Fossil fuel industries in the United States, European Union, and Australia are leading parallel campaigns to block policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings. Thatβs according to a new report by the London-based think tank InfluenceMap, which found that in all three regions, laws that restrict natural gas use in buildings have faced significant pushback from oil and gas companies and utilities.
Those efforts have largely succeeded in preventing and weakening new laws, resulting in delayed climate action on a global scale. Drawing from an InfluenceMap database that tracks corporate engagement on climate policies, researchers found that fossil fuel companies and their trade associations have used similar lobbying tactics across countries, including setting up ad campaigns and front groups, appealing directly to legislators, and taking legal action. Theyβve also developed tailored narratives for each region to mislead consumers and promote gas use, according to the report.
Taken together, the campaigns have resulted βin policy wins for t... Read more
