BP has set a new ambition to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and to help the world get to net zero.

Unveiling plans to fundamentally reorganise the business new CEO Bernard Looney said: “The world’s carbon budget is finite and running out fast; we need a rapid transition to net zero. We all want energy that is reliable and affordable, but that is no longer enough. It must also be cleaner. To deliver that, trillions of dollars will need to be invested in replumbing and rewiring the world’s energy system. It will require nothing short of reimagining energy as we know it.

“This will certainly be a challenge, but also a tremendous opportunity. It is clear to me, and to our stakeholders, that for BP to play our part and serve our purpose, we have to change. And we want to change – this is the right thing for the world and for BP.”

Helge Lund, BP’s chairman, commented: “Energy markets are changing, driven by climate change, technology and societal expectations, and the board supports Bernard and his new leadership team’s ambition for BP. Aiming for net zero is not only the right thing for BP, it is the right thing for our shareholders and for society more broadly. As we embark on this ambitious agenda, we will maintain a strong focus on safe, reliable and efficient operations and on delivering the promises we have made to our investors.”

Looney said the net zero ambition covered both greenhouse gas emissions from BP’s operations and all the carbon in the oil and gas that it produces. He explained: “This is what we mean by making BP net zero. It directly addresses all the carbon we get out of the ground as well as all the greenhouse gases we emit from our operations. These will be absolute reductions, which is what the world needs. If this were to happen to every barrel of oil and gas produced, the emissions problem for our sector would be solved. But of course, the world is not that simple; the whole energy system has to be transformed and everyone has a contribution to make – producers and sellers of energy, policy makers and everyone who uses energy.”

He said BP aimed to help its customers reduce their emissions by halving the carbon intensity of the products it sells, again by 2050 or sooner – offering customers more and better choices of low- and no-carbon products.

He also said BP would become an advocate for policies that promote net zero and would be setting new expectations for its relationships with trade associations, making the case for BP’s views on climate change, being transparent where views differ, and being prepared to leave those where alignment cannot be reached.

He explained that to deliver its new ambition and aims, BP would undergo a fundamental reorganisation. “We need to reinvent BP. Our historic structure has served us well but, in order to keep up with rapidly-evolving customer demands and society’s expectations, we need to become more integrated and more focused. So we are undertaking a major reorganisation, introducing a new structure, a new leadership team and new ways of working for all of us.”