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COP31: key themes

The United Nations (UN) Conference of Parties, or COP, sees governments gather annually to discuss and find solutions to tackle climate change. For COP31, we show how some of the key themes in focus at the conference are also important to us.

What is COP31?

Between November 9 and November 20, 2026, COP31 will take place in Antalya, Türkiye. Uniquely, two governments will be overseeing the conference, with Türkiye as COP31 President and Australia as President of Negotiations.​.

What will COP31 focus on?

The Türkiye Presidency has positioned COP31 as moving “from negotiation to implementation”. The focus is on accelerating solutions to deliver nationally determined contributions, as governments and policymakers work to reduce emissions and prepare for the impact of climate change.

Does Shell take part in COP?

A small number of representatives from Shell will attend as observers to gather external insights and latest policy developments, engage with key stakeholders and strengthen partnerships.

Key COP themes and Shell

Reducing methane emissions

COP31 priorities include methane emissions reduction, with a focus on the waste sector. The oil and gas industry plays a critical role in advancing methane emissions reduction. Shell uses advanced technologies and implements operational practices to monitor, measure and reduce methane emissions in its operations. We also collaborate with others to help drive industry-wide action and accelerate progress.

Reducing methane emissions

Industrial decarbonisation

The Action Agenda for this year’s COP includes low-carbon industrial pathways that support competitiveness. We are developing hydrogen and carbon capture and storage to help reduce emissions from our industrial operations. As the markets develop, these technologies may also help customers reduce emissions from their operations.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

Carbon pricing

One of the main focus areas will be on the operationalisation of Article 6, the Paris Agreement’s carbon trading clause, and how governments have started to implement the mechanism. Shell supports international carbon market co-operation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.Find out more about how carbon pricing works and how Shell is supporting the development of carbon markets.

Shell and Carbon Pricing

Circularity

One aim of the COP31 Presidency is to reduce the increase in waste generation by 50% by 2035. Our businesses are continuing their efforts to address the waste we generate and working to identify options to increase circular approaches.

Resource use and circular economy

Just transition

The COP31 President of Negotiations has included just transition as a focus area for government discussions. Shell works with governments and society to support positive economic and social impacts of the transition on our workforce, communities, suppliers and customers.

A just energy transition

Climate action and collaborations: announcements

Shell is a member of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, a group of 12 major energy companies focused on leading our industry’s response to climate change. Read the OGCI 2026 Progress Report

The World Bank Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Fund partnership, a multi-donor trust fund with Shell as its first official partner, published its Annual Progress Report 2025 (PDF) (PDF)

The Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 has published 2026 company factsheets, showing that Shell has been awarded gold standard for the third consecutive year.

Cautionary note

The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this content “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this content refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Forward-Looking statements

This content contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions, including (without limitation) those concerning Shell’s strategy and operating plans, macroeconomic conditions, future energy demand, supply and product mix, commodity prices, demand for Shell’s products, production results and reserve estimates, development, execution and management of projects, energy transition and climate change, management of safety and environmental risks, costs, cash capital expenditures, technology advancements, legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments, regional conflicts and trading conditions, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; “aspire”, “aspiration”, ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this content, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this content are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2025 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov

). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this content and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the publication mentioned in this website. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this content.

Shell’s net carbon intensity and net-zero emissions target

In this content we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our combined Scope 1 and 2 target, NCI target and our oil products ambition over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

The information provided above regarding Shell’s NCI and net zero emissions target are not intended, nor should they be construed as introducing, suggesting or making any claim, target or representation thereof other than what is included in the content.

Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures

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