6 - Integrating Climate into our Strategy
“Our stakeholders
understandably have
higher expectations”
It’s a must in the energy sector. The main priority
is to reduce the use of coal, which generates more
emissions that any other type of energy, and to
switch to gas and renewables for power generation.
A carbon price of USD 30 to USD 40 per ton would
make this possible.
Will the Paris climate agreement change Total’s
strategy?
The agreement confirms that we were right to make
climate a cornerstone of our strategic vision. We have
been taking strong measures since 2000 to reduce
the impact of our activities. We were among the first
in our industry to publish quantified improvement
objectives. Since 2008, we have applied an internal
carbon price to our projects and in 2011 began investing
significantly in renewable energies. This strategic
approach has taken shape gradually. And this year
we’re taking a decisive step by creating a combined
Strategy & Climate Division, because climate,
a global concern, must be fully integrated into
our overarching strategy.
In the energy sector, the “COP21 effect” also means
that businesses are becoming far more proactive.
Here at Total, we have lobbied strongly for international
initiatives, such as the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative,
that will reshape our industry.
Our stakeholders are voicing higher expectations,
understandably so. We called for this climate agreement
and have made commitments to support it. Now it’s time
for us to step up and explain how our strategies tangibly
reflect this engagement.
Is this report a means for Total
to respond to these expectations?
Yes, and its appropriateness was discussed
and approved by the Board of Directors. The report
has three main goals. First, to share our ambition
for Total in 2035: we have selected the International
Energy Agency’s (IEA) 2°C scenario as a baseline.
Second, to specify how this scenario impacts
our decision-making process. Integrating the 2°C
scenario recognizes that fossil fuels - especially
oil - are mature, even, shrinking, markets. Being
more selective in our investments is a key factor in
sustainability that needs to be spelled out clearly.
And third, this report is an opportunity to review the
actions we have already implemented, the initiatives
we are currently undertaking, the investments we are
planning to secure for the future and the indicators we
use to track our performance.
What are Total’s objectives for 2035?
Is climate change the company’s biggest challenge?
Keeping the global temperature rise below 2°C is
a challenge everyone must meet. The next 20 years
will be decisive in building a low-carbon future that
does not curb economic and social development.
In 2040, the global population is projected to be
9 billion. That includes 2 billion people in Africa
alone, where over 600 million people today do not
have access to electricity. That figure worldwide
is 1.2 billion.
I believe our main responsibility is to help provide
safe, affordable energy solutions to as many people
as possible, while managing energy consumption
and the related emissions. Doing this will entail
improving energy efficiency across the board,
optimizing the fossil fuel mix and accelerating
the development of renewable energies. Our ambition
is to position Total as a global leader in these three
priority areas and drive progress. Our integrated
business model, which spans producing, refining
or processing and marketing oil and gas, will be
one of our biggest advantages in achieving this goal.
It enables us to take action across the entire energy
value chain and keeps us in touch with our customers’
expectations. The challenge is not just to produce
an energy mix that generates fewer emissions.
We also have to continue reinventing our relationships
with customers worldwide, by keeping pace with
changes in energy use, adopting digital technology
and supporting macro-trends such as urbanization.