OSLO, March 27 (Reuters) - Equinor will leave
industry lobby group the Independent Petroleum Association of
America (IPAA) over a disagreement about climate policy, the
energy producer said on Friday.
The Norwegian company is undertaking a review of its
memberships of industry associations under an agreement with a
group of institutional investors, the Climate Action 100+,
signed last April.
The Washington-headquartered IPAA represents thousands of
independent oil and natural gas producers and service companies
across the United States.
"We believe that IPAA's lack of position on climate leaves
the association materially misaligned with Equinor's climate
policy and advocacy position," the company said in its review of
industry associations.
Specifically, Equinor cited the IPAA's support for the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) roll-back of U.S.
federal methane regulations, which the company opposes.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration proposed in
2019 rescinding Obama-era limits on oil and gas industry
emissions of methane, one of the main pollutants scientists link
to climate change.
The IPAA was not immediately available for comment.
Equinor also said it would remain a member of the American
Petroleum Institute (API) and the Australian Petroleum
Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) despite some "some
misalignments" with the company's climate policies.
The group said it expected API to make further progress in
strengthening its support for the Paris climate agreement,
tightening methane emissions regulations and marking out a
clearer stance on carbon pricing.
"We will also encourage APPEA to take a clear stand on
supporting carbon pricing in Australia and not supporting
carryover of credits from the Kyoto protocol to the Paris
Agreement," it added.
Under its agreement with the Climate Action 100+, Equinor
has committed to make sure that all memberships in more than 100
industry associations, including oil, gas and renewable energy,
align with its support for the goals of the Paris Agreement.
BP said in February it would leave the main U.S.
refining lobby group, the American Fuel & Petrochemical
Manufacturers (AFPM), a leading U.S. refining lobby, and two
other trade groups due to disagreements over climate
policies.
Royal Dutch Shell and Total said last
year they would not renew their memberships in the AFMP. Equinor
is not a member of the group.
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by Jan Harvey)