"We're not going to be sitting back and say let's see what society does and we'll follow that," said Ben van Beurden, chief executive officer of Royal Dutch Shell. "We're more than prepared to be assertive and lean forward and say: 'This is what it takes."' Irked by a shareholder resolution that would force Europe's largest oil company to create specific emissions targets, the CEO took the unusual step of engaging with five reporters on Monday about Shell's vision for a decarbonized world.