“Don’t leave people behind” in global warming fight, US oil chief tells ADSW Talks

Measures to tackle global warming should not “leave people behind” – and the oil & gas industry needs to play a role, the first woman to head a major American oil company told ADSW Talks.

“While we have to eliminate as much as we can of global warming – and the CO2 emissions that cause that – we also have to remember, that we have to do it in a way, that we don’t leave people behind, that people aren’t unnecessarily damaged as a result,” Vicki Hollub, President and CEO of Occidental Petroleum (OXY), said in her edition of ADSW talks.

She added that the oil & gas industry, with its vast experience in logistics, could play a key role in the energy transition.

“That’s the part we think we can play in the climate transition, because that’s going to require a lot of building of equipment, a lot of logistics, a lot of planning,” she said. “And that’s what we are really good at.”

Climate change can only be tackled successfully if all countries and corporations work together, she added. That’s what makes events such as Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week so critical.

“Without venues like this, we can’t get it done,” she said. “Because it’s going to require us all working towards the same goal.”

Ms. Hollub added that OXY’s net zero plans include carbon capture, sequestration and eliminating methane emission from all operations.