City council and oil giant sign deal to cut emissions

Oil firm BP has signed a deal with council leaders in Aberdeen as part of efforts to cut emissions and help it become a “climate-positive city”.

Aberdeen is only the second city in the world after Houston in the US to join forces with the energy company in such an arrangement.

As part of the deal, BP will serve as a planning and technical adviser in the delivery of the local authority’s Energy Transition Strategic Infrastructure Plan.

The company and the local authority will also explore opportunities for using hydrogen power for transport and heating, while work will take place to increase the fuel efficiency of the council’s fleets of vehicles.

Partnering with countries, cities and industries to help them reduce emissions on the path to net-zero is part of BP’s new strategy, introduced last month.

William Lin, BP executive vice-president for regions, cities and solutions, said: “Over the next decade we expect to partner with 10 to 15 cities globally to provide innovative, integrated and decarbonised energy solutions at scale to help achieve their goals of net-zero emissions.

“We are privileged to be the partner for city of Aberdeen on its journey to achieving its carbon reduction ambition.”

He added: “Aberdeen is a leading energy city in the UK and the world, with whom we share a long history.

“We are committed to bringing our capabilities in integrating and developing energy systems coupled with the city’s local expertise, knowledge and insights to make a sustainable impact for the citizens of Aberdeen and the surrounding region.”

Aberdeen City Council coleader Jenny Laing said the local authority is “delighted” to be working with BP on “the next phase of Aberdeen’s drive to support local, national and international climate change targets”.

She said: “The council and BP have the same goals in reducing our carbon footprint and working with BP provides a major opportunity for Aberdeen to progress our plans.”

But Mel Evans, senior climate campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said: “Aberdeen is the heart of the UK’s oil and gas industry and a complete shift to clean energy is what’s needed across the UK to tackle the climate emergency.

“This must go beyond the way that the city of Aberdeen uses energy.”