US-based fossil fuel companies dominate the 2022 list of the world’s most obstructive organizations when it comes to climate policy engagement, in part because of their efforts to capitalize on the Ukraine invasion by pushing for oil and gas expansion.
InfluenceMap’s 2022 Corporate Climate Policy Footprint report underscores how significantly geopolitical events in the past 12 months have affected science-based climate policy.
The annual rankings are based on an assessment of each company’s lobbying activity (including via trade groups) and the intensity of that engagement. It is then adjusted to take into account each organization’s economic and political clout.
Key highlights include:
• US-based oil majors Chevron (1st) and ExxonMobil (2nd) retained the top two spots, although their positions are reversed from 2021’s ranking. Joining them on the list are fellow US energy producers ConocoPhillips (4th), Marathon Petroleum (12th), Valero Energy (17th), and Phillips 66 (18th).
• Two Russian oil and gas companies made the 2022 list - Gazprom (9th) and Rosneft (14th) – although issues around transparency and disclosures make it difficult to fully assess the extent of these companies’ political influence on climate policy.
• Six US-based utilities made the top 25: Sempra Energy (5th), American Electric Power (6th), Southern Company (7th), Dominion Energy (13th) and Entergy Corp (25th). The report notes: “There is now an increasingly significant divergence between this group and other utility companies, both in the US and globally, which are taking strategic and supportive positions on the energy transition”.
• German chemicals giant, BASF, rose to 3rd place (up from 6th last year), reflecting its active lobbying to expand oil and fossil gas production and infrastructure. It also pushed back on key EU policies, including the proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and reforms to the EU Emissions Trading System.
• Toyota (10th) remains the most negative and influential company from the transport sector. While it improved its climate policy engagement transparency over the past year, it continues to oppose policies designed to phase out the internal combustion engine. Two German transport companies - Lufthansa (15th) and BMW (16th) – also made the list.
The report highlights the gap between other mainstream metrics and targets – such as corporate net zero commitments – and the negative influence these companies continue to have on climate policy.
InfluenceMap Director Ed Collins said: “Major companies and their trade groups have significant clout when it comes to the scope and ambition of climate policy. And while a growing number of organizations are advocating for Paris-aligned policy, many still are not.
“The dominance of fossil fuel companies at the top of this year’s list reflects the significant geopolitical factors that have impacted on climate policy over the past 12 months, and the more active role these organizations have taken in pushing for expanded oil and gas production.
*“Many of the companies on the list have top-line commitments to addressing climate change, but continue to push back on specific policies designed to achieve that. *
“As world leaders prepare to meet in Egypt for COP27, it’s important that participants understand the level of corporate influence over the direction climate policy.”
The report also highlights which industry associations with links to the top 25 companies are the most obstructive on climate policy. It is again dominated by US-based organizations which represent major companies within the fossil fuel sector.
The findings of this research complement InfluenceMap’s ‘A List’ report, which highlights those corporate voices which are advocating for Paris-aligned climate policy.
Click here for the full report
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Simon Cullen, Communications Manager, InfluenceMap (London) E: simon.cullen {@} influencemap.org