Energy transition & Shell

A worldwide climate agreement has been concluded in Paris last year. The world of fossil fuels is nearing its end. The 7th biggest company in the world, Royal Dutch Shell, however, is not planning to stop drilling for oil and gas. Moreover, Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden recently stated in an interview with Nieuwsuur: “I will drill everything that I possibly can”. Nonetheless, to remain within the relatively safe 2 degrees global warming, at least 80% of the now proven oil reserves should remain in the ground, says among others Mark Campanale (Carbon Tracker Initiative). He even claims that Shell faces a huge financial risk if it will not make the transition to renewable energy.

So what is Shell’s strategy? Will it keep drilling oil and will we inevitably exceed the 2 degree limit? Or will Shell make the transition to a gas or renewable energy company? Shell has recently stated that it will try to buy an off shore wind farm. Is this the start of a greener Shell? Or will it mainly focus on gas production?

In short: What is Shell’s role in the Energy transition?

We shall discuss this with none other than the Manager Energy Transitions of Shell: Ewald Breunesse. Next to him will be seated Thomas Muntz, investigative journalist on energy and climate for online magazine de Correspondent en de Groene Amsterdammer.