Statoil is today launching a new initiative aimed at raising the knowledge and awareness of the group’s climate commitments. As the first company in Norway Statoil now buys quotas for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that offset the emissions generated by business travel and office heating/cooling.
The project is promoted by Energy – a group of young Statoil employees whose role it is to challenge the group in the environmental area.
Young, environment-conscious employees hand out green CO2-neutral passports to increase awareness of Statoil's carbon dioxide commitments. From right: Torunn Bogenes, Mikael Solymar, Børge Sivertsen, Nina Udnes Tronstad - executive vice president for HSE, Tor Fjæran - senior vice president for the environment and Kari Lindøe Hunsbedt. (Photo: Harald Pettersen)
“We find it exciting that Statoil chooses to do this,” Camilla Vatne Aamodt in Energy says. “Although this measure alone does not change much in the bigger picture, it may help form habits that may affect ‘the bigger picture’ – the group’s total carbon emissions.”
The emissions generated by Statoil’s business travel and office heating/cooling total approximately two tonnes per person per year. Consequently the group needs to buy two carbon credits per person. This will cost Statoil less than NOK 10 million per year, based on current prices.
The group gets its quotas for this project, for example, through investments in the World Bank’s Community Development Carbon Fund (CDCF). This fund supports carbon cutting projects in developing countries.
Statoil recognises its responsibility for reducing carbon emissions. The group does so, by operating its facilities in an energy efficient way, by capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide in geological formations and through research and technology development.
”We hope that this action will help increase the knowledge of the Kyoto Protocol, and raise the awareness of existing climate challenges,” says Nina Udnes Tronstad, executive vice president for health, safety and the environment.