To a company that makes billions/year, donating 1 million over 2 years is chump change. 

To appreciate this action, one needs to also understand the long lived battle with environmental activists attempting to extort XOM for billions of dollars because, absurdly, they supposedly knew 4 decades ago that their product would cause catastrophic climate change and didn't tell anybody(so where's the damages, since we've had the best weather/climate during that time in the last 1,000 years?).

•                         Understanding the "#ExxonKnew" controversy  

        What is #ExxonKnew?

https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/key-topics/understanding-the-exxonknew-controversy/understanding-the-exxonknew-controversy?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand+-+Climate+Science+-+BMM&utm_content=Climate+Change+-+Exxon&utm_term=%2Bexxon+%2Bclimate+%2Bchange&gclid=CJC13YyD_d0CFd6UxQIdfWYJYg&gclsrc=ds

I would bet that this is a combination of damage control for the hit they took on the fraudulent ExxonKnew scheme as well as a pre emptive strike(insurance) against future liability for damages for causing climate change...........which we all know to be "human caused" climate change from "fossil fuels". 

A carbon tax would hit coal companies harder than oil companies. Natural gas would . be the least effected:

https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=73&t=11

"The tax would be $40 per ton of carbon dioxide, equal to about 36 cents per gallon of gasoline. It would
 also raise costs for natural gas and coal.

"The plan also includes calls for “regulatory simplification.” That would include " an end to federal and
 state tort liability for emitters," a controversial clause that would end lawsuits attempting to hold
 oil companies liable for damages caused by climate change."

Sounds like a great deal for the Oil companies. The tax will be passed on to the users in higher prices,
 and how do they distribute the dividends ?

Carl,

You hit the nail on the head with the info in those quotes. That's what they're really after. 

https://tinyurl.com/y7geafdg

How can anybody deny climate change?

Temperatures are 1 deg. warmer than a century ago. ......that's climate change. 

It would be far more unusual for the climate to stop changing. 

Regarding the oil companies position, can you imagine them having the opposite position?

It would be a public relations catastrophe..........far worse than any climate change could have on their profits. 

Entities that don't embrace the catastrophic  end point to "man made"(the only kind that exists) climate change are attacked relentlessly. 

Go to the top of page 5 on this link. This falls under "Proactive'

http://fostermarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Foster_Marketing_PR_Guide.pdf