BP’s climate pledge: bold new model for industry still falls short

“BP’s promise to divest from production by 40% and cut climate pollution by ⅓ within this decade should be the base-line standard for any other oil & gas company, such as Shell or ExxonMobil, making climate commitments in 2020. Anything less is a denial of science and consensus climate opinion.

“Yet, while ambitious as compared to its peers, BP’s plan significantly falls short in two ways: it fails to identify specific clean energy measures it will take and fails to demand a robust government role to hold the oil & gas industry accountable for actually walking their talk. Decades of experience shows us that this industry’s voluntary actions will never be enough.

“Without national standards requiring dramatic cuts to all oil and gas methane pollution, BP’s plan, even if successful, isn’t enough to prevent climate catastrophe. The only clear way to protect community health and our climate is to stop permitting new production and begin a more comprehensive managed decline in the use of all fossil fuels.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Summary for Policymakers 2018 laying out stakes of failing to halve carbon pollution by 2030.

• Optical Gas Images of oil and gas climate & health pollution documented by Earthworks’ certified Thermographers.

• Link to press release from BP on today’s climate announcement.