Shell CEO supports Biden's climate initiatives

The head of Shell praised President Biden’s climate policies for promoting job creation and local supply chains.

Corbin Hiar reports for POLITICO.


In short:

  • Shell CEO Wael Sawan endorsed Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act, highlighting their success in attracting capital across the U.S.
  • Sawan stressed the importance of stability and predictability in climate technology incentives and LNG permitting for future energy investments.
  • He also noted the role of LNG in transitioning to lower-carbon solutions and criticized absolutist views against fossil fuels.

Key quote:

"You’re creating jobs. You’re actually starting to anchor new industries. And over time, what you will do is you will create supply chains locally that are able to satisfy the demands of many of these industries."

— Wael Sawan, CEO of Shell

Why this matters:

Bipartisan support for climate policies from major industry leaders like Shell can enhance the stability and continuity of these initiatives. By focusing on domestic production and resources, President Biden’s policies not only support job growth but also enhance the resilience of the U.S. economy against global disruptions. This shift can help reduce carbon footprints associated with long-distance transportation and promote sustainability.

Ilulissat, Greenland - coastal village with icebergs floating in bay

Arctic scientists 'feel pretty uncomfortable' on Greenland

Science in the Arctic — and Greenland — is on the frontline of pressing challenges facing humanity, like climate change and genetics. Some researchers worry international collaboration is at risk.
Donald Trump speaking at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland.
Credit: Gage Skidmore/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/8566717881/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Trump’s biggest climate rollback stalls over fears it will lose in court

Trump officials have delayed finalizing the repeal of the agency’s “endangerment finding” over concerns the proposal is too weak to withstand a court challenge.
Solar panels juxtaposed against transmission lines and wind turbines
Credit: kckate16/ BigStock Photo ID: 478351339

Trump’s attacks on renewables could boomerang, hit oil and gas

The president’s assaults on wind and solar projects could become a playbook for disrupting fossil fuel plans in the future.
An illustration of a row of solar panels and wind turbines

The one big beautiful prediction: The energy transition is still alive

Trump has attacked renewable power from every angle, but energy justice scholar Sanya Carley envisions an affordable green future.
Oil pumps against a sunset sky background
Credit: bashta/ BigStock Photo ID: 7936000

New lawsuit claims ‘catastrophic impacts’ from Permian Basin injection wells

A Permian Basin landowner alleges in a lawsuit that saltwater injection wells contributed to well blow-outs that caused extensive pollution on his property.

Oil pump jacks silhouetted against a blue sky

Oklahoma state senator seeks to rein in oil companies’ groundwater pollution

An investigation found over 150 incidents where oilfield wastewater had gushed from the earth, releasing toxic chemicals — including some that cause cancer — near homes and farms and into drinking water sources.

A view at dusk of highways leading into an urban downtown with skyscapers

Houston plans to hit UN climate targets despite Paris Agreement exit

Houston has its own Climate Action Plan to meet Paris Agreement targets, set in motion when Trump announced his first withdrawal from the UN treaty in 2017.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.