Symbolic bans on oil E&P won’t help us with climate change, Shell boss says

Symbolic bans on oil E&P won’t help us with climate change, Shell boss says

The chief executive of Shell said today that "symbolic" bans on oil and gas exploration and production would not help the UK tackle climate change.

Ben van Beurden said he had "heard the calls" for stopping E&P, but stressed that domestic production would be less harmful than imports.

Following the publication of the firm's first-half results, Mr van Beurden told journalists: "As long as the UK still needs oil and gas in its consumption, for its society, it's better to produced it in its own backyard.