Carbon Footprint — Operations: How does Shell score?

Shell reports Scope 1 (51Mt in 2023, ~51Mt in 2024) and Scope 2 (7Mt market-based) using GHG Protocol methodology with LRQA limited assurance verification. Combined Scope 1+2 was 58Mt CO₂e in 2024, down 30% from 2016 baseline of 83Mt. Granular breakdown by asset type and region is published. However, the absolute magnitude of 58Mt remains enormous. Score reflects verified, multi-year tracked data with methodology but massive physical footprint.

Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain: How does Shell score?

Shell discloses Scope 3 Category 11 (use of sold products) at 517Mt CO₂e in 2023 and further reduced ~14% vs 2021 by end-2024. However, Shell does not publish comprehensive Scope 3 across all 15 GHG Protocol categories. Petrochemicals Scope 3 is excluded entirely from targets, and trading operations are partly excluded. ClientEarth notes Shell's Scope 3 target is limited to energy products only. This is a highly complex global supply chain with massive emissions largely unquantified beyond one c

Emissions Trajectory: How does Shell score?

Scope 1+2 absolute emissions fell from 83Mt (2016) to 58Mt (2024), a 30% reduction — but much of this is driven by asset divestments rather than operational decarbonisation. Shell plans to sustain 1.4 million barrels/day liquids production through 2030 and grow LNG sales 4-5% per year. The 2035 NCI target was eliminated, and 2030 NCI target was revised downward from 20% to 15-20%. Scope 3 Category 11 shows some decline (569Mt to ~490Mt), partly due to reclassification of trading contracts accoun

Energy Source: How does Shell score?

Shell is a massive energy consumer across refineries, chemical plants, and upstream operations. While Shell sells renewable energy products and has some onshore/offshore wind and solar capacity, its own operations remain overwhelmingly powered by fossil fuels. Shell is not an RE100 member. In 2022, only around 80 thousand tonnes of Scope 2 reduction came from purchased renewable electricity — a tiny fraction of 7Mt total Scope 2. Shell's core business is producing and selling fossil fuels; its o

Nature & Biodiversity Impact: How does Shell score?

Shell has biodiversity commitments including no exploration in World Heritage Sites (since 2003), net-zero deforestation from new activities (from 2022), and net positive impact in critical habitats (from 2021). However, 292 hectares were deforested between Jan 2022 and end-2023, and only 20 of 43 new projects in critical habitats had biodiversity action plans by end-2023. Shell works with IUCN and uses CCB standards for nature-based projects. The company's core business of oil and gas extractio

Resource Use & Waste: How does Shell score?

Shell's core business model is fundamentally linear — extracting fossil fuels, refining them, and selling them for combustion. The petrochemicals division produces 17 million tonnes of chemicals per year, much of which goes into plastics. Shell has some waste reduction and recycling programmes, and invested in biofuels and circular economy research, but there is no evidence of comprehensive circularity targets or closed-loop systems at scale. The scale of resource extraction (over 1.4 million ba

Water Impact: How does Shell score?

Shell reports water consumption data and met its target to reduce freshwater consumption by 15% compared with 2018 in water-stressed areas ahead of its 2025 deadline. The company implements water stewardship principles across its businesses. In 2024, Shell UK offshore operations discharged 247 tonnes of residual oil to sea, with the Shearwater facility exceeding annual average concentration standards for dispersed oil. While Shell monitors and reports water usage, the oil and gas industry is inh

Targets & Commitments: How does Shell score?

Shell has self-set targets: halve Scope 1+2 by 2030 (vs 2016), reduce NCI 15-20% by 2030, reduce Scope 3 Cat 11 by 15-20% by 2030 vs 2021. However, Shell withdrew from SBTi advisory group in 2025 after draft standards required stopping new oil/gas field development. The 2035 NCI target was eliminated. Shell's NCI metric relies partly on carbon credits (20 million retired in 2023) including phantom credits from revoked Chinese rice projects. Plans to grow LNG 4-5%/yr and sustain 1.4M bpd liquids

Transparency & Accountability: How does Shell score?

Shell publishes comprehensive sustainability reporting integrated into its Annual Report from 2024, with TCFD-aligned climate disclosure, board oversight, and LRQA limited assurance on GHG emissions. The company publishes a Climate and Energy Transition Lobbying Report. However, the quality of disclosure is undermined by selective Scope 3 coverage (Category 11 only), exclusion of petrochemicals, and the elimination of the 2035 target. The lobbying report omits 23 industry associations according

Controversies & Red Flags: How does Shell score?

Starting at 8, deducting: Dutch court ordered 45% emissions cut in 2021 (overturned on appeal Nov 2024 but affirmed general duty of care) (-1); ASA banned Shell advertisements in UK for greenwashing (-1); Global Witness SEC complaint for overstating renewable investments (fossil gas included as 'renewable') (-1); ClientEarth lawsuit against board for inadequate climate strategy (-1); phantom carbon credits from revoked Chinese rice projects used to greenwash LNG (-1); InfluenceMap Organization S

Shell Sustainability Score: 17/100

Recently scored: Dentsu, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe, WPP

507 companies scored·4 score updates this week

Shell·Oil & Gas·London, United Kingdom·Founded 1890·Last verified 21 April 2026

out of 100

Significant gapsPending Review-6 since last review

Shell reports verified Scope 1+2 cuts but driven by asset sales, not decarbonisation. Scope 3 coverage is selective and excludes petrochemicals. The company uses phantom carbon credits, withdrew from SBTi, eliminated its 2035 target, and actively opposes climate policy through trade associations. Greenwashing convictions and lawsuits compound a fundamentally unaligned net-zero claim.

No challenges currently filed

The calculation

Every score shows its working.

Same formula for every company. No curve. No private weighting.

SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale

Industry base impact

Oil & Gas sector ceiling.

20 / 100

Performance score

Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.

32 / 100

Raw score

Weighted average before scale penalty.

(0.3 × 20) + (0.7 × 32) = 28.4

Scale penalty

Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.

× 0.6

Final score

Rounded. Significant gaps.

17 / 100

The ten questions

Where Shell is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Transparency & Accountability (6/10, 5/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Targets & Commitments (1/10, 2/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

15 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which rubric questions it informed.

[1]Self-reported

Shell Annual Report 2023 — Climate-related metrics and targets

2023

Every score shows its working.

Where Shell is strong, and where it isn't.

Every document used, listed.

Where Shell sits among oil & gas peers.

Shell's score over time.

This score is not currently being contested.

Related companies worth a look.

We'll let you know when the score moves.

Which companies moved this week, and why.