Greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions performance
In 2023, our total combined Scope 1 and 2 absolute greenhouse gas emissions (from assets and activities under our operational control) were 57 million tonnes on a CO2 equivalent basis, a 2% reduction compared with 2022 and a 31% reduction compared with 2016, the base year for our target. Our Scope 3 emissions associated with our energy products sales were 1,147 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, compared with 1,174 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022.
Our direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, operational control boundary) decreased from 51 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022 to 50 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023.
Direct greenhouse gas emissions
Million tonnes CO2 equivalent
The reduction was achieved by divestments in 2022 (including the Deer Park and Mobile refineries in the USA and Shell-operated upstream assets in Tunisia and the Philippines); the handover of operations at OML 11 in Nigeria in 2022; reduced flaring at assets, including the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo); and greenhouse gas abatement projects and the purchase of renewable electricity. These decreases were partly offset by bringing more units online at Shell Polymers Monaca, our new polyethylene production facility in the USA, and higher emissions due to maintenance activities at our Pearl GTL gas-to-liquids facility in Qatar and a shutdown of our Prelude floating liquefied natural gas facility in Australia in 2022.
In 2023, we implemented a variety of measures to reduce the energy use and increase the energy efficiency of our operations. Examples of some of the principal measures taken in 2023 are listed under "Energy use in our operations" in our 2023 Annual Report.
Drivers of absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions change
Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emission changes from 2016 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2023
Million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
[B] In addition to reductions from greenhouse gas abatement and energy efficiency projects, this category also includes reductions from shutdowns and conversion of existing assets.
[C] Excludes 6.8 million tonnes of CO2 captured and sequestered by the Shell-operated Quest CCS facility in Canada between 2016 and 2022.
[D] Excludes 1.0 million tonnes of CO2 captured and sequestered by the Shell-operated Quest CCS facility in Canada in 2023.
[E] Of the 1,081 thousand tonnes of reduction activities and purchased renewable electricity in 2023, around 200 thousand tonnes related to purchased renewable electricity.
[F] Change in output relates to changes in production levels, including those resulting from shutdowns and turnarounds as well as production from new facilities.
Our indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with imported energy (Scope 2, operational control boundary) remained flat at 7 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023 (using the market-based method), compared with 2022.
Read our most recent assurance statements at www.shell.com/ghg.
