A fair and just transition
We strongly support the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit the rise in the average global temperature well below 2° Celsius.
The Paris Agreement also said the world should pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5° Celsius. For society to achieve a 1.5° Celsius future, the world is likely to need to stop adding to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – a state known as net-zero emissions – by around 2060.
Just Transition is referenced in the Paris Agreement, as an acknowledgment that governments need to take into account the imperatives of a transitioning workforce during the shift to a low-carbon economy. The transition to a low-carbon energy future is necessary to manage climate change and it also needs to extend the economic and social benefits of sustainable energy to everyone on the planet. Shell endeavours to work with society in its move towards a low-carbon world while supporting workers and communities in a manner that is just, fair and inclusive. We recognise that the nature and pace of change will vary between countries and regions, reflecting different types of economies and development priorities.
We also support the ambitions of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Building on our ambitions and to support a just transition, we seek opportunities to collaborate with a broad array of external stakeholders including governments, local communities, customers, employees and employee representative bodies, suppliers, industry and educational institutions to be a part of energy development plans, prepare for a low-carbon economy, and develop skills for the future. We are working in various countries to explore viable pathways towards a prosperous, low-carbon future tailored to individual country context.
As part of this process, we will continue to respect human rights in line with the legitimate role of business. We will also continue to respect and seek to implement workers’ rights, consistent with the ILO’s 1998 Declaration of the Fundamental Principles of Rights at Work, ILO occupational health and safety standards and seek to comply with applicable law and practice. We seek to work with contractors and suppliers who contribute to sustainable development and are economically, environmentally and socially responsible.
As our portfolio changes and impacts our assets, we seek to engage with and support employee representative bodies at a local level in each country. We do this with the aim to support employability of employees and the development of skills.
We assess and engage on the impacts of our transitioning business activities with the aim to manage and reduce effects they may have on the lives of our workers, local communities and on the environment. We seek to foster the prosperity in the communities around us, contributing to local economic growth.
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Our climate target
Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seek to address the world’s biggest challenges. We welcome the SDGs and aim to play our part in helping governments and societies to achieve them.