This thesis is a study of the way in which Shell positioned itself in relation to the debate over climate change that developed from the late 1980s to the end of the 1990s. A key event in this process was the negotiation of the Kyoto protocol. The research considers the contribution of factors such as the culture and structure of the organisation and events in Shell's recent and more distant past that may have influenced organisational decision making processes. The thesis discusses how responses to a combination of key events at a particular time led to a particular outcome through a process of path dependency. The research takes the form of a single case study. The source of primary data was semi structured interviews with key individuals linked to Shell. Secondary data came from speeches by senior Shell managers, other Shell documents and media reports. The findings are written in the form of a historical narrative.