Getting to net zero
Our net zero operations* aim
Our aim is to reach net zero* by 2050 or sooner for Scope 1 and 2 emissions within bp’s operational control (on a CO2e basis), including by maintaining ‘near-zero’ methane intensity* across our operated producing assets, enabled by supportive government policies.
This aim relates to our Scope 1 (from running the assets within our operational control) and Scope 2 GHG emissions (associated with producing the electricity, heating and cooling that is brought in to run those operations) GHG emissions. These emissions were 54.5MtCO2e in 2019, our baseline year.
Performance and actions in 2025
- In 2025 we achieved a reduction of 37%a in our operational emissions against a targeted 20% reduction, from our 2019 baseline. This total reduction includes 18MtCO2e attributable to divestments and 5.7MtCO2e in emissions reductions activities.
- We are now aiming for 45-50% reduction in operational emissions by the end of 2030. New projects coming online add to the challenge of reducing our operational emissions. Continued investment in abatement and further portfolio optimization will be needed to meet our 2030 aim.
- We also achieved our 2025 target for methane intensity of 0.20%. Our methane intensity for 2025 was 0.04%, compared with 0.07% in 2024.
Our progress on Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2025
Compared with 2024 (33.6MtCO2e), Scope 1 and 2 emissions increased to 34.3MtCO2ea,b in 2025 due to growth in our portfolio and seven major project start-ups. This increase was partially offset by some improvements in performance, including from the improved management of abnormal plant conditions in our Tangguh operations, Indonesia.
In 2025 our Scope 1 (direct) emissions were 33.7MtCO2e – an overall increase from 32.8MtCO2e in 2024. Of these Scope 1 emissions, 32.8MtCO2e were carbon dioxide and 0.9MtCO2e were from methane. Our Scope 2 (indirect) emissionsc decreased by 0.1MtCO2e to 0.7MtCO2e, compared with 2024.
Our progress on methane emissions in 2025
Our methane intensity was 0.04% in 2025 (2024 0.07%e) and the methane emissions from our upstream operations used to calculate this intensity were 25kt (2024 46kt). Marketed gas volumes were flat at 3,637bcf in 2025.
The lower emissions and intensity in 2025 were primarily from improved management of operational issues in Tangguh in Indonesia, reported in 2024. This was offset slightly by increased methane emissions associated with an asset swap in bpx energy operations.
In the rest of our major oil and gas operations there was limited change in methane emissions year on year. The impact of emissions reductions projects was broadly offset by operational changes.
We remain on track to reach zero routine flaring by 2030 in line with our aim under the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring initiative.
Our aim for net zero sales
Our aim is to reduce to net zero the carbon intensity of the energy products* we sellg by 2050 or sooner, enabled by supportive government policies and by decarbonization of energy demand.
The average carbon intensity is estimated on a lifecycle (full value chain) basis from the use, production, and distribution of sold energy products* per unit of energy (MJ) delivered.
We have achieved our target 2025 to reduce the carbon intensity by 5%. We are aiming for a 8-10% reduction by the end of 2030 compared to our 2019 baseline.
Our progress in 2025
In 2025 the average carbon intensity of our sold energy products was 79gCO2e/MJ. This represents a 7%h reduction from our 2019 baseline.
The incremental improvement in performance from 2024 was primarily driven by a growth in end-user power sales across our utility businesses – bp Energy Retail and GETEC, our trading business, and our renewable businesses – Lightsource bp and JERA Nex bp. It was supported by the high grading of our retail portfolio and improved identification of end-user sales volumes within the refined product category.
Energy included under our net zero sales aim was 7.9EJ and the associated lifecycle emissions were 621MtCO2e.
Footnotes
a In 2025 bp made an adjustment to the operational control boundary for Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions. This means certain operations, assets or sources which were previously included, such as power generation on contractor-operated drilling rigs, are now excluded. This change has a less than 1% impact on reported operational emissions. For more information on the scope of bp’s operational control boundary see bp.com/basisofreporting.
b Due to rounding some totals may not agree exactly to the sum of their component parts.
c Including Scope 2 emissions on a market basis.
d Operational control data comprises emissions from source activities operated by bp or otherwise within bp’s operational control boundary. See bp.com/basisofreporting.
e Since 2024 reported absolute methane emissions from upstream major oil and gas processing sites are based on our new measurement approach. Prior to 2024 these emissions were calculated using a different methodology and therefore the methane intensity reported in those years and calculated using that data does not directly correlate to progress towards delivering the 2025 target. Prior year data is provided for information purposes, and we do not seek to directly compare prior years.
f Methane intensity refers to the amount of methane emissions from bp’s operated upstream oil and gas assets as a percentage of the total gas that goes to market from those operations. Our methodology is aligned with the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative.
g When we say “we sell” we mean sales by a bp group subsidiary, joint operation or bp equity accounted entity. See the bp Basis of Reporting 2025 for further information.
h The aggregate lifecycle emissions and energy values used in the calculation of the average lifecycle carbon intensity of sold energy products is provided in the bp ESG Datasheet 2025.
*Glossary term. Find out what we mean by net zero and other key terms.
