In response to the release of BP’s first-quarter results, Charlie Kronick, oil finance analyst for Greenpeace UK, said:
“Today as profits tumble BP is shaping the future of the company, but more importantly the future of the climate. BP and the rest of the oil industry are still running the sector like a pyramid scheme, betting that demand will bounce back from every downturn and high dividends will distract investors from the underlying weaknesses of the business.
“By sticking with a business-as-usual dividend payout, BP is ignoring the severity of the multiple crises we now face. Given the company’s plunging profits, dividends are not mandatory and can’t take precedence over investment in clean renewable energy crucial to a more resilient climate and economy. Our society’s response to the COVID challenge has been to come together to help each other, but BP continues to prioritise pacifying shareholders over investing where it is really needed.”
ENDS
Contact
Greenpeace UK Press Office – press.uk@greenpeace.org or 020 7865 78255
Notes
