is concerned Petronas will exert influence through the scholarship; the Chevening team says scholars are not subject to any obligations.

Students from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University says there is a conflict of interest in the oil major's involvement in a project that claims "to help build a more sustainable future," and point to the firm's checkered history on climate. NTU and Exxon have defended the lab, saying it supports the green energy transition.

Studio EB With the past three years characterised by a global health crisis, geopolitical conflict, and climate-induced extreme weather, the Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative sees the youth as the new custodians of the future – able to find opportunity within challenges