Posts under ‘Shell Greenwash’

The Sunday Times Business Person of the Year 2022: The shortlist

Sunday December 11 2022, 12.01am, The Sunday Times

In a year buffeted by war, falling markets and government upheaval, we present the shortlist for the business person who has stood out above the rest

Ben van Beurden, Shell

The Dutchman will call time on a 40-year career at Shell in 2023, having spent nine years in the hot seat. He gambled early in his tenure on the £36 billion takeover of gas giant BG Group, relocated Shell’s head office to London, and cut its dividend when the oil price tanked during Covid. But the company has surged this year on the back of higher oil prices stoked by the Ukraine war. Van Beurden, 64, leaves Shell in a fitter state and with plans to embrace green energy — read more

The Washington Post

Climate pressure from employees, shareholders rattles Big Oil

By Steven Mufson: May 27, 2022 at 9:09 a.m. EDT

Five years ago, Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden sat down for an interview with The Washington Post and said “we believe that climate change is real. We believe that the threat of climate change is real. And we believe that action is needed.”

Then he added: “It doesn’t mean we have to kiss hydrocarbons goodbye. In fact, we can’t. But it does mean that we have to make more intelligent choices.”

Today, however, Shell and other oil companies are under fire from those who don’t believe industry leaders are making intelligent choices. Dissident shareholders sought to use annual meetings to press their cases this week. And at Shell’s annual meeting in London on Tuesday, dozens of climate activists wore “Christian Climate Action” T-shirts and rhythmically chanted “we will, we will stop you,” forcing the company’s chairman to halt the proceedings for over an hour. read more

THE TIMES

Investor rebellion over climate change at chaotic Shell AGM

Emily Gosden: Energy Editor: Wednesday May 25 2022

A fifth of Shell shareholders have voted to reject its climate transition plans, almost double the rebellion that it endured a year ago.

The revolt came at a chaotic annual general meeting in London that was delayed for several hours after disruption by environmental protesters. Sir Andrew Mackenzie, Shell’s chairman, called police to clear the room at Central Hall in Westminster and three people were arrested outside the venue.

Shell, Europe’s biggest oil and gas group, is under intense scrutiny by investors and wider society over the speed of its plans to make the transition to cleaner energy. It has committed to eliminating its emissions to net zero by 2050, but faces pressure to make steep cuts in the near term, including from a read more

CNBC

Safety consultant goes viral for leaving Shell after a decade, says ‘core business’ is dangerous

Catherine Clifford: @IN/CATCLIFFORD/@CATCLIFFORD: PUBLISHED TUE, MAY 24 20224:30 PM EDT

• At 8:27 a.m. on Monday morning Caroline Dennett emailed 1,400 executives at the oil and gas conglomerate, Shell, to announce her resignation after 11 years doing safety consulting for the company through her firm, .
• Shell’s internal safety program is dubbed “Goal Zero” and its aim is to have “no harm and no leaks,” Dennett said. “The Goal Zero is honorable, but they don’t equate that to the harms that are being done on a massive scale,” she told CNBC.

At 8:27 a.m. on Monday morning, May 23, Caroline Dennett emailed 1,400 executives at the oil and gas conglomerate, Shell, to announce her resignation after 11 years working as a safety consultant.

Dennett, who is based near London, asked executives and management at Shell “to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they really believe their vision for more oil and gas extraction secures a safe future for humanity.” read more

Bloomberg

Shell Climate Case to Return to Focus at Annual Shareholder Meeting

Laura Hurst, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) — Climate issues are set to take center stage at Shell Plc’s annual general meeting on Tuesday, with a key group saying the energy giant isn’t abiding by a landmark court order requiring it to cut emissions by 45% by 2030.  

Milieudefensie, the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth, says Shell’s plans around customer-related emissions — which make up the bulk of its pollution — aren’t in line with last year’s judgment. The group originally brought the case against the company.

“The judge’s verdict is clear and necessary: Shell must stop causing dangerous climate change,” said campaign spokesperson Nine de Pater, who plans to attend the meeting in London as a proxy shareholder.  read more

Contractor quitting puts Shell in spotlight over climate

A longtime contractor for Shell has accusing the oil and gas company of “double talk” by saying it wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions while working on tapping new sources of fossil fuel

BERLIN — A longtime contractor for Shell has publicly called out the oil and gas company’s climate plans, accusing the company of “double talk” by saying it wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions while working on tapping new sources of fossil fuel. read more

CITYA.M.

Shell suffers blow as investor group withholds approval for energy transition plan

NICHOLAS EARL: MONDAY 16 MAY 2022

Shell’s battle to gain approval for its energy transition plan has suffered a heavy setback, as a major investor announces its intention to abstain on a key resolution at the firm’s upcoming annual general meeting.

Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), which holds a £1.2bn stake in the energy giant, has criticised the oil and gas trader’s climate transition plans. read more

CITYA.M. 

Activist investor prepares to take on Shell over climate targets

NICHOLAS EARL: THURSDAY 12 MAY 2022

Shell is preparing for a shareholder showdown at its upcoming general meeting later this month, with activist group Follow This pushing the energy giant to commit to more stringent environmental targets.

It has warned shareholders that Shell’s current transition plans are not aligned with the Paris Agreement, and has filed a motion – resolution 21 – calling for the oil and gas major to publish targets that cover short, medium and long term emissions in both its operations and the use of its energy products. read more

BBC NEWS

Windfall tax on energy firms still an option

By Simon Jack: Business editor: 11 May 2022

A windfall tax on big oil and gas companies to help tackle the soaring cost of living has not been ruled out, sources close to the chancellor say.

Officials say Rishi Sunak is still open to the idea if firms do not reinvest their bumper profits in the UK.

Current policy is still based on the tax deterring investment in new oil and gas fields and green technologies.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned last week it could put future UK energy security at risk. read more

sky news

Extinction Rebellion: Six people arrested as activists climb on top of Shell oil tanker in central London

Saturday 16 April 2022 16:05, UK

Six people have been arrested after Extinction Rebellion activists climbed on top of an oil tanker in central London.

The climate group said three people climbed on top of the Shell tanker, holding a banner which said “end fossil filth” in Bayswater Road on Saturday morning.

Extinction Rebellion said Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist Etienne Stott and fellow British Olympian Laura Baldwin were among those demonstrating. read more

Extinction Rebellion activists have glued themselves to the reception desk of Shell’s London HQ.

Members of the group gained access to the building, on London’s Southbank, this afternoon and are occupying it and telling passing workers to change careers.

The protest is part of Extinction Rebellion’s “April rebellion”, which began on Saturday and has included mass roadblocks in the capital.

Speaking on a livestream from inside the building, one activist said: “We’re here to ask you to really think about what you’re doing. Do you really want to be part of this planetary destruction?” read more

Harrison Jones for metro.co.uk: Wednesday 6 Apr 2022 5:41 pm

…hundreds of experts from around the world are engaged in a ‘scientist rebellion’, which saw oil chucked over Shell’s headquarters in London.

…experts from around the globe have been taking part in what they called the ‘world’s largest ever scientist-led civil disobedience campaign’.

A number of them in the UK used modified fire extinguishers to spray biodegradable fake oil on a Shell building, where they also plastered scientific papers on the walls.

The scientists are calling for a ‘climate revolution now’ and say ‘1.5°C is dead’, in reference to the target for global warming, which the IPCC warned is almost out of reach.

One of those taking part, Cat Acheson, a social scientist and PhD researcher, said: ‘I’m here today taking non-violent direct action against Shell, because the continued use and expansion of fossil fuels is endangering all life on our planet. read more

CNBC

Shell’s board of directors sued for ‘failing to properly prepare’ for the energy transition

PUBLISHED TUE, MAR 15 202210:14 AM EDT

• Environmental law firm ClientEarth, a Shell shareholder, said Tuesday that it had notified Shell of its claim against the company’s 13 executive and non-executive directors.
• It argues the board’s failure to implement a climate strategy that truly aligns with the landmark Paris Agreement is a breach of their duties under English law.
• In response to the legal action, Shell told CNBC via email that it was delivering on its global strategy that supported the Paris accord.

Shell’s board is being sued for failing to prepare the multinational oil and gas company for the transition away from fossil fuels.

Environmental law firm ClientEarth, a Shell shareholder, said Tuesday that it had notified Shell of its claim against the company’s 13 executive and non-executive directors. It argues the board’s failure to implement a climate strategy that truly aligns with the landmark Paris Agreement is a breach of their duties under English law. read more

The Guardian

Shell directors sued for ‘failing to prepare company for net zero’

Environmental law organisation ClientEarth brings action and urges other shareholders to join

The directors of Shell are being sued for failing to properly prepare the multinational oil and gas company for net zero.

In what is thought to be a first-of-its-kind action, the lawsuit brought by activist shareholders claims that Shell’s 13 directors are personally liable for failing to devise a strategy in line with the Paris agreement, which aims to limit global heating to below 2C by slashing fossil fuel emissions. read more

English translation of extracts from a Forbes article published in German on 1st March 2022. 

FORBES

CAN SHELL GREEN?

In the public perception, Shell is an industrial giant – now Fabian Ziegler, Chairman of the Management Board of Deutsche Shell Holding GmbH since spring 2020, wants to make the company greener.

Will the Swiss succeed in pulling off the coup so vital to the group’s survival?

Text: Matthias Lauerer
Photo: Deutsche Shell Holding GmbH

1st March 2022

Is Shell on its way to a carbon-neutral future? Will this be a reimagined world, where green hydrogen, e-mobility and decarbonization have become a reality? Or do they prefer to greenwash to perpetuate the dirty old business model on which the global economy hangs? read more

The Guardian

The great greenwashing scam: PR firms face reckoning after spinning for big oil

A comprehensive study confirms that oil companies are largely all talk and no action when it comes to clean energy initiatives

Amy Westervelt: @amywestervelt: Fri 18 Feb 2022 11.00 GMT

This week a peer-reviewed study confirmed what many have suspected for years: major oil companies are not fully backing up their clean energy talk with action. Now the PR and advertising firms that have been creating the industry’s greenwashing strategies for decades face a reckoning over whether they will continue serving big oil. The study compared the rhetoric and actions on climate and clean energy from 2009 to 2020 from the world’s four largest oil companies – ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and BP. read more