Hybrid Living

As painful as it is to imagine a major corporation reaping even more profits, a recent financial analysis shows that Exxon could actually become more profitable by reducing their carbon emissions and selling the carbon credits under the Kyoto protocol. Exxon already made record profits and revenue -- $40.6B USD and $404B USD, respectively. These profits are equal to the GDP of 120 countries! So why not make a little more profit, for a good cause?

Exxon current produces 138 million tons of CO₂ equivalent yearly. According to most estimates, it only needs to abate 9 million tons (6.9%), either by purchasing carbon credits or reducing emissions. Purchasing credits would cost the company about $1B USD, an easily absorbable loss. So why aren’t they cleaning up their act?

Yet another take on the problem illustrated is Exxon’s options for its other 129 million tons of CO₂. Rather than sitting pat, the company could use its massive global infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions through such easily implementable techniques as reduced flaring, co-generation, heat recuperation, and carbon capture and sequestration. Exxon’s reductions would become carbon credits. Carbon credits can be sold as assets and are actually very valuable. The analysis concludes that Exxon could stand a good chance of turning a large profit merely by reducing carbon emissions and selling the created carbon credits in nations that approved the Kyoto protocol.

The financial analysis was conducted by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors. Their conclusion – it would be both logical and financially sound for Exxon to aggressively cut emissions. Here’s to hoping they follow this savvy advice.

Via Solve Climate