Fossil fuel lobbyists have deep pockets and access to politicians, but a ban could be in the pipeline
A ban on big oil and gas companies lobbying politicians could be in the pipeline.
Something similar is already in place for the tobacco industry to safeguard public health. The European Parliament is set to examine whether a similar law could protect the environment from the harms associated with climate change.
Restrictions on tobacco lobbyists came into force in 2005 in 182 countries.This was in the wake of revelations that the industry had covered up scientific evidence pointing to harms.The parallels with Big Oil are increasingly obvious.
Litigation in the US shows that some major oil companies actively engaged in deception, denial and now delay tactics.The European Parliament hearing will consider whether the industry has acted in bad faith.
Fossil fuel interests dominated recent COP meetings. They promoted reducing emissions rather than production, and a commitment to tackling “unabated” fossil fuel use - code for burning fossil fuels and using flawed methods like offsets or CCS to compensate.
The industry still enjoys access to the major decision-makers in Europe. The EU delegation to COP28 included over 130 oil and gas lobbyists.
For the past few years leading environmental groups in Brussels have boycotted events where oil and gas lobbyists are.The EU Transparency Register shows Big Oil is among the most active lobbyists in Brussels.
The industry has unfettered access to senior officials and politicians, and has the deepest of pockets to pay for lobbyists, event sponsorships and 'experts'.
Recently, the industry has used concerns about energy supply since the conflict in Ukraine to propose renewed gas exploration. This is part of a new agenda that prioritises Europe’s energy autonomy.