By David Gaffen
NEW YORK, March 2 (Reuters) - U.S. climate envoy John Kerry
will headline the second day of the world's largest oil and gas
conference, along with Big Oil executives trying to make the
case for their importance even as panelists at CERAWeek focus on
how the industry will aim to reduce carbon emissions.
The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the transition to
renewable fuels and electrification of key elements of energy
use. Global majors have been playing catch-up, responding to
demands from investors to reduce production of fuels that
contribute to global warming.
Kerry will try to address how the United States will reclaim
its position as a global leader on climate change. President
Joseph Biden, who appointed Kerry, is bringing the nation back
into the Paris Climate Agreement which is aimed at reducing
emissions.
Biden, in his first weeks as president, cancelled a
presidential permit that would have allowed the construction of
the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada, and is taking steps to
limit new oil and gas development.
Some oil industry executives have criticised those moves,
and several will also speak on Tuesday, including the CEOs of
U.S. majors Exxon Mobil and Chevron Corp.
CERAWeek was canceled last year due to the coronavirus
pandemic which stopped billions of people from traveling and
wiped out one-fifth of worldwide demand for fuel.
(Reporting by New York Energy Team;
Editing by Bernadette Baum)
