During this session Denise Chang-Yen discussed Shell’s plan to enforce a net zero future. 

Denise Chang-Yen is the development manager with Nature Based Solutions (NBS) at Shell. She is part of Shell’s global team that is focused on identifying, developing and investing in projects that protect, enhance and restore natural ecosystems. Denise is an engineer by training with extensive experience in energy, sustainable development, climate change and carbon markets. She has held a variety of leadership and business development roles related to renewable energy, carbon markets and sustainable development at Shell. In these roles, she has integrated commercial, technical, environmental and social perspectives in business decision making.

Why is Shell involved in nature based solutions?

Shell has enforced a strategy to transition their business to create net zero emissions. They will be compensating emissions with purchased credits. They want to reduce carbon intensity of energy sold scaled by year moving forwards. This is a very ambitious goal since most emissions come from customer use of product. 

They are developing techniques to avoid, reduce and compensate carbon offsets, through nature based solutions. We need to recognize the time needed for the advancement of some of these technologie. Shell is an active participant, interested to see this applied elsewhere.

Nature Based solutions are projects that protect and enhance the restoration of natural ecosystems like forests, wetlands, grasslands and aquatic plants. Carbon credits created by these financialize the ecologic/social benefits. Even so, carbon credits should not be the only way an organisation meets Climate Change goals. Offsets from nature should be of the highest quality, since it questions credibility of this system. Because of this, certification is important, and internal standards are used. Third parties also audit. Some projects will get cancelled because of quality issues. Supporting this initiative is important. We are proud to put value on grasslands, by avoiding the conversion of grasslands.