Big Oil and the Inevitable: Coming to Grips with Carbon and Climate Change
February 26, 2015
Readers are aware of two recent high profile announements from Shell and BP, calling for a price on carbon and an enlarged discussion of climate change globally.
I recently watched a long lecture by Angus Gillespie, VP of CO2 for Shell Oil, explaining the need for a price on carbon, and how Shell, and the other major oil companies, are pricing carbon internally in the complete assurance that carbon pricing will inevitably be imposed, and is desirable.
I will be posting that here soon.
For the short version, here’s a 2 minute clip from a recent appearance by Gillespie at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club.
Money Quote:
“You will struggle now to find climate deniers inside the Oil Industry. It’s just become unacceptable.”
One way to read this is that it is a much smoother, cleverer attempt to “manage” climate politics, and the burgeoning popular uprising against the fossil fuel industry.
Another way to look at it is, this is what an ongoing paradigm shift looks like.
Key slide from Gillespie’s long form lecture:
Below, Lou Allstadt, former Executive Vice President of Mobil Oil Corporation, now a member of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, on the same podium.
Climate Denial Crock of the Week 
February 27, 2015 at 4:31 am
Impressive post, a vice president of a major oil company openly talking on AGW, and an ex vice president of another, complementing the direction, and stating that he has personally divested away from fossils into renewables.
I truly hope that Shell can influence a transition from fossils to alternatives, they always were a very progressive and influential organisation. They must seek opportunity, evolve and change to keep operating well into our future. Wind is one area they have already expanded into, there are plenty of other areas if they seriously care about there long term viability …..
“We are involved in eight wind projects in North America and two in Europe. Shell’s one offshore windpark, Egmond aan Zee, has 36 turbines. We used our experience with oil and gas platforms to design it to withstand North Sea conditions. Each turbine is 55 metres high (180 feet) and weighs 115 tonnes, while the components are coated to protect against corrosion for 20 years. “
I wonder what the hard core denialists think to that, if the oil industry begin to accept AGW, where does it leave their arguments and what the heck are they moaning about ?
February 27, 2015 at 2:53 pm
An oil company CEO divesting from fossil fuels is like the captain of a sinking ship jumping before the rats!
February 27, 2015 at 4:47 pm
Reblogged this on jpratt27.
February 28, 2015 at 5:40 am
[…] more developments in this story soon. A friend has sent a link to a January 12 lecture from the VP for Carbon of Shell, Angus Gillespie. I posted a short clip of Gillespie on a panel the other day, but here he goes in depth. Worth a […]
February 28, 2015 at 6:53 pm
[…] Readers are aware of two recent high profile announements from Shell and BP, calling for a price on carbon and an enlarged discussion of climate change globally. I recently watched a long lecture b… […]
March 3, 2015 at 7:02 pm
[…] VIDEO: Big Oil and the Inevitable: Coming to Grips with Carbon and Climate Change (Climate Crocks): Money Quote: “You will struggle now to find climate deniers inside the Oil Industry. It’s just become unacceptable.” […]