Chevron aligns with Paris deal, won’t cap output
Chevron Corp. vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with the Paris accord on climate change, potentially averting a shareholder rebellion at its annual general meeting.
The U.S. oil major pledged to reduce air pollution intensity by 25 to 30 percent by 2023, as recommended in the Paris agreement that took effect in 2016. The target applies across the company’s global portfolio, including assets in which it owns stakes but is not lead operator. The metric will also be a factor in determining employee bonuses, Chevron said in a report published Thursday.
While the reduction targets won’t apply to emissions created by consumers using Chevron products, a key demand from environmentalists and activist investors, the move is a significant policy shift for Chevron, whose CEO, Mike Wirth, is one year into the role. It follows a similar change by rival BP PLC earlier this month. In last year’s report, Chevron said the 2016 Paris deal was only a “first step” toward a global climate framework.
Chevron’s decision may defuse an investor proposal to be considered at its annual meeting this year. Shareholders As You Sow and Arjuna Capital asked the oil supermajor to adopt the Paris targets, including the use of Chevron’s products by consumers as well as emissions from refineries and other plants.
In September, Chevron announced it was joining the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, with Exxon Mobil Corp. and Occidental Petroleum Corp. It will also contribute $100 million to the OGCI’s billion-dollar fund that invests in greenhousegas reduction technologies within the industry.
The move has drawn attention within the policymaking community.
“It’s significant that Chevron, Exxon and Occidental joined the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative in 2018,” said Robert Orr, special adviser to the United Nations secretary general on climate change. “It shows recognition that American companies are seeing the same science and the same economics that other leading companies are seeing.”
The company vowed general support for using climate-related metrics and market-based policies to reduce carbon emissions — as long as policies don’t punish specific companies.
“Compelling select oil and gas producers to unilaterally reduce their production or change their portfolios to align with a possible future energy mix does not advance the goals of the Paris Agreement,” Chevron said in the report.
Even under the most aggressive climate scenarios, oil and natural gas will still underpin almost half of the world’s energy needs through 2040 and will require substantial new investment, Chevron said. The company’s oil production of 2.93 million barrels a day last year was a record and it expects as much as 7 percent growth this year.
“A decrease in overall fossil fuel emissions is not inconsistent with continued or increased fossil fuel production by the most efficient producers,” the company said. “Our strategy is to be among the most efficient producers.”
Mark Nelson, Chevron’s vice president of strategy and midstream, said the decision came after consulting investors, as well as employees and civil society groups.
“If we’re going to continue to provide this evergrowing demand for energy, we’ve got to be sure we’re doing that in the cleanest, most responsible way,” he said. “This is the right ting to do because it’s actionable and accountable for our company and our stakeholders.”