Every year on June 5, the world comes together to observe World Environment Day (WED), a moment to reflect on our collective responsibility to address critical environmental issues such as marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable development, and wildlife crime.
This year’s theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” draws urgent attention to one of the planet’s most pressing challenges. From plastic bottles and bags to microplastics, the world’s ecosystems—oceans, rivers, and land—are increasingly threatened by plastic waste. Contributing factors include the overreliance on single-use plastics, weak waste management infrastructure, and the non-biodegradable nature of plastic products.
Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), which operates the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and itself, is aligning with this global mission. The company remains steadfast in its pledge to safeguard the environment while delivering affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy solutions that fuel human progress.
Speaking on this year’s theme, Jim Swartz, chairman and managing director of CNL, emphasised that the initiative resonates deeply with the company’s environmental values. These principles focus on integrating environmental considerations into decision-making, reducing the company’s ecological footprint, operating responsibly, and managing sites sustainably.
Jim stated: “At Chevron, our commitment to environmental stewardship is reflected in the responsible design, development, operation, and retirement of assets. We strive to implement business practices that support effective waste management activities and reduce the potential environmental, health, and safety impacts associated with plastic waste.
“We continue to assess and implement the reduction of single-use plastic water bottles by providing water dispensers. We have also invested in waste management equipment to shred, crush, and compact waste for recycling and re-use by third-party service providers. These actions have prevented our used plastics from leaking into our immediate natural environment.”
Highlighting the company’s approach to operational excellence, Jim noted that CNL’s Operational Excellence Management System drives industry-leading performance across process safety, personal safety and health, environment, reliability, and efficiency. “Our focus on the environment during decision-making lays the foundation for sound environmental management. The company protects the environment through the entire lifecycle from responsible design, development, operations, and asset retirement,” he explained.
CNL’s efforts to mitigate carbon emissions and adopt advanced technologies were also in focus. “CNL utilises high-tech Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras for detecting fugitive emissions, and in the past 10 years, CNL has reduced routine gas flaring by over 97% in its operations,” he highlighted.
CNL’s environmental advocacy is not limited to operational practices. In 1992, in collaboration with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), the company established the 78-hectare Lekki Conservation Centre, which has become a hub for environmental research, education, and biodiversity protection on the Lekki Peninsula.
Since 2005, CNL has also supported an annual postgraduate research scholarship for PhD students in environment and conservation under the NCF, and it organises the annual S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture to enhance environmental awareness. In addition, it partners with the Lagos State Government and the NCF to sponsor the annual Walk for Nature event, promoting nature conservation and sustainable environmental management.
Olusoga Oduselu, CNL’s general manager for policy, government, and public affairs, underscored the significance of preserving biodiversity. “We have a long history of working in collaboration with communities, industry groups, regulators, and conservation groups to identify and protect biodiversity in parts of the world where we operate. For over 60 years, the company has remained an active agent of sustainable development and a strong advocate of partnerships in support of the environment,” he said.
As the global community turns its attention to tackling plastic pollution, Chevron Nigeria Limited reaffirms its commitment to engaging stakeholders and the public in driving transformative environmental change. “This commitment aims to beat plastic pollution for ourselves and future generations,” says Jim Swartz.
