ClimateTicker

Shell plc

LSE: SHEL20Laggard· Provisional
0 followersOil & gas·London, United Kingdom·Founded 1907
www.shell.com

Global oil and gas supermajor; one of the world's largest carbon emitters. UK-incorporated since 2022.

20/100
Laggard· Provisional

ClimateTicker Green Score · how it's calculated

Greenwashing risk: highData confidence: high

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Why it's on ClimateTicker

Shell appears on climate platforms because it is one of the world's largest energy companies and has made a 2050 net-zero pledge with Scope 1, 2, and NCI targets — but its core business remains overwhelmingly fossil fuel-based, with over two-thirds of capital expenditure directed to oil and gas. The gap between its green marketing and its actual investment portfolio is large and well-documented; its own filings concede that the 2050 target lies outside its operational planning horizon and is contingent on societal-level change.

laggardShell earns revenue primarily from the extraction, refining, trading, and marketing of oil, natural gas, and LNG, with smaller and shrinking segments in renewables, power, and EV charging infrastructure.

Commitments & Certifications

CDP: Disclosed — score not publicly confirmed for 2025 cycle ↗other: Climate Action 100+ Focus Company — assessed June 2025 ↗SBTi: Not validated ↗

Controversy & Greenwashing Watch

highRollback of 2030 Climate Targets and Renewable Investment

Shell scrapped its target to cut fossil fuel production 55% by 2030 and cut its renewable energy pipeline by around 10%, citing profitability pressures.source ↗

highFunding of Climate Disinformation-Linked Organisations

Shell has provided grants to organisations including the Heartland Foundation, a known disseminator of climate disinformation, and the Heritage Foundation, the institution behind Project 2025.source ↗

highMembership in Anti-Climate Lobbying Associations

Shell remains a member of the American Petroleum Institute and other associations with documented histories of lobbying against climate policy, despite its own stated Paris Agreement commitments.source ↗

high30+ Active US Climate Litigation Cases

As of December 31, 2025, more than 30 lawsuits in the US name Shell as a defendant for climate change harms caused by fossil fuel use and alleged deceptive conduct.source ↗

mediumGroundwater Contamination / Pesticide Litigation

Shell faces approximately six pending US lawsuits alleging groundwater contamination from chemical pesticide applications, with additional claims not yet filed.source ↗

mediumContinued Greenwash Complaints Over 2024 TV Ads

Shell's 2024 'Powering Progress' TV ads attracted 76 complaints to the ASA; critics including Carbon Tracker argued the ads disproportionately featured green imagery while 68% of Shell's investments remained in oil and gas.source ↗

highMilieudefensie Climate Ruling & Appeal

The Hague District Court ordered Shell to cut value-chain emissions 45% by 2030 vs. 2019 levels; Shell appealed and the Hague Court of Appeal overturned the ruling in November 2024, sparking debate over corporate climate accountability.source ↗

mediumClientEarth Board-Level Climate Risk Lawsuit

NGO ClientEarth sued all Shell board members personally for allegedly failing to adequately manage climate-change-related risks to the company.source ↗

highUK ASA Greenwashing Ad Ban (2023)

The UK Advertising Standards Authority banned Shell ads in 2023, ruling they misrepresented Shell's business activities by presenting a green image while the company remained primarily a fossil fuel business.source ↗

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