Susannah L. Pierce

Credentials

M.S., EEST, with a focus on Science, Technology, Energy, and the Environment, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (1995 – 1997).¹
B.A., Political Communication, The George Washington University (1991 – 1995).²
Pierce received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) in 2025.³

Background

Susannah L. Pierce is the former president and country chair of Shell Canada.⁴ Pierce departed the company effective March 3, 2025.⁵ As of August 2025, her LinkedIn account listed her as self-employed since May 2025.⁶

She previously worked as the director of corporate affairs for LNG Canada, which she joined in 2013, where she was responsible for the project’s “federal and provincial regulatory approvals, Indigenous relations and negotiations, government relations, media relations, community consultation and communications.”⁷

Pierce is also a board member of the Fraser Institute, among other groups.⁸

Stance on Climate Change

February 26, 2025

The following is from an event where Susannah Pierce discussed “the path forward for a balanced energy transition” at the Canadian Club in Toronto.⁹

“Energy Demand is growing. It’s not going down. So how do we meet that in terms of providing energy that’s lower carbon is going to be the biggest challenge that we’ve got.

“We did produce, and I can get into this a little bit, we did produce a Shell, for those that follow us closely, our scenarios, and they’re actually quite interesting. […] We released the Three Energy Securities [Scenarios] just a couple of weeks ago.

“We have Horizon, which is how you would achieve on a normative basis 1.5 degrees C, mitigate above that, achieve Paris. We have Archipelagos which is really looking at scenarios in which we have growth of energy but it’s trained and geopolitically constrained, and Surge which is really looking at growth of energy in a new world driven by AI.

“In any event, all of that says that those scenarios that we will see continuing growth in fossil demand including oil and natural gas. Coal will continue to be available.

“If it’s low cost and it’s accessible, that will be the challenge. If we want to achieve our climate objectives, again those objectives, I know, are a lot of debate today, it will require quite a lot of investment that is astronomical in terms of its price, requires real systemic change, and you know, again, I think is becoming more and more challenging over time.”

July 27, 2021

Pierce discussed Shell’s Net Zero ambitions among other topics with GLOBE Series Managing Director, Elizabeth Shirt:¹⁰

Source: Globe YouTube account

“It takes more than one company. It takes an entire ecosystem to achieve our climate ambitions, and so we were surprised by the decision, which was to accelerate our transition to Net Zero to reduce our emissions by 45% by 2030. It’s ambitious. And our reaction to that is, okay, what more can we do?” Pierce said, in reference to Royal Dutch Shell’s response to accelerate emissions reductions in response to a court order in the Netherlands.

Key Quotes

January 24, 2022

“Shell is a global leader in CCS technology development and deployment and much of that knowledge has been gained through operating Quest.

It’s a technology we have today. And it works,” Pierce wrote in a “member perspective” at the Business Council of Canada, originally on LinkedIn.¹¹

July 27, 2021

“If you look at what goes in and what comes out, you can see that there are multiple pathways to net zero. The IEA has produced one and we still have one as well,” Piece said in a GLOBE Series interview with Elizabeth Shirt, responding to a recent report by the International Energy Agency recommending no new oil and gas developments.¹²

Pierce also responded to a question on what qualifies as greenwashing:

“I think greenwashing is really going to be determined by how successful each company is in achieving the goals they set forth, and I think that the jury can still be out, but I think from the Shell perspective, what we have done is set those times for those juries to take a look at how we’re doing, and I that’s even better process of addressing the concern of greenwashing.”¹³

Key Actions

June 6, 2024

Pierce testified before the House Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, where she discussed Shell’s net zero strategy.¹⁴

“The pace of our own transition will be guided by how fast we can adapt our businesses and will depend on external factors, such as progressive government policy and customer choice,” Pierce said in her testimony. She added, “We recognize the importance of Canada’s climate targets and the need for society, including companies like ours, to play a role.”

Pierce emphasized that Shell supported what she described as a “balanced energy transition.” She said, “To help manage affordability for all Canadians, it’s vital we don’t dismantle the current energy system faster than we can build the clean energy system of the future.”

January 24, 2022

Pierce published a “member perspective” at the Business Council of Canada, originally on LinkedIn, titled “Carbon capture sequestration is a critical technology in the energy transition,” where she promoted the supposed success of Shell’s Quest project, and a potential new CCS project called Polaris.¹⁵

“It [Polaris]would reduce Shell’s direct and indirect emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) by up to 40 per cent from the refinery and by up to 30 per cent from the chemicals plant,” Pierce claimed.¹⁶

Affiliations

Shell Canada — Former president and country chair.¹⁷ ¹⁸
LNG Canada — Former director of corporate affairs.¹⁹
TransCanada Corporation — Director, government and public sector affairs (April 2002 – December 2008).”²⁰
MicroStrategy — Sales manager (June 1998 – October 2001).²¹
The Fraser Institute — Board member.²²
Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) — Member, board of governors.²³
The Vancouver Police Foundation — Board member.²⁴
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute — Board member.²⁵
The Vancouver General Hospital Foundation — Board member.²⁶

Susannah L. Pierce on LinkedIn.

Publications

“Carbon capture sequestration is a critical technology in the energy transition,” Business Council of Canada, January 24, 2022.
Susannah Pierce and Cory Janssen. “Alberta’s best days are still to come, but we must define the future in three key areas,” Calgary Herald, October 29, 2022.
Susannah Pierce and Tamara Vrooman, “Maximizing Western Canada’s huge economic potential key to building a stronger economy,” Calgary Herald, September 19, 2022.
Greg D’Avignon, Susannah Pierce, Susan Yurkovich, Tom Syer, and Brad Herald. “B.C.’s export sector can make a real difference in reducing global GHGs,” Vancouver Sun, September 15, 2020.

Other Resources

Resources

1
“Susannah L. Pierce,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2025. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
2
“Susannah L. Pierce,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2025. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
3
“Honorary degree 2025: For Susannah Pierce, finding passion in career and causes is key,” UFV Today, June 5, 2025. Archived August 18, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NAOmV
4
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
5
(Press Release). “Shell Canada president departs company,” Reuters, February 4, 2025. Archived February 5, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/szGqb
6
“Susannah L. Pierce,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2025. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
7
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived August 18, 2025.
8
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
9
“Canadian Club – Susannah Pierce,” YouTube video uploaded by user “MediaEvents.ca.” Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
10
“Q&A with Susannah Pierce, President & Country Chair, GM Renewables & Energy Solutions, Shell Canada,” YouTube video uploaded by user “GLOBE,” July 27, 2021. Archived August 18, 2025. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
11
Susannah Pierce. “Carbon capture sequestration is a critical technology in the energy transition,” Business Council of Canada, January 24, 2022. Archived April 28, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ynoYN
12
“Q&A with Susannah Pierce, President & Country Chair, GM Renewables & Energy Solutions, Shell Canada,” YouTube video uploaded by user “GLOBE,” July 27, 2021. Archived August 18, 2025. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
13
“Q&A with Susannah Pierce, President & Country Chair, GM Renewables & Energy Solutions, Shell Canada,” YouTube video uploaded by user “GLOBE,” July 27, 2021. Archived August 18, 2025. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
14
“ENVI Committee Meeting,” House of Commons Canada, June 6, 2024. Archived August 18, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GKPO7
15
Susannah Pierce. “Carbon capture sequestration is a critical technology in the energy transition,” Business Council of Canada, January 24, 2022. Archived April 28, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ynoYN
16
Susannah Pierce. “Carbon capture sequestration is a critical technology in the energy transition,” Business Council of Canada, January 24, 2022. Archived April 28, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ynoYN
17
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
18
(Press Release). “Shell Canada president departs company,” Reuters, February 4, 2025. Archived February 5, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/szGqb
19
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
20
“Susannah L. Pierce,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2025. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
21
“Susannah L. Pierce,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2025. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
22
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
23
“Governance,” Business Council of British Columbia. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/guJKG
24
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
25
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5
26
“Susannah Pierce,” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Archived February 7, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qODw5

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