Royal Dutch Shell plc
JOHN D. HOFMEISTER
REMARKS BEFORE THE
UNITED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
MAY 10, 2006
Secretary-General, honored ministers and fellow
executives:
I am honored to represent Shell Oil Company and our
parent Royal Dutch Shell Group in this important dialogue
on delivering energy for sustainable development. Shell is a
global group of energy and petrochemical companies
operating in more than 140 countries. It is very fitting that
Shell be part of this dialogue, because in many ways this
commission?s charter and Shell?s mission are so closely
aligned.
2
We are both committed to meeting the world?s growing
demand for energy, and doing so in ways that are
environmentally and socially responsible. Access to energy
is fundamental to our civilization, and economic and
social development is fuelling a growing demand for
reliable, affordable and clean energy.
For us in Shell, contributing to sustainable development
means, above all, finding innovative energy solutions that
meet society?s needs, while also meeting society?s
environmental and social expectations. A key challenge,
but not the only one, is meeting the demand for affordable
energy while addressing the risk from global climate
change.
3
We are addressing this energy challenge with the
knowledge that traditional fossil fuels produced and
delivered in traditional ways are not going to be the whole
answer.
This is an effort that requires us to push technology on
many fronts.
· We are increasing the available supply of traditional
fossil fuels produced in environmentally sensitive
ways. .
· We are using traditional fossil fuels in new ways that
increase supply diversity and reduce pollution. Natural
gas used for transport fuels, using GTL ? Gas to
Liquids technology ? is a prime example.
4
· We are developing new energy sources that can
supplement and eventually supplant traditional energy
and fuels. Solar energy, wind energy, hydrogen and
biofuels are all opportunities to provide plentiful and
clean energy. Our challenge is to make these
technologies affordable and viable.
Business alone cannot provide all the solutions to
sustainable development and energy, any more than
governments or civil society can succeed alone. What is
frequently required is partnership across sectors of society.
Let me give just a couple of examples among very many of
how Shell is working in partnership.
5
· Through IPIECA (the International Petroleum
Industry Environmental Conservation Association),
we are participants in the UN Partnership for Clean
Fuels and Vehicles. The partnership, with the World
Bank Clean Air Initiative for Sub Saharan Africa. and
the active support of the oil industry and Shell, has
been successful in achieving the phase-out of leaded
fuels in sub-Saharan Africa.
· We are also members of the Clean Air Initiative in
Asia, sponsored by the Asian Development Bank.
· The Shell Foundation is also active in addressing some
of the challenges of promoting development. Small
and medium sized enterprises are the ?engine? of
economic growth in developed countries - and could
6
and should be in developing countries. But often they
lack access to finance. To overcome these problems,
the Shell Foundation (in active partnership with
GroFin, a specialist financier) has established funds in
Africa that deliver finance combined with tailored
business development assistance.
The Foundation's latest fund, called Aspire, is
investing $24 million in small and medium enterprises
in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Forty percent of this
fund is focused on energy-related companies. This
follows successful similar initiatives in South Africa
and previously in Uganda.
To find out more, I would urge you to look at the Shell
Foundation's website, www.shellfoundation.org.
We in Shell don?t believe that meeting the energy demands
of people striving to advance economically and protecting
the environment are incompatible goals.
We look forward to building on this dialogue and working
alongside governments and NGOs who share this
commitment to meeting the energy challenge.
REMARKS BEFORE THE
UNITED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
MAY 10, 2006
Secretary-General, honored ministers and fellow
executives:
I am honored to represent Shell Oil Company and our
parent Royal Dutch Shell Group in this important dialogue
on delivering energy for sustainable development. Shell is a
global group of energy and petrochemical companies
operating in more than 140 countries. It is very fitting that
Shell be part of this dialogue, because in many ways this
commission?s charter and Shell?s mission are so closely
aligned.
2
We are both committed to meeting the world?s growing
demand for energy, and doing so in ways that are
environmentally and socially responsible. Access to energy
is fundamental to our civilization, and economic and
social development is fuelling a growing demand for
reliable, affordable and clean energy.
For us in Shell, contributing to sustainable development
means, above all, finding innovative energy solutions that
meet society?s needs, while also meeting society?s
environmental and social expectations. A key challenge,
but not the only one, is meeting the demand for affordable
energy while addressing the risk from global climate
change.
3
We are addressing this energy challenge with the
knowledge that traditional fossil fuels produced and
delivered in traditional ways are not going to be the whole
answer.
This is an effort that requires us to push technology on
many fronts.
· We are increasing the available supply of traditional
fossil fuels produced in environmentally sensitive
ways. .
· We are using traditional fossil fuels in new ways that
increase supply diversity and reduce pollution. Natural
gas used for transport fuels, using GTL ? Gas to
Liquids technology ? is a prime example.
4
· We are developing new energy sources that can
supplement and eventually supplant traditional energy
and fuels. Solar energy, wind energy, hydrogen and
biofuels are all opportunities to provide plentiful and
clean energy. Our challenge is to make these
technologies affordable and viable.
Business alone cannot provide all the solutions to
sustainable development and energy, any more than
governments or civil society can succeed alone. What is
frequently required is partnership across sectors of society.
Let me give just a couple of examples among very many of
how Shell is working in partnership.
5
· Through IPIECA (the International Petroleum
Industry Environmental Conservation Association),
we are participants in the UN Partnership for Clean
Fuels and Vehicles. The partnership, with the World
Bank Clean Air Initiative for Sub Saharan Africa. and
the active support of the oil industry and Shell, has
been successful in achieving the phase-out of leaded
fuels in sub-Saharan Africa.
· We are also members of the Clean Air Initiative in
Asia, sponsored by the Asian Development Bank.
· The Shell Foundation is also active in addressing some
of the challenges of promoting development. Small
and medium sized enterprises are the ?engine? of
economic growth in developed countries - and could
6
and should be in developing countries. But often they
lack access to finance. To overcome these problems,
the Shell Foundation (in active partnership with
GroFin, a specialist financier) has established funds in
Africa that deliver finance combined with tailored
business development assistance.
The Foundation's latest fund, called Aspire, is
investing $24 million in small and medium enterprises
in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Forty percent of this
fund is focused on energy-related companies. This
follows successful similar initiatives in South Africa
and previously in Uganda.
To find out more, I would urge you to look at the Shell
Foundation's website, www.shellfoundation.org.
We in Shell don?t believe that meeting the energy demands
of people striving to advance economically and protecting
the environment are incompatible goals.
We look forward to building on this dialogue and working
alongside governments and NGOs who share this
commitment to meeting the energy challenge.