ClimateVoice Press Release · October 16, 2024
San Francisco, CA — Today ClimateVoice, a non-profit founded by former Google and Facebook sustainability leader Bill Weihl, launched a Climate Policy Obstruction Scorecard spotlighting how 15 U.S. based companies are obstructing climate policy by financially supporting the Business Roundtable, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and hiring lobbyists who also work for the fossil fuel industry.
Large cross-sector trade associations such as the Business Roundtable (BRT) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have consistently opposed clean energy investments, climate disclosure laws, and strong pollution standards. From lobbying against the Inflation Reduction Act, to millions spent on misleading advertising, these powerful U.S. trade groups have a long history of opposing climate action.
According to InfluenceMap, which tracks the climate lobbying of companies and trade associations, the U.S. Chamber and BRT receive failing grades when it comes to climate policy engagement. Furthermore, the U.S. Chamber’s policy engagement mirrors fossil fuel interest advocacy positions, aligning most closely with the American Petroleum Institute (ranked E- by InfluenceMap) and the American Gas Association (which receives an F).
“ClimateVoice calls on companies who value climate and sustainability action to step up to be strategic leaders by opposing the obstructive positions of these trade groups,” said Deborah McNamara, ClimateVoice Executive Director. “This scorecard shows continued barriers to meaningful climate policy leadership given problematic trade association relationships as well as lobbying activities skewed in favor of a status quo fossil fuel agenda.”
The new scorecard also assesses publicly disclosed paid lobbyists who are lobbying on behalf of these companies while also working for the fossil fuel industry. This data was collected from the F Minus Lobbyist Database, which shows that more than 1,500 state-level lobbyists are working both for multiple stakeholders (whether it be environmental groups, schools, companies, or governments) as well as for fossil fuel companies with conflicting views.
“Intentionally or not, top American companies are undermining their own message on climate by hiring lobbyists who also work for fossil fuel companies and funders of climate denialism,” said James Browning, Executive Director of F Minus. “You can say all the right things on climate, but the reality of the rough-and-tumble world of state politics is that the messenger is often the message. This ClimateVoice scorecard shows that companies who are serious about combating the climate crisis need to cut ties with lobbying firms who work for fossil fuel companies.”
The “Guilt by Trade Association” scorecard website has multiple components designed to have a galvanizing impact such as graphics that spotlight each of the companies’ rank and take action buttons that make it easy to amplify LinkedIn posts asking each of these companies to stop lobbying against climate policy progress and lead on climate policy advocacy.
ClimateVoice, founded in 2020, is a project of Tides Center.