Last year, a list of 100 companies that accounted for 70 percent of global emissions between 1988-2015 was presented. Most on the list are fossil energy companies, such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron.

A few companies dominate

But a new compilation shows that large multinational companies also dominate other industries. For example, four companies control 84 percent of the pesticide market. Five companies account for 90 percent of global palm oil trade.

Ten companies account for 25 percent of total paper and cardboard production in the world, according to the new study with researchers from the Stockholm Resilience Center.

- In a way, it is perhaps horrifying that so few companies have too much influence. On the other hand, it might be good, because by looking at the largest emissions in a country, regionally or globally, we can also force them to change, says Johan Jansson, associate professor, Department of Business Administration at Lund University.

Then they can change

Through six different examples (see fact box below), the authors show that you would achieve a lot, quickly if you got these large and sluggish organizations to move.

- The companies will never solve this themselves. They need clear laws and regulations, clear financial instruments. They need a clear risk profile where they know they can be exposed and scientific guidance to prioritize, says Henrik Österblom, one of the authors of the study.

He has, along with several co-authors from the US and Europe, noticed a change of norm where companies can no longer ignore the sustainability issue.

The financial sector has great responsibility

A first step is that companies start talking about sustainability and communicate it outwards. But they also need to be exposed to pressure from elsewhere.

- If one instrument is sharper than the others, I would say that the bank and the finance sector together with the large pension funds are starting to place stricter demands on these companies, because they are all dependent on capital, says Henrik Österblom.

If you change these companies, it can have an impact on the whole system, as small and medium-sized companies are often included in the large companies' supply chains.

- All these climate marches - they should perhaps focus on these companies' headquarters ?, says Henrik Österblom.

The compilation is published in Nature Ecology and Evolution.