Darren Woods Urges Caution on Climate Policy Shifts

Darren Woods, the chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil, expressed significant concern on Tuesday regarding President-elect Donald J. Trump’s potential decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement aimed at mitigating climate-warming emissions. In a statement made during the annual U.N. climate summit held in Baku, Azerbaijan, Woods emphasized that such a move could create a critical void in international climate negotiations.

In an exclusive interview with The New York Times, Woods articulated the importance of maintaining a global framework for managing emissions, stating, “We need a global system for managing global emissions.” He further suggested that Trump’s administration, which has often highlighted a return to pragmatic governance, could adopt a similar approach in the realm of climate policy.

Woods underscored the necessity for government officials to establish incentives that would facilitate a profitable transition for companies toward cleaner energy sources. “The government role is extremely important and one that they haven’t been successfully fulfilling, quite frankly,” he remarked, pointing out the critical need for effective leadership in this sector.

His appearance at the summit, where he was surrounded by numerous diplomats, was particularly notable given the absence of several key figures. Many heads of state, including President Biden, opted to skip the event, as did leaders from major oil companies such as Shell and Chevron, highlighting a significant moment for the future of global energy policy.