Sustainability trends in oil and gas

Abstract

This paper addresses multiple examples of sustainability across the oil, gas and energy sectors, and relevance application to APPEA members. The sustainability of oil and gas companies is now a key issue for the financial and investment sectors. Investors’ concerns over environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and business models that may destroy value are growing, with clear analogues from the coal sector. Companies need to maintain their focus on safety, social licence issues and compliance of human rights. Mainstream global investors are increasing pressure on companies to address the long-term risks associated with climate change, as investors look to reduce the carbon-emissions footprints of their equity portfolios. The oil industry is still largely reactive, and not perceived by investors and society to be a part of the climate change solution. Investor pressure to address climate change is driving change in oil and gas company strategy and sustainability activity. Companies need resilience and credible plans to reduce scope 1, 2 – and in the future scope 3 emissions – and to achieve the net zero objectives of the Paris Agreement. Investor and societal scrutiny on the oil and gas industry is likely to increase with plastics an area of growing focus, with implications for future oil and gas demand.