Mexico’s oil company, Pemex , is now in the infamous group of the top 10 global polluters .
According to an analysis by the U.S. Climatic Responsibility Institute , in total, there are 20 companies responsible to send into the environment 35% of greenhouse gases. Pemex is the 9th due to the works of oil, gas , and carbon exploitation it performs.
“Those 20 companies have contributed collectively with 480 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide and methane , mainly for the combustion of their products,” detailed Richard Heede, director of the institute in the environmentalist document.
The report details that the Mexican oil company emitted 22,645 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and methane, which represents 1.67% of the total sent into the environment by the most polluting companies during the period of 1967-2017 .
The list of the most polluting companies is headed by Saudi Aramco , whose emissions represent 4.38% of the world’s total, followed by the American firm Chevron , responsible for the 3.2% of global emissions.
Russian state oil company Gazprom produced 3.19% of emissions, while the fourth place is held by American firm ExxonMobil with 3.09% , and in fifth is National Iranian Oil with 2.63% .
Sixth place is for British company BP; seventh for Anglo-Dutch Shell ; Coal India in eighth; Pemex in ninth, and Venezuela Petroleums (PDVSA) in tenth.
Experts of the U.S. Climatic Responsibility Institute think that companies that value their social license in the operation and respect to climate science will have to manage their corporative risks and commit to reducing the future production of fuels and their emissions according to the Paris Agreement to keep the world’s temperature below 1.5 C.
In addition, they will have to support the world’s economy decarbonization and shift their investments toward renewable energies , emissions sequestration, and low-carbon fuels.
On its 2019-2023 Business Plan , Pemex acknowledges “to be aware that, as in all industrial activity, although its activities represent an economic development focus, they also result in environmental impact , by using big land extensions for its facilities, natural resources such as water, in addition to the generation and discharge of wastewater and emissions into the air.”
Nevertheless, it adds that it will keep the commitment to fulfill the sustainable development objectives in environmental matters established in the 2030 Agenda of the Republic’s Presidency, particularly the objectives 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation,” 7 “ Affordable and Clean Energy,” 12 “Responsible Production and Consumption,” 13 “Climate Action,” 14 “Underwater Life,” and 15 “Terrestrial Ecosystems’ Life.”
For it, as explained in the document, Pemex will look to have operations with a sustainable focus by performing a comprehensive water management, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and environmental liabilities, and complying with the corresponding ruling, to contribute to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Objectives established in the 2030 Agenda, as well as the commitments of the Paris Agreement regarding climate change .
Likewise, Pemex is considering the necessary actions to optimize the energetic performance in industrial activities.
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