FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT: Stefanie Spear, sspear@asyousow.org, 216-387-1609

BERKELEY, CA—MARCH 24, 2021—Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) Tuesday announced a commitment to address climate change by setting a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 across its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. SoCalGas, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the U.S. with more than 22 million customers.

Lila Holzman, senior energy program manager of As You Sow, has this to say about the announcement:

“Investors commend this commitment by SoCalGas to address its climate impact. Setting net-zero emissions reduction targets by mid-century is now the expected norm from the utility industry and is key to enabling decarbonization in other sectors such as buildings and transport.  

“We look forward to more specific plans from the company to support this important target. As a natural gas provider, it is critical to demonstrate through concrete actions how it will meet this new climate ambition. While shareholders have remaining concerns, especially with regard to its anti-climate lobbying activities as described in our 2021 shareholder resolution, we hope SoCalGas’ new commitment will guide the company toward a more sustainable path.”

Daniel Stewart, senior research associate at As You Sow, has this to say about the announcement:

“The natural gas sector represents an increasing portion of greenhouse gas emissions and needs innovative solutions. The sooner natural gas providers recognize this and begin to set Paris-aligned, net-zero targets, develop new business strategies and plans, and allocate capital toward cost-effective climate solutions, the better positioned they will be to thrive in the low-carbon energy economy. SoCalGas’ announced targets are significant, but shareholder questions remain regarding which strategies and technologies offer the best opportunity to support rapid decarbonization most cost-effectively at the state-level, especially as building electrification becomes increasingly competitive in California.” 

To learn more about As You Sow’s work on climate change, click here.

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As You Sow is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility through shareholder advocacy, coalition building, and innovative legal strategies. See our resolutions here.