Activist investor groups, like As You Sow, have made great strides in recent years in convincing oil and gas companies to reduce their carbon footprints, Lila Holzman, energy program manager of the “green” shareholder advocacy organization, said in an interview.

She said the group focuses on reducing emissions of methane, because of the impact that the significant greenhouse gas has on global warming. “Methane has a much greater warming potential than carbon dioxide, especially when we look at the upstream side,” she said. In addition, getting methane emissions under control is technically within the grasp of most oil and gas companies. “It’s like a no-brainer, the low-hanging fruit.”

Holzman said that in recent years, As You Sow has seen a greater transparency on the part of energy companies as to the extent of their methane emissions and efforts to contain them. “We feel like we have seen an improvement in this area. In general, we see a shift in companies acknowledging they are responsible for these emissions and taking voluntary action to respond to our concerns,” she said. Read Full Article - Forbes, September 10, 2020