Does any anon have any idea what this could be about?
Pope Francis is hosting a gathering next week at the Vatican with executives of major oil producers and investment firms to talk about how the companies can address climate change, according to several people familiar with the event.
Why it matters: It’s one of the most significant developments showing how corporations are working with other world leaders on climate change amid President Trump’s whole-scale retreat on the issue.
Show less
Situational awareness: One year ago today, Trump announced his intention to withdraw America from the Paris climate deal, which now has support from every country except the United States. Three years ago, Pope Francis wrote his encyclical — a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church — on the importance of addressing climate change, a first in the church’s history.
Here’s a list of some of the participants in the private conference, with more expected:
Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, world’s largest asset manager.
Bob Dudley, CEO of BP.
Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil.
Eldar Sætre, CEO of Equinor, oil and energy producer partially owned by the Norwegian government (formerly Statoil).
Ernest Moniz, former U.S. Energy Secretary under then-President Obama.
Lord John Browne, former CEO of BP and current executive chairman of L1 Energy, an oil and gas investment firm.
Ben Van Beurden, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell, was invited but declined because he had an obligation elsewhere, according to an official.