Dutch Investors Force Shell and BP to Reveal Plans for Declining Oil Demand

2026-01-14 green

Amsterdam, Wednesday, 14 January 2026.
Follow This leads coalition managing $1.75 trillion in assets demanding transparency on value creation strategies as fossil fuel demand peaks by 2030.

Strategic Pivot from Environmental to Financial Risk

On January 13, 2026, Amsterdam-based Follow This unveiled a fundamentally different approach to pressuring major oil companies, shifting from direct emissions reduction demands to financial risk disclosure [1][2]. The climate activist group, which suspended its traditional shareholder resolution campaign in April 2025 due to lack of investor appetite [3][4], now focuses on the financial sustainability of fossil fuel business models as global energy demand patterns evolve. This strategic pivot represents a calculated move to address institutional investors’ primary concern: protecting portfolio value in an uncertain energy transition landscape.

Unprecedented Coalition Backing

The shareholder resolutions carry substantial financial weight, backed by a coalition of 23 institutional investors managing approximately 1.5 trillion euros (2.625 billion dollars) in assets [1][2][4]. Notable participants include Achmea Investment Management, the Ethos Foundation, and several European pension funds, including Swiss institutions such as Zurich City Pension Fund (PKZH), Bernese Pension Fund (CPB), and Swiss Federal Pension Fund PUBLICA [8]. The coalition’s geographical diversity spans the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the United States, demonstrating broad international concern about fossil fuel companies’ long-term viability [8].

Corporate Responses and Timeline Pressures

Shell’s initial response demonstrated procedural compliance while avoiding substantive commitments. A Shell spokesperson confirmed that “As with any resolution that meets the procedural requirements, the Board will consider it and respond with a recommendation to shareholders in our Notice of Meeting for the AGM” [1][2][4]. Shell’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled for mid-May 2026, providing a defined timeline for the company’s formal response [4][7]. BP has not yet issued a public response to the resolution filed against it [4].

Bronnen

climate finance activist investing