Shell
Flagged · AvoidOne of the world's largest oil and gas companies, operating across six continents and shaping global energy policy for over a century, while remaining a central defendant in lawsuits over fossil fuel-driven climate damage.
Last updated July 20, 2026
↓ Skip to 9 ethical alternativesReasons to avoid
Issues span:Environment
- More than 13,000 residents of Nigeria's Ogale and Bille communities have spent a decade fighting Shell in UK courts over oil spills that contaminated drinking water, devastated fishing, and caused serious health consequences for a combined population of 50,000 people. Shell repeatedly attempted to escape accountability by arguing it bore no legal responsibility for its Nigerian subsidiary's pollution, but a UK High Court ruling in June 2025 confirmed the case can proceed to full trial.
- Shell scrapped its 2035 emissions target and weakened its 2030 goal in March 2024, abandoning the climate commitments it had publicized since 2021, while simultaneously announcing plans to grow its liquefied natural gas business by 20 to 30% by 2030. Shell also cut 200 jobs from its Low Carbon Solutions division in 2023 and placed another 130 positions under review, prioritizing fossil fuel profit over its stated energy transition.
- The UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned three Shell advertisements in June 2023, ruling they misled viewers into overestimating Shell's clean energy investment by showing wind turbines and EV chargers while the company continued directing the overwhelming majority of its capital to oil and gas. Shell ran new "Powering Progress" ads in 2024 that drew over 75 complaints for similar misleading claims, prompting a new regulatory investigation.
- In 2021 a Dutch court issued the world's first ruling ordering a private company to cut carbon emissions by 45% to meet Paris Agreement goals, a judgment aimed specifically at Shell. Shell spent three years appealing the decision, and in November 2024 won the appeal, eliminating the binding emissions requirement and clearing the path for its continued fossil fuel expansion.
- Shell's Pennsylvania petrochemical plant has exceeded its permitted nitrogen oxide emissions every month since 2022 and received 23 Notices of Violation from state regulators, including six new violations in 2025 alone. Shell has not been fined since May 2023 despite the ongoing violations, and a 2023 Clean Air Act lawsuit over the pollution remains unresolved.
Ethical alternatives
Gas Stations
Valero
Independent refiner and marketer with lower climate lobbying spend.
Sunoco
Fuel distributor with independently owned stations.
Marathon
Petroleum refiner with diverse fuel options.
Electric Vehicles
Transportation
EV Chargers
EV Charging Stations
Find electric vehicle charging stations near you.
♻️ Sustainable
Common Questions
- Is Shell ethical?
- More than 13,000 Nigerian residents have spent a decade fighting Shell in UK courts over oil spills that contaminated drinking water and devastated fishing for a combined community of 50,000 people. Shell repeatedly attempted to escape accountability by arguing it bore no legal responsibility for its Nigerian subsidiary's pollution before a UK High Court confirmed the case can proceed.
- Why are people boycotting Shell?
- Climate destruction, human rights abuses, and greenwashing are the main reasons. Shell scrapped its 2035 emissions target in March 2024 and simultaneously announced plans to grow its liquefied natural gas business by 20 to 30% by 2030. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned three Shell advertisements in 2023 for misleading viewers about its clean energy investment by showing wind turbines while directing the overwhelming majority of capital to oil and gas.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Shell?
- Switching to an electric vehicle eliminates dependence on Shell's fuel network. Public transportation and cycling further cut oil consumption. If you drive a gas vehicle, independent regional fuel chains like Valero and Sunoco carry less political and lobbying baggage than the major integrated oil majors.