Why is ENGIE participating in COP26?

Climate Week, the UN Climate Summit, and now COP26: ENGIE is participating in many major climate-related events. What for?

Julia Maris: We are not doing this for show, but to take action. Our attendance will aim to forge partnerships and accelerate decarbonisation for both private and public stakeholders. As proof, we have many ongoing partnerships, for example with transport companies such as Michelin or Faurecia, whose decarbonisation we support, or with digital giants Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or Orange, to whom we supply carbon-free electricity as part of our Green PPA contracts. We also help territories reach their Net Zero Carbon objectives. For example, I am thinking of the large solar farm in Île-de-France which we just inaugurated in Marcoussis. In sharing examples such as these, we are proving that decarbonisation is already underway and that we have become an indispensable partner. 

Today, the expression decarbonisation is on everyone’s lips. What makes ENGIE indispensable?

Julia Maris: Agreed, everyone is talking about decarbonisation. But at ENGIE, we have long been committed to greening our energy mix, by accelerating the development of our renewables on one hand, and by putting an end to our coal-based activities on the other. Decarbonisation is at the centre of our strategy; it is our very raison d’être. This is precisely what we announced last May: our ambition is to be Net Zero Carbon by 2045, across all Group emissions (what we call the 3 scopes), something of which we can be proud. Additionally, we are committed to our sphere of influence: we support our clients’ decarbonisation, aiming to avoid 45 Mt of CO2 a year, and for 100% of our preferred suppliers to be certified or aligned with the Paris Agreement. We are aware of racing against the clock, engaging all our strengths and expertise so we can meet this global challenge.

Specifically, how can COP26 be an additional step toward achieving the intended trajectory?

Julia Maris : This is the most important COP since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Because the meeting provides the opportunity to confront the pledges that were made five years ago with initial results, but also because the IPCC’s last report is alarming and demonstrates the climate emergency we are facing. States will be expected to raise their ambitions by updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to reach the 1.5 °C roadmap. There is no doubt that citizens will be following the event closely: 75% of them are expecting governments to provide concrete actions to climate change. As energy prices continue to rise, we must also enforce our vision of a fair energy transition, in other words, one that is sustainable, trustworthy, and accessible to citizens, organisations, and States.

And while ENGIE may not be directly involved in negotiations as a company, we are coming to Glasgow to give our contribution with the firm conviction that we are at the very centre of this transition to a new world.