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The British non-governmental organization "Global Witness" (Global Witness) today asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to start investigating "Shell" (Shell) on charges that the company misled the authorities and investors by including gas among the - the clean sources of energy, BTA reported.

The British oil giant has confirmed it has "dedicated" 12 percent of its 2021 investment spending to "renewables and energy solutions," or $2.4 billion, the Global Witness complaint said.

"However, only $228 million was earmarked for wind and solar energy," according to the NGO.

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"This means that only 1.5 percent of Shell's total investment spending for the last year with complete data available was for renewable energy sources, rather than 12 percent," Global Witness concludes.

"In addition, Shell appears to have included in the Renewable Energy and Energy Solutions category all or part of its costs for hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, or fossil fuel energy activities," the NGO said.

"The company is living in a make-believe world if it thinks fossil gas has any place in the energy transition we so badly need."

Zorka Milin from "Global Witness" emphasized this in the communiqué.

"Publicizing higher investments in renewable energy than they actually are is misleading the public and is a clear example of 'greenwashing' or money laundering under the pretext of 'environmental goals'," according to Global Witness.

The organization demanded that the US watchdog commit to an investigation and impose a fine if necessary.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, faced with increasing disclosures from companies about environmental initiatives, has stepped up its transparency requirements in recent years.

The British non-governmental organization explains in its complaint that it is attacking "Shell" in particular because of the "particularly misleading" declarations.

BP, for example, puts all gas-related activities in the same category and does not try to present them as renewable energy, according to the document.

"Neither ExxonMobil nor Chevron similarly attempt to include gas in their renewable energy, low-carbon spending or present it as a solution," the complaint states. 

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