ExxonMobil has warned it is willing to withhold billions of dollars in climate-related investments in Europe unless Brussels cuts environmental red tape which the company blames for the “deindustrialisation of the European economy”.
Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil’s Product Solutions division, told the Financial Times that the US oil major had $20bn set aside for decarbonisation projects between 2022 and 2027 but that it was likely to prioritise “other parts of the world” amid increasing frustration at the regulatory burden linked to getting projects off the ground in Europe.
Despite looking at “a good handful” of projects in the EU, very little of the money had already been spent, she said.