The third shift has been driven by investors, as over 20 fossil fuel companies have released detailed information about how they view their exposure to carbon asset risks including: whether they put an internal price on carbon, what screening prices they use for sanctioning projects, whether they assess their resilience to a 2 degree limit on global warming, and how they are planning for climate impacts.
While the quality of these disclosures varies, they have provided valuable information that investors have used to challenge faulty assumptions and boost awareness about the risks and uncertainty of investing in fossil fuels. In some cases, we’re seeing an impact within companies. Former coal giants like BHP Billiton and Exxaro, for example, have affirmed the consensus on climate science and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, Total has made major investments in solar and Statoil has created a new renewable energy division focused on offshore wind.
The fourth big indicator of change can be seen in the growth of renewables. Solar photovoltaic technologies for example, are already cheaper in many parts of the world than fossil fuel power, and UBS has predicted solar will replace nuclear and coal to become the “default technology of the future to generate and supply electricity.” Furthermore, extreme weather events from droughts to flooding to heat waves and wildfires weigh in favor of more distributed energy systems built around renewables and energy storage, to promote resilience.
Finally, members of Ceres’ Investor Network on Climate Risk, led by the New York City Comptroller and CalPERS, have ramped up pressure on boards of directors at 33 fossil fuel companies, which faced resolutions calling for “proxy access” or the right of major investors to nominate independent directors to company boards. Despite opposition from companies, many of the proposals received majority support at annual meetings, including Chevron’s. Shareholders also forced boards and CEOs to address their failure to adequately manage carbon asset risk by pushing resolutions aimed at adding board members with expertise on climate or directly challenging continued capital expenditures on high-risk projects.
Companies like Exxon and Chevron are betting that the next 100 years will look a lot like the last 100 years, even though the facts suggest otherwise. Investors, analysts, and even the Pope can see the writing on the wall: the global transition to a clean-energy economy is happening, and the fossil fuel majors are at risk of being left behind.



Speculawyer on Thu, 18th Jun 2015 7:15 pm
Have they listened to the Pope on wars, the death penalty, or income inequality? Nope.
And they won’t listen to this either. :-/
rockman on Thu, 18th Jun 2015 8:13 pm
“In fact, the industry’s moment of crisis has been in the making for years…” Actually not years but decades…many decades. There’s not much on now that hasn’t been seen before during the entire history of the US oil patch. Of course, all the chatter about the environment is different. OTOH it’s been mostly just talk by the oil patch, politicians and the public so not that different then the “bad old days” when the CO2 in the atmosphere was much less then we have today. If you want to take the time to see how one public Big Oil deteriorated after a price boom search the history of Mobil Oil.
Times are bad for the oil patch today. And they’ve been bad in the past.
Makati1 on Thu, 18th Jun 2015 10:35 pm
The Pope has less influence then he may think he has. And his pronouncement will have little effect on the coming events. I wonder if the Vatican has dumped all of their hydrocarbon investments? Would be interesting to find out.
“The Roman Catholic Church-State (i.e., Papal Rome) is the wealthiest organization that the world has ever seen. Its wealth (e.g., gold, stock shares, banking assets, real estate holdings, precious art treasures and manuscripts, etc.) is incalculable.”
http://www.toughissues.org/handoutsnew/Wealthy%20Church.htm
Yet, most of it’s members are poor…
Plantagenet on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 1:16 am
Catholics believe in the doctrine of Papal infallibility, so when the Pope says FF are causing climate change, that settle the matter for 1 billion Catholics.
Apneaman on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 1:37 am
Planter it just a ploy to make a few bucks. Next week the church will be selling indulgences to rich industrialists. Pope going retro. Catching any fire or smoke in your local?
Davy on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 6:09 am
Ape Man, I am Catholic and participate somewhat in the faith per my family. As for faith I am a mutt embracing many. My kids are in a small town Catholic school. It is a great school and it focus is on teaching kids how to be good kids with good education. I am sold on it. The perish has a great community that revolves around the kids. In my mind what could be more solid than that.
Many disregard the stupid rules of the faith. I personally find the stance on abortion strange when the Catholic hierarchy is against contraception. We have a population problem killing kids but they are worried about the unborn and against contraception. That stance just does not add up to me. Catholics got confession and you are always welcome back unlike some of the fire and brimstone faiths.
Catholics at the bottom have substance it is lost the further up the power chain you go. I think the same can be said about most things in BAU today because power and money corrupts. As for this Pope he is a step in the right direction at this particular time. As for the Pope preaching climate change that is the right thing to do and this Pope is motivated by truth and right. Nothing much can be done about climate change IMHO other than the quick death of 6BIL people then everything would be fine except for all the graves.
Lawfish1964 on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 7:21 am
774,746 words in the Bible and not one of them is “Pope.” All of the climate change problems would be solved with a drastic reduction in population. But we can’t have that when the church preaches against contraception. As the native Americans used to say, he speaks with forked tongue.
penury on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 9:57 am
If you are a member of a religious grouping, you will tend to embrace the positions of your leader. If all religious leaders were to espouse the same positions progress might, just might be taken based upon the word of that leader. However, with all of the competing religions,sects,offshoots, and the fact that the average human has competing drives the adherence to dogma will not be very pervasive.Over 7 billion people, how many are Catholic?
Among Catholics how many prefer money and success to adherence to Papal adherence. Change fir the better will come but, I am afraid it will be despite humans rather than because of humans.
Apneaman on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 12:08 pm
I was just funning, Davy. Besides, it’s the non Catholic, knuckle dragging, mouth breathing, Jesus freaks you need to worry about if you live in America. Just look at the evidence.
The Growing Right-Wing Terror Threat
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/opinion/the-other-terror-threat.html
Here are 10 of the worst domestic terror attacks by extreme Christians and right-wing white men
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/here-are-10-of-the-worst-domestic-terror-attacks-by-extreme-christians-and-right-wing-white-men/
Plantagenet on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 12:22 pm
@Lawfish
The word Pope comes from the same latin root as the word Pop or Pops that we use in English for “father”.
Cheers!
Nony on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 12:29 pm
Tawfish: On this rock, I will build my church!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confession_of_Peter#Interpretations
😉
Plant: Papal infallibility only applies to a very limited set of doctrinal statements (like the assumption of Mary). None of the futzing with every day politics is included. Encyclicals are not infallible.
Davy on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 12:58 pm
Ape, you ain’t shittin on the Geezus freaks in the south. The south starts where I live. Missouri has always been a divided state. The Ozarks are crawling with Geezuz freaks. Some of them are pretty normal just freaky on Sunday. Others drive around with large Geezus stickers, Geezus shirts, and listen to Geezus music. We got billboards around here telling you all about Geezus. Crosses as big as water towers lit up at night. Pretty amazing stuff maynard!
keith on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 2:03 pm
I think all the elite are realizing what peak oil is. Their finally accepting they no longer have Mother nature’s steering wheel. But they still think they can maintain humanities steering wheel, thus all the talk of decarbonization and get off fossil fuels. We are going to get off fossils fuels if we want to or not. I think they are realizing there is no choice in the matter. These are very telling signs for the peak oil community.
Lawfish1964 on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 2:31 pm
Thanks, Plant. However, the word’s etymology does not change the fact that it does not appear in “the Good Book.”
Ted Wilson on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 2:45 pm
This whole thing with Oil companies talking about Global Warming is to put all the blame on Coal and grab the 30% share of Coal in the World’s energy.
The shale and sands oil are more dirtier than Coal if you look at how they are extracted and how much pollution they cause.
Don’t trust these companies. We should replace both the Coal fired electricity and the Oil fired power generation and heating and also in the transport sector.
Apneaman on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 7:57 pm
Earth has its Warmest May and Warmest Year-to-Date Period on Record
“Three billion-dollar weather disasters in May 2015
Three billion-dollar weather-related disasters hit the Earth last month, according to the May 2015 Catastrophe Report from insurance broker Aon Benfield: a severe weather outbreak and flooding on May 23 – 28 in the Central U.S. that caused at least $1 billion in damage; flooding in China that caused $1.15 billion in damage; and the on-going drought in California and neighboring states that now has a price tag of at least $3 billion.”
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=3023
Makati1 on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 9:31 pm
‘Once upon a time”…as all religions start their story…or should. Religion started as a means to control the populations and make money doing it. Nothing has changed. It exists today because too many want a perfect life in an imperfect world and/or something to blame their problems on or to lean on because they are too weak to stand alone.
I cannot state Catholic stats as they are as obscure as those of my past ‘religion’ the Mormons. I know that when I served in the Bishopric (20 years-5 bishops) that membership was about 10 million. Half were not even attending church at all. Maybe 3 million went to church on other than religious holidays. Of those maybe 500,000 were tithe payers and of those less than 100,000 were Temple Recommend holders, what ALL Mormons were supposed to be. The requirements for the last one was very strict but lies were needed to obtain it for most of those 100,000. I realized that when I went to the Temple for the first time and the changing lockers had locks. Dishonesty was NOT left at the door. lol.
So, believe what you will. When the lights go out, there is nothing on the other side.
Apneaman on Fri, 19th Jun 2015 9:59 pm
Religion just don’t give the dopamine drips like the super hyper stimuli of modern food, TV, porn, shopping, internet, smartphones, video games, sports, etc.
Harquebus on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 12:57 am
Wind and solar won’t be so cheap without fossil fuels.
GregT on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 1:28 am
Wind and solar would not exist without fossil fuels.
Boat on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 2:13 am
True, but once the transition to renewables has happened there won’t be near the need for fossil fuels. Something you should consider.
Renewables will happen to scale it’s just a matter of time. Money flows to the easiest buck to make. Solar and wind will have their day as fossil fuels deplete.
No crash, no doom, money and the pursuit of it will decide what energy sources will power the future.
GregT on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 2:43 am
The availability of fossil fuels will decide whether or not we have enough food to eat, medicines to keep pandemics at bay, and economies to continue to create money out of thin air.
There is no such thing as a renewable source of energy, that fallacy is in direct contradiction to the laws of thermodynamics. Even the one and only source of energy that we have on this planet, the Sun, will eventually burn out and fade away. Solar and wind will have their day, for those of us that had the foresight to install them on our homes, but their lives will be measured in decades, and the lives of the gadgets that we power with that energy, much less.
We are not transitioning to falsely heralded ‘renewables’, but rather those ‘renewables’ are the transition themselves. They are the transition to a vastly reduced energy future, with vastly reduced population numbers, and a vastly more simplified way of life, IF our species manages to survive that long. Which at this point, is highly doubtful.
marmico on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 4:40 am
What prattle.
EIA International updated world stats through February 2015 are out. World oil production had exceeded 79 mb/d in 4 of the prior 5 months.
http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=50&pid=57&aid=1&cid=ww,&syid=2011&eyid=2015&freq=M&unit=TBPD
Peakoil.com came online in 2004 when world output was 71-73 mb/d. Total decadal failure.
I want the dates for the vastly reduced
1. energy future
2. population numbers and
3. more simplified way of life.
Does crayola painting in caves count when you are huntering/gathering biomass to fire the evening meal in 5.7 liter Tacos?
Davy on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 4:40 am
Boat all civilization crash eventually just as all species go extinct eventually. The real question for us here is when. Time frame really is the issues because humans are so time oriented. We know we are going to die but the time frame is such that we don’t live the dread daily except those of us terminally ill. If it is more than a few years out then it is not an immediate concern. If the corns could give me solid proof we have more than 10 years I would change my attitude even if 20 is a game over point. That is how time frame works for us humans.
My fellow doomers are trying to determine a time frame for onset of decline and that decline’s degree and duration. This is a revolutionary concept in the sense we have had at least 200 years of an industrial progress of fantastic proportions that now may be over and quickly over. Cornucopians want to claim there are no problems we will overcome obstacles with the usual technology, markets, and resource substitutions. These argument are supported by the fact this is what has happened since the beginnings of the industrial revolution.
We doomers are saying we are at limits and diminishing returns or IOW the end of growth of a growth based system. If a growth based system is at the end of growth it can’t go on as a growth based system. We doomers are asking what will that new system be like and it is not pretty with a population in mass overshoot to carrying capacity. It is not pretty with a destroyed ecosystem and climate.
Boat, that is a big burden of proof for you corns. You are arguing against great undeniable negative changes in the works as we speak. You are arguing against problems and predicaments that are ever more apparent. You are claiming technology, efficiency, and human cooperation will improve and progress. We doomers are not seeing that. Doomers are seeing catastrophic bifurcations of our entire global system with a steep decline at a minimum. Maybe we can get off the hook with a great depression which would be a picnic compared to what doomers see as possible and likely.
Boat you mention renewables. We doomers are not seeing renewables as truly renewable and green. They are nothing more than a modern product of our fossil fuel culture. I can see no evidence they can replicate in a renewable based culture. I see no way renewables can scale for a population as large as ours. Renewables can do allot locally or regionally but even then their maintenance on all levels is fossil fuel dependent.
We are now at a point where we are in a trap with time, money, and carrying capacity. We are likely past the point of being able to maintain the complex interconnected global system we are in. This is evidenced by debt. The time frames of scale for renewables for example do not jive with evidence of fossil fuel depletion evidences. We are only at 5% global wind and solar energy percentage of the total. I see no evidence that can ramp up in time to head off issues of fossil fuel or climate change issues. Renewables are our really only feasible technology that could replace fossil fuels and we doomers have shown renewables are highly likely not to scale with time or resources requirements.
Boat, we doomers are saying a crash is in the cards at least at a minimum within the next few years. Everyone knows it has always been possible from acts of God or NUK war but this time is different. We doomers are saying systematically this is now possible and likely because of peak oil, environmental reasons, and systematic societal corruption, and food/water issues. We are saying population is beyond carrying capacity levels and population growth cannot be maintained. We know population decline is dangerous for our system. Even an aging population is dangerous.
We doomers are saying all the above are converging with positive feedbacks to bring growth and progress to an end. We know that our system cannot stand even stand a decline in the rate of growth let alone an actual economic decline. The 08 crisis showed us how quickly panic sets in with just a minor disruption. We were close to an end of globalism in 08. People were afraid to trust other people financially in 08. A vast system of dispersed production, distribution, and monetary exchange is far too complex to undergo decline for very long or even minor trust issues.
We doomers are saying this descent could be imminent within 3-5 years and the effects could be catastrophic. The cornucopians are saying all is well and problems will be overcome as usual. I see a vague message without support from the cornucopians. It is a happy confident message without scientific support that has been reinforced at all levels for years especially recent years with mass communications.
We are now a programed global culture of a technophile people believing in our exceptionalism without also accepting what our exceptionalism in science has also been telling us at every level. Our science has been telling us problems, predicaments, and catch 22 situations are present that point to the end of modern man. Corns want cake and eat it. They want science when it is positive and dismiss the negative. That folks is insanity when survival is at stake.
Kenz300 on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 8:40 am
It is time to stop building any more coal fired power plants and begin shutting down the oldest and most polluting ones.
Pope Francis, in Sweeping Encyclical, Calls for Swift Action on Climate Change – The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/world/europe/pope-francis-in-sweeping-encyclical-calls-for-swift-action-on-climate-change.html?emc=edit_th_20150619&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=21372621&_r=0
GregT on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 10:36 am
Marmico said:
“I want the dates for the vastly reduced
1. energy future
2. population numbers and
3. more simplified way of life.”
You’re a smart guy Marmico. There are now over 9000 peer reviewed papers on climate change. Why don’t you spend some time getting up to speed, and then report back to us. Instead of completely ignoring the most serious threat that mankind has ever faced, caused solely by human greed and the idolatry of fossil fuel.
davy on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 12:01 pm
Marmi
Vastly reduced Energy – 2020 – 2025 per peak oil dynamics
Population – a generational reduction on average of 200MIL excess deaths over births starting 2020 – 2025 ending when global population settles to 500MIL -1BIL. Large die offs possible in waves over a generation.
More simplified way of life- descent starting 2020 ending in a generation with stabilization level dependent on humans and nature over that period.
No need to reference anything Marmi because I am the oracle of doom from my prep cave and I just spoke.
Apneaman on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 12:04 pm
Far too optimistic.
UK Government-backed scientific model flags risk of civilisation’s collapse by 2040
“New scientific models supported by the British government’s Foreign Office show that if we don’t change course, in less than three decades industrial civilisation will essentially collapse due to catastrophic food shortages, triggered by a combination of climate change, water scarcity, energy crisis, and political instability.”
https://medium.com/insurge-intelligence/uk-government-backed-scientific-model-flags-risk-of-civilisation-s-collapse-by-2040-4d121e455997
Boat on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 12:57 pm
Davy,
I plan to be here in 5 years, unless there has been a crash. I will continue to show the many countless ways us humans are doing everything smarter and more efficient.
Apneaman on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 1:16 pm
The Boat is rudderless and dreamily drifting down de-nile.
GregT on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 1:17 pm
Boat,
What are your plans if there is a crash? Or do you not believe in buying insurance?
Apneaman on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 1:29 pm
Boat, even putting Jevon’s paradox aside for a moment (which was proven true once again when gas prices went down), I see very little evidence of apes doing anything “smarter and more efficient.”
Food waste costs North America $162 billion, finds new study
http://www.waste-management-world.com/articles/2015/06/food-waste-costs-north-america-162-billion-finds-new-study.html
US Now Leads in Energy Waste
http://www.theenergycollective.com/sbattaglia/193441/us-most-energy-waste
The incredibly stupid way that Americans waste 1 trillion gallons of water each year
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/03/17/the-incredibly-stupid-way-that-america-wastes-1-trillion-gallons-of-water-each-year/
Apneaman on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 1:35 pm
Oh I guess I was wrong
Kim Jong-un claims to have cured Aids, Ebola and cancer with single miracle drug
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kim-jongun-claims-to-have-cured-aids-ebola-and-cancer-with-single-miracle-drug-10332386.html
GregT on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 2:03 pm
“I will continue to show the many countless ways us humans are doing everything smarter and more efficient.”
We are becoming more efficient at turning the natural environment into a human waste stream. Considering the fact that we only have one planet to call home, that isn’t exactly smart.
davy on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 2:25 pm
Ape man, I was hedging some optimism. It is possible intelligent life forms will arrive to earth in 7 years and paddle our asses and tell us how to live properly. They also may have a way of rebalancing population. Maybe they will transport most of us to another planet similar to earth but this time with rules that will be followed or instant death. They will most likely have CO2 machines that suck CO2 out of the air and make soda pop. You can flavor it as you please. That will solve climate change. That is a happy ending my friends and something the corns would buy into.
davy on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 2:31 pm
Boat, don’t you think I plan on being here in 5 years? Don’t you think I will try to live smarter and more efficient?
The difference between you and me in this picture is the lifestyle. Do you prep? Do you practice realative sacrifice? Are you mentally and physically working out now to be ready for hardship latter. I am boat. What are you doing? Playing the market for retirement?
Apneaman on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 2:50 pm
Davy, just in. We may have a candidate.
Are ALIENS hiding on Jupiter’s Europa? Let’s find out, cry NASA bods
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/06/19/nasa_europa_lifefinding_mission/
Mysterious moon may have secret ocean — and life
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/nasa-europa-mission/
davy on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 3:04 pm
Ape, could the NOo actually be from Europa. Could the NOo actually be part of a Jovian super race instead of from San Diego? He has an alien smartass mind that points to this theory.
Nony on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 3:44 pm
NASA is so full of it. Remember the cringe-inducing fluff about arsenic based life?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVuhBt03z8g
Apneaman on Sat, 20th Jun 2015 5:12 pm
Now nony-marm is a self proclaimed expert on astro biology too.