Shell’s chief executive said today that he welcomed the “mobilisation” of society in the crusade to meet global climate change targets.
But Ben van Beurden said he could not agree with some of the more extreme methods used by militant activists in their protests against energy companies’ activities.
Mr van Beurden said demonstrations must not damage property or jeopardise the people’s safety.
Fellow energy giant BP suffered disruption to its plans for a well in June when Greenpeace activists clambered onto a Transocean rig in Cromarty Firth, then pursued it across the North Sea for several days in their Arctic Sunrise ship.
BP’s annual general meeting in Aberdeen was also targeted by demonstrators in May.
Shell has largely been left unscathed, but has ambitious plans for development and exploration wells in the North Sea over the next few years.
Mr van Beurden said he “understood” climate change protestors’ motivations and warned that “as a society, we are not doing enough” to meet the Paris Agreement goals.
Countries are not on track to meet their nationally determined contributions, and even if they were, more work would still be needed to tackle climate change.
The energy chief said he was “quite happy” to see that “there are forces out there to mobilise society”.
He also said energy companies could not solve the problem alone, and that collaboration across society − between suppliers and customers − had to improve dramatically.
“We need an intensified and effective debate to make things happen,” Mr van Beurden said, but admitted he was “concerned” by some of the methods used by demonstrators.
“We cannot have property damage and the safety of people being put in jeopardy,” he said. “I can’t agree with that.”
He added: “The decarbonisation of society will not happen because of noise, but by people doing the right things. Companies need to work with customers to figure out how to decarbonise different sectors.”
He added that hydrocarbons would continue to be an important part in the energy mix for years to come.
