In a 13th March Financial Times article, Volkswagen CEO, Oliver Blume, appeared unsupportive of the European Union’s planned 2035 zero-emissions target for light-duty vehicles, advocating for a long-term role for e-fuels and stating that “the (German) federal government has to undertake the respective steps”. This statement comes as the German government is undergoing negotiations with the EU Commission, having expressed last-minute opposition to the regulation in its final stages.
In response to a discussion paper by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) on the prudential treatment of sustainability risks in March 2023, Insurance Europe cautioned against an “overly theoretical and complex approach”. Insurance Europe also opposed the need to assess prudential treatment of social risks and objectives.
In multiple netTG.pl articles in late February to early March, Euracoal executives have strongly opposed the European Union (EU) Methane Regulation. In a March 11th article, Euracoal Senior Vice President Vladimir Budinsky opposed the regulation, stating that the association has engaged with EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson on the issue. Similarly, in a February 26th article, Euracoal President Dr. Tomasa Rogala also opposed the regulation, stating that the mining sector will strive to raise limits relating to methane emissions for coal mining.
ExxonMobil CEO, Darren Woods, criticized the European Union’s energy policy for “deterring” investments in oil and gas, as reported by Bloomberg on March 8. Woods was speaking at the CERAWeek conference in Houston, US.
During the CERAWeek conference in Houston, Southern Company subsidiary Southern Company Gas Tweeted on March 8th that fossil gas infrastructure is “foundational to where we are going in a clean energy transition.” The subsidiary was represented at a conference panel that discussed transition pathways for oil and gas companies.
Several oil and gas entities opposed the US federal government’s proposed supplemental regulations for methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Comments submitted by ExxonMobil and Coterra Energy appear unsupportive of the proposal. Similarly, submissions made by industry associations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), American Gas Association (AGA), American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC), Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA), and the US Chamber of Commerce have opposed key elements of the proposal.
In an open letter to European Union (EU) policymakers on 10 March, industry actors including Eurofer, the International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers, ArcelorMittal, ČEZ, EDF, and the European Chemical Industry Association (Cefic) advocated that non-renewable low-carbon hydrogen should be recognized in the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive Reform., which would weaken the climate ambition of the policy.
In its March 2023 Steel report, the Korea Iron and Steel Association (KOSA) appeared to oppose the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, stating that it would come as “a great burden to the Korean steel industry” and would “not reflect the steel industry’s carbon-neutral efforts”.
In a Politico article from March 6, Bank Policy Institute expressed opposition to Scope 3 emissions disclosure requirements in the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed climate disclosure rule.
In a 7th March joint letter to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, industry associations including American Petroleum Institute (API), Asia Natural Gas and Energy Association (ANGEA), Eurogas, International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP), International Gas Union, US Chamber of Commerce advocated for new infrastructure investments in fossil gas and LNG to support the “vital” role of gas ahead of G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May.
In a 7th March article by Today Energy, H2KOREA supported the establishment of green hydrogen production system and clean hydrogen ecosystem, stressing the importance of infrastructure for hydrogen industry.
In a 3rd March article, the Washington Post highlighted the lobbying activities of several companies, including NextEra Energy, that are advocating for policymakers to allow the Inflation Reduction Act’s green hydrogen tax credit to apply to fossil fuel-produced hydrogen. The article described NextEra’s affordability concerns with strict green hydrogen requirements and the company’s push to allow hydrogen to be produced even when renewable energy is unavailable. NextEra continues to advocate for this position, following its submitted guidance to the Internal Revenue Service on the hydrogen tax credit in December 2022.
In a February 2023 press release, German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) President, Hildegard Müller, appeared to support the weakening of the EU's 2035 zero-emissions target for light-duty vehicles, calling on the German government to push for an e-fuels exemption in the EU Commission's proposal.
On 6th March, it was reported that Porsche, a Volkswagen subsidiary, has been a key player in seeking to exempt e-fuels from the EU’s planned 2035 zero-emissions CO2 target for light-duty vehicles. The Automotive News Europe article suggested that Porsche appears to have influenced the German government’s last minute attempts to weaken the regulation in final negotiations.
Industry association GasNaturally advocated for the European Commission to support new LNG infrastructure investments and expand domestic gas production in the EU, according to December 2022 meeting minutes accessed via Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Minutes also suggest the association advocated for options to develop gas infrastructure outside the EU, and opposed plans to phase out fossil gas boilers.
During the Resources and Fuels Subcommittee meeting hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on 22nd February, the Petroleum Association of Japan called for "careful design of the carbon levy" to avoid overburdening.
In a 16th February ‘The Points Guy’ article, easyJet stated it was “very disappointed” with the EU’s decision not to include all departing flights in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), leaving them to be regulated by the Carbon Offsetting and Reductions Scheme for International Aviation. The spokesperson for easyJet further described CORSIA as “demonstrably ineffective” and urged for policies to make CORSIA more effective, or to expand the EU ETS to all departing flights in 2026.
In its 2022 Annual Report, published on 24th February, BASF seemed to not fully support the EU Green Deal, stating it will reduce competitiveness of the European chemical industry. CEO Martin Brudermüller also criticized the 'flood of regulation' the Green Deal brings about, advocating for a 'reset' of priorities.
Airlines including Air France-KLM, Delta, easyJet and the International Air Transport Association have taken legal action against the Dutch government's policy to reduce flights at Schiphol airport for environmental and noise reasons.
Orica provided a statement on the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms at the 27-28th February Senate Standing Committee Public Hearing on the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill. Orica stated general support for the Safeguard Reforms, although it also advocated for the extension of deemed surrender provisions,
The Carbon Market Institute actively supported the proposed reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism in its February 27th submission, advocating for the ratcheting of baseline decline rates from 2030 and the expansion of the scheme. Further, in a statement on the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms at the 27-28th February Senate Standing Committee Public Hearing on the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill, CMI actively supported the policy, calling for broader coverage of the scheme. CEO John Connor also appeared to express support for a "budget approach" to limit future fossil fuel investment. CMI Director Kurt Winter went on to issue support for the implementation of a climate trigger in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
As reported by E-daily on the 24th of February, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) called for the tax credit for investment in electric vehicle production facilities in South Korea to be significantly expanded to align with the level of the tax credit rate of the US Inflation Reduction Act.
During a Resources and Fuels Subcommittee meeting hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on February 22, the Japan Gas Association advocated for continued government support to secure stable liquefied natural gas supply and upstream development.
In a joint letter to policymakers, a group of industry associations, including SolarPower Europe and smartEn, supported the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), including the definition of zero-emission building and solar energy requirements in buildings.
A 27th February article from the Times reports that a senior Honda executive has stated that the UK government risks a “chaotic fiasco” with continued delays to the zero-emission vehicle mandate, noting that the ““political inertia” was “very frustrating”.
On the 21st of February, Responsible Investor reported overall opposition from financial sector participants to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)’s proposed guidelines for funds with names that use the terms 'ESG' or 'sustainability'. Comments raised concerns around thresholds and the linkage with SFDR, such as those from JP Morgan Asset Management, Amundi and Schroders, as well as association Investment Company Institute (ICI). State Street stated strong opposition to introducing quantitative thresholds, while BNP Paribas suggested lowering thresholds for fund names with sustainability language and BlackRock broadly supported the minimum thresholds. In a Bloomberg article, the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) contested ESMA’s proposal, arguing it lacks the necessary “solid legal basis”.
In a February 16 response to the Australian Treasury’s consultation on climate-related financial disclosure, the Investment Company Institute advocated for less ambitious Scope 3 disclosure requirements and asserted that asset managers should not be subject to the reporting requirements.
In a February 27 letter to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the US Chamber of Commerce offered additional comments on SEC's climate disclosure rule, asserting that regulatory developments at the Department of Labor and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council confirm the notion that the proposed rules are inappropriate, while also reiterating its belief that the SEC lacks the authority to finalize the rules.
In the latest issue of China Coal published on the 22nd February, Shenhua Energy authored two articles in support of coal. Shenhua advocated for further exploration of coal and the government to permit new coal-power projects and loosen restrictions on coal-power generation. It also called for financial support for upgrading coal-fired power plants and clean coal technologies.
During its regular press conference in February 17th, the chairman of Federation of Electric Power Corporations (FEPC), Ikebe, appeared to support carbon pricing in Japan, with the exception that it should not impede the promotion of electrification. He also expressed broad support on carbon neutrality, however, it is unclear if the position is aligned with IPCC advice.
In a 13th February press release, Hydrogen Europe CEO Jorgo Chatzimarkakis did not appear to support strict renewable hydrogen production criteria, including the additionality principle, in the Delegated Act on Renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) in the EU Renewable Energy Directive, but welcomed its announcement. Similarly, in a 16th February article from Balkan Green Energy News, RWE CEO Markus Krebber, advocated to weaken renewable hydrogen production criteria, labelling its impact unnecessarily limiting.
According to a Toyo Keizai article released on 15th February, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) supports GX (Green Transformation) Policy of Japan, stating “I appreciate that the government has incorporated most of our recommendations”, though it is unclear if Keidanren supports other policies.
In a report released on February 14th, Advanced Energy United advocated for Indiana regulators to use Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding toward creating a clean energy portfolio as an alternative to utility Duke Energy Indiana’s gas plant proposal. The group highlighted the IRA’s available clean energy tax credits and emphasized that the climate law “has dramatically shifted the energy planning space and requires all utilities to reassess their prior plans.”
In a March 10 consultation submission, the Australian Energy Council (AEC) appeared to oppose the inclusion of an environmental objective in Western Australia’s State Electricity Objective (SEO). The AEC stated that the SEO, which is planned for inclusion in the Electricity Industry Act 2004, should not prioritize investment on environmental grounds and that environmental regulation is best governed through Western Australia’s existing independent environmental approval process.
In a February 2023 position paper, the European Banking Federation (EBF) suggested to the European Union (EU) Commission to issue a “clear transition finance framework including guidelines and benchmark sectoral transition pathways and roadmaps”. In the same position paper, EBF also supported enlarging the list of activities included in the EU taxonomy based on "Low environmental impact (LEnvI) activities".
In a social media post made on 7th March addressed to key Members of Parliament handling the European Union’s FuelEU Maritime legislation, the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) advocated for fuel suppliers to be responsible for meeting the proposed greenhouse gas intensity targets for ships.
As reported in a March 6 Reuters article, Chevron CEO, Mike Wirth, appeared unsupportive of ambitious global energy transition pathways, warning that a “disorderly” energy transition could be "painful and chaotic".
As reported by Reuters on March 8th, during the CERAWeek conference in Houston, NextEra CEO John Ketchum highlighted feasibility and economic concerns with the U.S. offshore wind industry and stated that “it’s just putting your head in the sand to believe that the energy transition that this country is embarking on will work without natural gas power generation.” Bloomberg also reported on Ketchum’s statements at CERAWeek, stating in a March 8th article that the CEO believed that decarbonization “will require the use of natural gas for years to come as renewable sources ramp up.” Neither article contained any statements from Ketchum on methane abatement measures or timelines around the use of fossil gas.
In a report on competitiveness and regulatory breathing space published by BusinessEurope on 8th March, the association supported weakening regulations in the European Union to decarbonize industry in response to the US’s Inflation Reduction Act, and advocated to reduce energy taxes and levies.
In a policy proposal on overseas infrastructure published on its website on 14th March, the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) supported "policy finance for the development of various infrastructures that contribute to the stable supply of LNG."
In a March 13th article by Chosun Ilbo, the Korea Petrochemical Industry Association (KPIA) appeared unsupportive of the South Korean Government's 2030 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Target, arguing that it would be “impossible to reduce GHG emissions by 20%” while increasing ethylene production.
In a March 2 letter to the Connecticut Insurance and Real Estate Committee, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) opposed HB 1115, a bill that would impose a surcharge on insurance companies that underwrite fossil fuel companies.
As reported by iNews24 on the 7th March, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) had a meeting with the members of the EU Commission and Parliament. KITA did not support the EU’s new climate regulations, stating that the regulations could “cause damage to Korean companies” and arguing “carbon reduction through regulation-oriented policies has fundamental limitations”. However, for the steel industry, KITA called for policy support for developing technology to replace coal with hydrogen in steel production, stating that “there will be limits to fundamental carbon emission reduction” if coal kept being used.
In a 7th March blog post, PetroChina disclosed that it advocated policymakers to ease the energy consumption and carbon emissions restrictions for the Northeast region and increase deep and ultra-deep oil wells drilling at the Two Sessions, the annual national political consultation conference in China.
In a 2nd March press release, the Chairman of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers (KAMA) supported expanding the supply of electric and hydrogen vehicles to achieve the 2030 NDC GHG emissions reduction target in the transportation sector of South Korea, calling for policy measures and investment support from the South Korean government.
A 3rd March Reuters article reported on Honda’s CEO, Toshiro Mibe, appearing to support a long-term role for ICE-powered vehicles until at least 2040, as well as emphasizing challenges associated with charging infrastructure.
In a 6th March press release, the CEO of Confindustria welcomed the watering down of the EU’s 2035 zero-emission CO2 target for light-duty vehicles, calling for a “gradual” transition.
On 6th March, a senior executive from Ford Motor appeared to publicly criticize last-minute attempted changes to the EU 2035 CO2 target agreement’s terms to weaken the proposals stringency, in a statement reported by Politico.
In a 27th February letter to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the US Chamber of Commerce offered additional comments on the SEC's climate disclosure rule, asserting that regulatory developments at the Department of Labor and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council confirm the notion that the proposed rules are inappropriate and reasserting its belief that the SEC lacks the authority to finalize the rules.
In a 28th February interview reported by China Energy News, PetroChina stated that to ensure national energy security, China needs to double down on domestic oil and gas exploration and to construct fossil gas pipelines that connect China with Central Asia and Russia.
According to a 3rd March Financial Times article, Airlines for Europe (A4E) opposed the exclusion of aviation from the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act and appeared to support incentives for sustainable aviation fuels over regulation. A4E stated “we cannot have a situation where the USA rolls out the red carpet for aviation fuel producers while Europe rolls out nothing but red tape”.
On its corporate website on 23rd February 2023, industry association WindEurope supported the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan, specifically subsidies and funding for wind, solar, storage, electrolysers and heat pumps.
Speaking at CERAweek on the 6th March, Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher stated that “its all about new supply in Australia” adding that he was pleased that the Prime Minster had voiced support for continued fossil gas investments. Gallagher also added that they have more gas than they know what to do with and could be sending it to Asia for decades to come.
The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) opposed calls for a ban on new fossil projects, in a statement on the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms at the 27-28th February Senate Standing Committee Public Hearing on the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill. MCA also emphasized the need for the Safeguard Reforms to maintain industry competitiveness and avoid carbon leakage, and appeared to support a lower price cap on Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU).
During the Resources and Fuels subcommittee hosted by Japanese METI on 22nd of February, The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan demanded the extended role and stable supply of coal in Japan instead of LNG, amid the risk of energy security of LNG and stable supply of electricity.
As reported by SEN TV on the 28th of February, Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) appeared to support the Energy Efficiency Resources Standard (EERS), stating that they would continuously “promote the EERS project to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs” in cooperation with the South Korean government.
Australian associations adopt mixed positions on the proposed design of the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms. The South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) appeared to oppose key components of the Australian Government’s reforms in its February 24 submission on the proposed design of the mechanism. SACOME called for a delayed implementation of the reforms and for “far greater” financial assistance to EITE facilities. Both the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) and Woodside called for expanded support for emissions intensive facilities and supported the proposed price cap on Australian Carbon Credits, while APPEA also advocated for further cost containment measures.
Industry group SolarPower Europe supported the European Union's Green Deal Industrial Plan on several occasions, advocating for focusing subsidies on specific clean technologies, specifically solar PV, wind turbines, heat pumps, batteries, and EVs, in a press release on 10th of February, and calling for greater investments into solar manufacturing in a policy letter addressed to European Council President Michel and Commission President von der Leyen, published on 24th of February.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) released a short brief on the US federal permitting reform being discussed for new energy production, energy infrastructure, and manufacturing projects. In the brief, the ACC suggested that it supports permitting reform that could help maintain the role of fossil fuels, stating “Policies should encourage the building and development of energy and manufacturing infrastructure and technologies of all kinds.”
As reported by Louisville Public Media on February 23rd, subsidiaries of Duke Energy and PPL Corp directly advocated to Kentucky policymakers to oppose Senate Bill 4, which would allow state regulators to deny retirement of coal plants. PPL subsidiary Louisville Gas & Electric and Duke subsidiary Duke Energy Kentucky both emphasized that the legislation would raise costs by forcing utilities to continue the operation of their coal plants.
On January 10, BNP Paribas met with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to discuss the SEC's proposed climate disclosure rule and assert its position that Scope 3 emissions are “important to understanding companies’ exposure to transition risk.”
In a 15th February press release, the European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA) urged EU Parliament and Council for the mandatory inclusion of fuel suppliers under FuelEU Maritime. Conditional to this inclusion, ECSA expressed support for a sub-quota for Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin and a multiplier for sustainable maritime fuels.
At the Green Transformation League Symposium held by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on the 14th February, Daikin Industries said it has been working to develop energy conservation standards in Brazil, Mexico and the Middle East, and will promote this type of activity in Asia and Africa.
A 17th February joint statement from industry associations including Eurogas, Gas Infrastructure Europe, Gas Distributors for Sustainability, and Eurelectric appeared to advocate to weaken the definition for zero-emission buildings in the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The statement advocated against the zero-emission buildings definition being delivered through Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and additional renewable energy capacity, instead calling for existing grid capacity to be utilized.
In a 16th February press release, Confindustria warned against the economic impacts of the EU Parliament’s approval of CO2 standards favoring electric vehicles, describing the decision as “extremely perplexing” and highlighting job losses in Italy
According to a Keidanren Times article published on 16th February, the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) has submitted its proposal to the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, which includes the need for the system to secure oil and fossil gas in the medium and long term.
In a March 15 op-ed, New South Wales Minerals Council (NSWMC) CEO, Stephen Galilee, appeared to oppose the early retirement of coal assets in New South Wales. Galilee called for the planned 2025 closure of the Eraring coal-fired power station to be delayed until replacement generation is ready, emphasizing the risks of electricity shortages, blackouts and energy price increases.
A memo from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) details a March 2, 2023 meeting with representatives from the European Banking Federation, UK Finance, Commerzbank, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Deutsche Bank, and Barclays. Meeting participants discussed the SEC’s proposed climate disclosure rule, but details of this discussion are unclear.
A March 14th AutoNews article reported that Volvo Cars CEO, Jim Rowan, criticized attempts by Germany, Italy and other European countries to weaken the European Union’s 2035 zero-emissions CO2 target through seeking an e-fuel exemption. Rowan condemned the “deeply worrying and disappointing development”, warning that "now is not the time for backtracking and blocking of science-based climate targets for our industry”.
As reported in a March 9 Yahoo News article, the CEO of Cenovus, Alex Pourbaix, and the interim CEO of Suncor Energy, Kris Smith, appeared unsupportive of Canada’s proposed Oil and Gas Emissions Cap, stating that Canada’s plan for a 42% reduction in oil and gas emissions from current levels by 2030 is aggressive and unfeasible.
A number of oil and gas companies have provided statements on the US federal government's proposed supplemental regulations for methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Chevron, BP, Devon Energy, and Occidental Petroleum issued mixed support for the proposals, expressing both positive and negative positions positions on the regulations. Shell, meanwhile, appears to communicate a more broadly supportive position, however, it also avoids commenting on key elements of the regulations.
The news outlet Construct Connect reported that ArcelorMittal is supporting new fossil gas infrastructure in Canada in order to transition its Dofasco installation away from coal.
At a hearing of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Strategy Council on March 6th, Toray Industries supported the expansion of renewable energy and the use of green hydrogen in non-electric power sectors, while also requesting additional government support measures for green hydrogen.
In a March 13th article by Chosun Ilbo, the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA) appeared to express opposition to the South Korean Government's 2030 National Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target, saying that it would be hard for the Korean semiconductor industry to survive if “the cost burden increases” in the face of fierce price competition with foreign companies.
In a February 15 testimony to the South Dakota House Commerce and Energy Committee, representatives from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) opposed HB 1207, a bill that would prohibit the use of ESG factors in risk management and underwriting activities.
In a 3rd March statement on social media, VNO-NCW did not seem to support reducing flights at Schipol airport in the Netherlands, suggesting that it is necessary to look to alternatives to reduce emissions to maintain ‘sustainable investments.’
According to the Keidanren Times published on March 2, Gil Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute, advocated a long-term role for ICE-powered hybrid light-duty vehicles over a complete transition to BEVs at the February 8 meeting of the Mobility Committee of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren). This was also reported by JAMA blog.
In a 2nd March press release, the American Gas Association (AGA) emphasized its opposition to any limits on fossil gas, stating that “blanket bans on natural gas are neither smart nor effective.” The group continues to push back on local-level measures to phase out fossil gas and has preemptively stated its opposition to any federal gas ban, which has not been introduced.
On 28th February, Detroit News reported that the Federation of German Industries (BDI) welcomed last-minute attempts by the German government to weaken the EU's 2035 CO2 zero-emission target for light-duty vehicles, advocating for the inclusion of e-fuels in the regulation.
In a 6th March Automotive News Europe article, the CEO of Polestar, a Volvo Cars subsidiary, appeared to publicly criticize last-minute attempts to weaken the EU’s 2035 zero-emissions CO2 target through the inclusion of an e-fuel exemption in the policy.
On 3rd March, the CEO of Audi, a VW subsidiary, publicly supported the EU's 2035 zero-emissions CO2 target and urged the German government to not reject the agreement during final negotiations in a statement reported by Reuters.
During the Resources and Fuels Subcommittee meeting hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on 22nd February, the Japan Gas Association supports resource diplomacy of Japanese government to secure stable LNG and its upstream development.
In a 1st March interview reported by China Economic Times, PetroChina predicted that the production of coal and gas will continue to rise in the following years and advocated for further exploration of oil and gas and greater capacity of coal.
In a 28th February letter to the Chair of the EU Environment Council Minister for Climate, BusinessEurope opposed the inclusion of GHG emissions in the Industrial Emissions Directive reform, stating it would hamper the industrial transformation and innovation. It also stressed the risks of deindustrialization and impacts on competitiveness of the EU Green Deal and advocated that the EU Green Industrial Plan should reduce regulatory burden.
In a social media post on 21st February, SolarPower Europe supported an increased ambition of the EU’s renewable energy legislation, advocating for a 45% renewable energy target by 2030.
Speaking at CERAweek on the 6th March, Repsol CEO Josu Jon Imaz stated that the EU was falling short of US efforts to attract investments in renewables. He stated that the Inflation Reduction Act was a carrot and that Europe’s efforts towards the energy transition is a stick. He also stated the proposed ban on internal combustion cars was a ‘mistake.'
A number of Australian companies and industry associations have provided statements on the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms at the 27-28th February Senate Standing Committee Public Hearing on the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill. Both the Business Council of Australia (BCA) and the Ai Group urged the bill to be passed, while stating support for provisions for emissions intensive facilities. The BCA and the Ai Group also opposed demands from the green party to ban new fossil fuel projects.
As reported by Chosun Biz on the 23rd February, SK E&S appeared to promote hydrogen production based on fossil fuels. The company reportedly plans to build a blue hydrogen production base in Boryeong, and went on to state that the hydrogen industry would have “the effect of revitalizing the real economy", without reference to the need for decarbonizing hydrogen production.
During the Resources and Fuels Subcommittee meeting hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on February 22, the Petroleum Association of Japan called for careful design of the carbon levy to ensure that it is "not overly burdensome".
On 15th February a coalition of companies and industry associations, including Eurelectric, the European Association for Electromobility (AVERE), Coca Cola, IKEA, Uber, and Unilever, published an open letter to policymakers, supporting an ambitious Greening Corporate Fleets Initiative in the European Union, including binding zero emissions purchase targets. The letter also called for all corporate cars and vans to be zero emissions from 2030 and for widening the scope of the initiative to heavy commercial vehicles being zero emission by 2035. It also advocated for ambitious targets for public and private charging infrastructure in the contexts of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).
On 8 February, industry association smartEn published a policy recommendation ahead of the trilogue negotiations on the European Union’s (EU) Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), supporting the ambitious EU Parliament’s position on the policy.
In a 22nd February press release, Confindustria President Carlo Bonomi highlighted the economic impacts of the European Union's vehicle CO2 Standards and suggested the policy should be weakened during review in 2026.
In a February 22nd press release, American Gas Association (AGA) CEO Karen Harbert stated opposition to any federal measure toward phasing out fossil gas, emphasizing that “some folks in Washington are dipping their toes in choppy water by suggesting that we can get rid of natural gas altogether.” In the same press release, 2023 AGA Chair Suzanne Sitherwood pushed for continued investment in the fossil gas industry.
In a 28th February interview reported by China Energy News, PetroChina stated that to ensure national energy security, China needs to double down on domestic oil and gas exploration and to construct natural gas pipelines that connect China with Central Asia and Russia. As reported in a 1st March interview with China Economic Times, PetroChina also [1129237 advocated for further exploration of oil and gas and increased coal capacity.
In a 13th February tweet, Ryanair appeared to oppose a low-carbon modal shift to public transport by asserting that funds raised through environmental taxation shouldnt be used to subsidize school buses. The tweet instead suggested the funds should be used to incentivize sustainable aviation fuel production.
At a hearing of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI)’s Iron and Steel Working Group on 16th February, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) appeared to support the Japanese government’s ‘growth-oriented carbon pricing’ scheme, with conditions including a phased introduction and investment in technological development. Meanwhile, it emphasized that the carbon tax and emissions trading system proposed in previous discussions on carbon pricing would have deprived industries of resources for technological development. It also supported expanded roles for electric furnaces and hydrogen in steelmaking, without specifying a position on the decarbonization of hydrogen.
In a 15th February press release and 13th February comment letter, the National Association of Manufacturers called on the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to rescind its proposed climate disclosure rule for federal contractors, arguing that the Council did not have the authority to issue the rule.
In a 10th February position paper, International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) cautioned against policy intervention on capital requirements to address climate risk, stating “It remains very challenging to assess macro-prudential risk relating to the energy transition”
In a February 18th tweet, the Public Service Energy Group CEO Ralph LaRossa broadly supported New Jersey Governor Murphy’s February 15th announcement to accelerate the state’s clean energy and vehicle electrification targets.
The 2022 Climate Policy Footprint identifies the 25 most negative and influential corporations globally. It combines assessments from InfluenceMap’s recognized platform for assessing corporate climate policy engagement with indicators to the judge relative economic and political clout of each com...
An analysis of European Climate Action 100+ steel companies and EU steel industry association's direct engagement with EU policymakers in 2021-22
The 50 Most Influential Companies and Industry Associations Blocking Climate Policy Action Globally
To qualify, a company must exhibit sufficient support for ambitious climate policy, strategic levels of engagement with climate policy, and leadership in its sector. Links to industry associations egregiously opposing climate policy can disqualify a company from the list.
Despite the CA100+ initiative having clear expectations on Paris-aligned lobbying, only 2 of the 31 CA100+ target companies found to be engaging on the taxonomy appear to be supportive of its science-based guidance with 4 companies advocating mixed or unclear positions, leaving more than 80% push...
This report is being released in conjunction with InfluenceMap's revamped, interactive CA100+ platform which contains additional analysis covering the climate lobbying of CA100+ target companies.
