Network Member Interview - Damien Home from Shell Australia

The Carbon Innovators Network Member Interview is a regular article which profiles a Network member and asks them to respond to questions relating to their personal and professional experiences in sustainability.

In this issue, Carbon Matters introduces Network member Damien Home. You can find Damien on the member directory.

David resides in Melbourne and works for Shell Australia who, in Victoria, operate the Geelong petroleum refinery and a storage distribution network to deliver petroleum products to customers. He has worked for Shell for nine years in various environment-related roles. In his current role as Senior Greenhouse Gas Adviser he is responsible for Shell Australia’s GHG measurement and reporting, monitoring Government climate policy developments and coordinating Shell’s response.  He also provides advice to the various Shell businesses on carbon-related matters.

1. What was the moment or experience that started your focus on climate change/sustainability/the environment? 

I’ve had an interest in the earth sciences for as long as I can remember which started with throwing rocks at pre-school, collecting rocks in my school years, and studying rocks at uni.

My first job was as a mineral exploration geologist which exposed me to a large range of ecosystems and attitudes to the environment around Australia, and developed my interest in balancing the energy and resource needs of society and future generations with the need to protect the environment.

2. What sustainable choice or initiative have you recently made which you are most proud of or found most rewarding? What more do you seek to accomplish?

I have just finished renovating an old house using recycled materials, and installing energy efficient appliances and large water tanks.  The house is “solar PV ready”, so in the future I hope to install solar panels to be self sufficient for power.

3. What is one major stride your company is taking to tackle the sustainability challenges around energy, water, biodiversity and/or climate change?

As an energy company, Shell are at the forefront of the future energy challenge whereby global population growth and economic development will double energy demand by 2050, while at the same time mitigating the threat of global warming will require a reduction in CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. 

Shell’s main contributions to reducing CO2 emissions are through developing natural gas resources to replace coal in power generation, supplying lower-carbon fuels for transportation, advancing carbon capture and storage technology, and reducing the CO2 emissions at our operations.

In Australia, Shell will be making significant investments in natural gas projects in the coming years, including implementing new technology to process natural gas on a floating LNG facility directly above a gas field, resulting in a reduced environmental and carbon footprint compared to on-shore processing.

4. What are some of the biggest challenges you face, either at work or in personal pursuits, when addressing climate change/sustainability/the environment?

I’m finding that it is becoming more of a challenge to keep people generally engaged and focused on the need for climate change action.  The political challenges which prevented the CPRS being legislated locally and the perceived lack of progress in international treaty negotiations over the past couple of years haven’t helped.  Hopefully we can get some progress on these fronts in the next couple of years.

5. What would you ideally like to see happen in the next few years concerning the environment? Or, if you could have everybody change one thing that they do, what would it be?

I’d like to see a national scheme implemented which puts a price on carbon in Australia in the next few years.  Preferably a market-based scheme designed to deliver a clear environmental outcome such as a “cap-and-trade” emissions trading scheme.  

This will provide incentives for industry to improve its carbon intensity, and will send a price signal to incentivise all of us to change the way we consume electricity and other carbon-intensive products and services.

6. What is a less sustainable choice that you are not so proud of a.k.a. your environmental vice?

My Landcruiser Troopy – not the most fuel efficient vehicle, but it allows me to explore some relatively inaccessible destinations.  I’ve had it for about 15 years, so I figure on a life-cycle emissions basis it isn’t too bad, and most of the time it is parked up in the driveway.

7. Who is your environmental hero and why?

Tim Flannery – he is passionate, articulate, rational and technically sound on a range of environmental issues.  We need more people like him to get the message out about the science and implications of issues like climate change.  His book The Weather Makers really struck a chord with me, and got me interested in climate change issues.

8. What's your favourite place or ecosystem?

It is hard to pin down one particular place - Australia has some pretty amazing and diverse ecosystems. 

I think Melbourne is a great place to be based because it is within striking distance of a diverse range of ecosystems including spectacular coastline, alpine high country, mountain ash forest and mallee deserts.

9. How do you get around?

Notwithstanding the exceptional quality of Shell’s fuel products, my preferred mode of transport is human-power, ie. bike riding, paddling and walking.  I ride to work, and there are also plenty of public transport options in the area where I live.  The car tends to get used on the weekends to get to more distant places where I can bike, paddle or walk.

10. What value do you gain from being a Carbon Innovators Network member?

I find the newsletters and alerts to be a very comprehensive aggregation of GHG/climate change related news and information – the challenge is that it is so comprehensive it usually takes a few sessions to digest. 

I am a relatively new member so haven’t been to any Carbon Network events, but I look forward to connecting with a network of folks with similar challenges and interests.