Outlook 2022: European IOCs lead decarbonisation race
The region’s foremost operators are frontrunners in the global shift to lower-carbon energy
Corporate environmental policies have never faced such scrutiny before. Global net-zero carbon commitments are on the rise and pandemic-hit nations are putting environmental impact and low-carbon strategies at the heart of their recovery plans. The long-awaited Cop26 climate conference is only adding to this ESG pressure. When it comes to decarbonisation and transitioning into integrated energy companies (IECs), European oil majors are undoubtedly setting the pace among global competitors. BP aims to increase its annual low-carbon investment tenfold, to around $5bn/yr, by 2030. Not far behind, Shell will increase its investments to a more modest $2-3bn in the near future. BP is taking the mo
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution






