Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist's Global Energy and Climate Innovation Editor, and Hamish Beryl, the public policy correspondent, discuss the transformative impact of activist investors on major oil companies. They highlight shareholder victories pushing ExxonMobil and Chevron towards greener practices and a Dutch court ruling mandating Shell to cut emissions. The conversation also delves into Scotland's escalating drug crisis and the leadership's proactive response, while touching on a Peruvian pop star revitalizing the Quechua language through music.
Activist investors installed green-minded board members at ExxonMobil; Chevron’s shareholders pushed a carbon-cutting plan; a Dutch court ruled Shell must cut emissions. We examine a tumultuous week for the supermajors. After years of scant attention, Scotland’s drug-death problem is at last being acknowledged and tackled. And the Peruvian pop star boosting the fortunes of a long-derided indigenous language.