Dive Brief:
- A British nonprofit called Influence Map has graded a broad range of corporations for their work influencing climate change policy, and has awarded Duke Energy, Koch Industries and Phillips 66 each an "F," the Charlotte Business Journal reports.
- The report assesses the extent to which the companies exert influence on policy, attempting to look beyond formal lobbying efforts.
- 30 trade associations were also evaluated, with the American Legislative Exchange Council and American Petroleum Institute on the bottom.
Dive Insight:
No company or group scored an "A" in Influence Map's analysis of how climate change policy is being impacted. In the North American energy sector, the group examined seven energy companies; the highest rated was Suncor Energy, who was awarded a "D".
Among utilities, National Grid got a "B-" while Duke Energy took the bottom slot with a failing grade. The Charlotte Business Journal took a look at the group's rationale, and quotes the report:
“Duke Energy appear(s) .. opposed to most strands of climate change policy and regulations. ... They appear to support policy that would maintain a high (greenhouse gas) energy mix in the US, promoting the continued role for coal to investors and the public, whilst emphasizing to policymakers in North Carolina the risk of decarbonizing industry.”
But that analysis is unfair, asserts the utility, saying the report appears to have used internet searches to divine corporate policy. A spokesperson said the report mischaracterized the company’s "position and our real work to lower our carbon footprint.”
Duke Energy has been linked in the past to the conservative organization American Legislative Exchange Council largely funded by the Koch brothers. The utility has declined to speak about its alleged ties with the ALEC, which has been involved in past legislative efforts to cast doubt on climate science.
A Duke Energy spokesman said the company no longer discloses its memberships in any political organization on both sides of the aisle, unless required to do so by federal or state regulations. Furthermore, the spokesman said, membership doesn't necessarily imply agreement with the positions taken by the organizations.
In the utility sector, Influence Map said the three leading companies are National Grid, Iberdrola SA and EDF.
"Iberdrola in particular voice strong support for a 2 degrees-based UN treaty backed up with support for a robust EU Emissions Trading Scheme and early introduction of a Market Stability Reserve to allow for long-term renewable energy investment," the group said.
