Retreat or Engage? Green Investors’ Big Oil Dilemma
Nov 2, 2023
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Ryan Loughead, BNEF Sustainable Finance analyst, hosts a conversation on oil and gas investment with panelists discussing the approaches of asset managers in retaining oil and gas investments, the challenges of divestment, and the strategies of oil and gas majors in transitioning to clean energy. They also highlight the importance of collaboration with fossil fuel companies for sustainable practices.
Climate-conscious shareholders and lenders face a dilemma in deciding the best strategy when engagement and divestment have not resulted in significant change in the oil and gas industry.
Engagement and collaboration between banks, lenders, and companies are crucial in driving the transition to a low-carbon economy, emphasizing the need for sustainable finance strategies and achieving net-zero targets.
Deep dives
Oil and gas majors balance climate ambitions with energy security and profitability amid high prices
The podcast episode discusses how European oil majors have faced challenges in maintaining their climate ambitions while also dealing with record high oil and gas prices, as well as energy security concerns. The episode explores the dilemma faced by climate-conscious shareholders and lenders, who must decide on the best strategy when engagement and divestment have not resulted in significant change. It also delves into the varying approaches of asset managers in retaining oil and gas investments while focusing on climate-conscious strategies. The panelists discuss the need for meaningful conversations, engagement, and the use of frameworks to drive change in the oil and gas industry.
Engagement and collaboration are key for banks and lenders in the transition
The episode highlights the importance of engagement and collaboration between banks, lenders, and companies in the transition to a low-carbon economy. It emphasizes the need for banks to work together with their clients to set sustainable finance strategies and achieve net-zero targets. The panelists discuss the value of working together rather than divesting, as well as pushing for change within companies to cut emissions and address the energy crisis. The episode recognizes that banks and lenders play a crucial role in driving the transition and facilitating the flow of capital.
Role of investors and financial institutions in driving climate-positive outcomes
The podcast episode focuses on the role of investors and financial institutions in driving climate-positive outcomes within the oil and gas industry. It highlights the need for investors to distinguish between companies and engage in meaningful conversations about transition plans and targets. The episode suggests that divestment should be a last resort, emphasizing the importance of engaging with companies, recognizing the differences between firms, and considering the commercial viability of green investments. It also mentions the influence and leverage that banks and insurers, as facilitators of financing, can have in driving change.
The complexity of engaging with the oil and gas industry in different regions
The episode acknowledges the complexity of engaging with the oil and gas industry, particularly in different regions and emerging markets. It discusses the challenges of engaging with companies that have different strategies and contexts, such as energy security concerns in emerging markets. The panelists stress the need for nuanced approaches and understanding the commercial viability of transition plans. They also highlight the importance of recognizing different risks and opportunities based on a company's operations and its ability to adapt to the energy transition.
Oil and gas majors have long stated their intention to diversify away from fossil fuels and move toward clean energy production. However, in the last few years, many have wound back these plans, shooting for less ambitious targets or returning to their traditional business models. Against this backdrop, can climate-conscious investors hold major fossil-fuel companies to account?
On today’s show, BNEF Sustainable Finance analyst Ryan Loughead hosts a conversation on oil and gas investment with panelists Annika Brouwer, Sustainability Specialist at Ninety One Asset Management; Ronan Hodge, Technical Lead from the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ); Thina Saltvedt, Chief Analyst in Sustainable Finance at Nordea Bank; and Peter Taylor, Corporate Engagement Programme Director for the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC). Together they discuss the different approaches of asset managers who keep oil and gas investments on their books, the challenges around divesting from fossil-fuel holdings, and the varying strategies of oil and gas majors themselves.
Today’s episode was recorded live at BNEF Summit London. To learn more about BNEF’s Summits and to listen to more interviews, please visit https://about.bnef.com/summit/.
Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.