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Oil and gas industry charts course to achieve Sustainable Development goals

Published by , Senior Editor
World Pipelines,


Launched today by IPIECA, in collaboration with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Accelerating action: An SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector (Roadmap) identifies how IPIECA, as a global oil and gas industry association, and oil and gas companies working within the sector, can work towards a low-emissions future while contributing to a healthier and more prosperous world aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Oil and gas industry charts course to achieve Sustainable Development goals

The Roadmap was developed in response to the critical need for concerted action and coordinated solutions as the world approaches the 2030 deadline to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the global COVID-19 pandemic reversing progress on many of the SDGs.

IPIECA Executive Director Brian Sullivan said, ‘Achieving the SDGs by 2030 will require unprecedented collaboration. The Roadmap aligns the oil and gas industry around the SDGs, presenting a shared vision for transformational action and a platform to form cross-sector partnerships and alliances to achieve the SDGs.’

Building on the IPIECA-UNDP-IFC Mapping the oil and gas industry to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas, and the SDG Sector Roadmap Guidelines developed by WBCSD in 2018, the Roadmap outlines over 90 actions – mapped against SDG targets – which go beyond business as usual and aim to catalyse the realisation of the goals.

WBCSD President and CEO Peter Bakker said, ‘We hope that this important Roadmap can help to establish a standard for global best practice with regard to how the oil and gas sector and its value chain can drive the transformations that are urgently needed to realise the ambitions of the SDGs on the road to 2030.’

While the oil and gas industry has the potential contribute to all 17 SDGs, the Roadmap highlights 10 SDGs where the industry can have the biggest impact by driving innovations in its own operations and across the supply chain. These 10 priority SDGs underpin 8 impact opportunities grouped into 3 interconnected systemic themes of climate, nature and people.

For each impact opportunity the Roadmap outlines impact pathways comprised of a series of short, medium and long-term actions for IPIECA and oil and gas companies which involve scaling up good practices on climate action, environmental responsibility and social performance, while also recognising the importance of the energy transition in realising the world’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions under the Paris Agreement.

The Roadmap also identifies where to focus collaboration and provides a platform to form industry and cross sector partnerships to further amplify SDG impact.

The launch of the Roadmap forms part of IPIECA and its members ongoing strategic efforts to align the sector around the SDGs. IPIECA will embed the Roadmap actions in its workstreams and lead cross sector engagement to enable industry action, innovation and partnerships across the next decade.

This Roadmap leverages WBCSD’s SDG Sector Roadmap framework, which was launched in 2018 and has supported a wide range of industries to explore, articulate and realise their collective potential to advance the ambitions of the SDGs.

Support of the Roadmap from IPIECA member companies:

bp

Ivanka Mamic, Senior Vice President for Sustainability

‘IPIECA-WBCSD's SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector recognises the need for action on sustainability, the role for companies in contributing and the importance of collaboration. bp also recognises this and is in action including working towards delivering on our net zero ambition and recently launching our new aims on improving people’s lives and caring for the planet.’

ExxonMobil

Jerry Wascom, Vice President Operations Excellence, Safety, Security, Health & Environment

‘The United Nations has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve significant progress on global economic, social and environmental challenges by 2030. Although directed at governments, the private sector and civil society play an important role in support of governments’ national plans. ExxonMobil contributes to 17 SDGs and welcomes the guidance provided in the IPIECA-WBCSD SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector, as the industry’s energy and products are integral to sustainable development.’

Repsol

Josu Jon Imaz, CEO

‘We have supported the 2030 Agenda since its approval in 2015 and we are working to implement it in all our activities on our path to achieving zero net emissions by 2050. Our commitment to the UN SDGs is an opportunity for promoting innovation and all available technologies as indispensable tools to respond to an energy transition that requires the collaboration of all stakeholders. Repsol’s support for these objectives is a clear example of our firm commitment to science and the progress of society. Now is the time to act, and IPIECA-WBCSD's SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector offers important guidelines for reaching the targets.’

Shell

Harry Brekelmans, Projects and Technology Director, Executive Committee Member Shell

‘Shell welcomes the UN SDGs and will play our part in helping governments and societies to achieve them. They were one of the considerations in the development of our Powering Progress strategy, which integrates sustainability with our business strategy. Achieving the SDGs will require unprecedented collaboration and collective action. Projects like the IPIECA-WBCSD SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector are a valuable contribution to help inspire the sector to accelerate progress.’

Total

Manoelle Lepoutre, Senior Vice President Civil and Society Engagement

‘Our century’s main challenge is to bring more energy with less emissions. The IPIECA-WBCSD SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector will help the O&G sector identify the much-needed transformations that should be embraced to achieve a fair transition. At TOTAL, we will seek to inspire our sustainability journey with the roadmap and go beyond, as we are transforming our business model into a broad energy company with a clear ambition to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 or sooner, together with society. We will do so in keeping the care for people and nature as strong focus areas for the company.’

Wintershall Dea

Mario Mehren, CEO

'The IPIECA-WBCSD SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector is valuable in providing a common language and vision in supporting the SDGs. Wintershall Dea is committed to further drive the implementation of the Roadmap.’

 

Read the latest issue of World Pipelines magazine for pipeline news, project stories, industry insight and technical articles.

World Pipelines’ April 2021 issue

The April issue of World Pipelines includes a regional report on oil and gas pipeline activity in the Gulf of Mexico, along with technical articles on corrosion prevention, unpiggable pipelines and repair and rehabilitation. Don’t miss the article on hydrogen pipelines!

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/regulations-and-standards/20042021/oil-and-gas-industry-charts-course-to-achieve-the-sustainable-development-goals/

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