Regan Brown
The fossil fuel lobby, including representatives of corporations in the oil, gas, and coal industries, wields significant financial power and influence in democratic countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and across Europe. The fossil fuel industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually on lobbying and political campaigns, with the largest oil and gas companies, often referred to as Big Oil, contributing substantial amounts to obstruct and delay government action on climate change. This financial influence extends to campaign donations, lobbying expenditures, and the dissemination of misinformation, all of which contribute to the industry's clout in shaping governmental policies and public perception.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Annual spending on climate lobbying by BP | $53 million |
| Annual spending on climate lobbying by Shell | $49 million |
| Annual spending on climate lobbying by ExxonMobil | $41 million |
| Annual spending on climate lobbying by Chevron | $29 million |
| Annual spending on climate lobbying by Total | $29 million |
| Annual spending on lobbying by the world's five largest publicly owned oil and gas companies | $200 million |
| Annual spending on lobbying by the fossil fuel industry | $100 million |
| Fossil fuel industry spending on electing the U.S. government | $219 million |
| Fossil fuel industry spending on lobbying and political campaigns | Millions of dollars |
| Fossil fuel industry spending on American political campaigns | $500 million |
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What You'll Learn
- Fossil fuel lobbyists spent $219 million to elect the US government
- Oil and gas companies reward candidates who vote in their interests
- Fossil fuel lobbyists contacted government officials five times more than non-government environmental organisations
- Fossil fuel lobbyists spend large amounts of money on American political campaigns
- Fossil fuel lobbyists spend millions to block climate change policies
Fossil fuel lobbyists spent $219 million to elect the US government
Fossil fuel lobbyists spent a staggering $219 million to elect the US government. This figure represents the outside money that corporations funnelled into the political system to influence elections. While corporations cannot directly contribute to federal candidates, they employ various strategies, such as utilising super PACs or trade associations, to exert their financial influence. This practice was enabled by the 2010 Citizens United ruling, which removed restrictions on corporate spending in politics.
The fossil fuel industry's financial might extends beyond election campaigns. They spend over $100 million annually to lobby politicians and shape legislation in their favour. This includes efforts to stall the transition to cleaner energy, oppose climate policies, and weaken environmental protections. The industry's influence is evident in President Trump's policy bill, which slashes tax breaks for wind, solar, and electric vehicles while maintaining support for fossil fuels.
The fossil fuel lobby, often referred to as "Big Oil," includes major corporations such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, and TotalEnergies. These companies have a global presence and actively lobby in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. They employ hundreds of lobbyists and spend vast sums to obstruct and delay climate action.
The impact of the fossil fuel lobby is not limited to legislative processes. They also influence public perception through "dark money" contributions. These undisclosed donations fund misinformation campaigns that deny or downplay the impacts of climate change and pollution caused by burning fossil fuels. This tactic helps shape public opinion and creates a favourable environment for the industry's interests.
The influence of the fossil fuel lobby is a significant challenge in the fight against climate change. With their financial resources and access to political power, these lobbyists have successfully delayed and obstructed policies that could mitigate the climate crisis. As a result, addressing climate change becomes increasingly urgent, and the need for regulatory action that prioritises the planet and people over corporate profits is more critical than ever.
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Oil and gas companies reward candidates who vote in their interests
Oil and gas companies have been known to reward candidates who vote in their interests. A 2019 study on the effect of oil and gas money in politics found that oil and gas companies tend to reward candidates who have already voted along with their industry's best interests. The study found that the oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in on January 3, 2025. This included $2 million to President-elect Donald Trump's campaign, bringing the total spending on winning candidates to over $26 million, with 88% going to Republicans.
The fossil fuel lobby has considerable influence in Washington, D.C., and other political centers, having scored key political appointments in the administrations of U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. President Trump's policies have favored fossil fuels, including slashing tax breaks for wind and solar power and electric cars, while maintaining federal support for fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry spends large amounts of money on American political campaigns, with about two-thirds of its political contributions over the past several decades going to Republican politicians.
The influence of oil and gas money in politics has been a focus of research in political science. One explanation for campaign contributions to Congress is the "'influence hypothesis," which suggests that companies contribute to the campaigns of those running for Congress with the expectation that those candidates, if elected, will vote in ways aligned with the interests of the companies. Another explanation is the "investment hypothesis," which suggests that oil and gas companies provide financial rewards to members of Congress after they have voted against legislation to protect the environment.
Research has found that the more a given member of Congress votes against environmental policies, the more contributions they receive from oil and gas companies. For example, for every additional 10% of congressional votes against the environment in 2014, a legislator received an additional $5,400 in campaign contributions from oil and gas companies in 2016. On average, a 10% decrease in pro-environment votes is associated with an additional $1,700 in campaign contributions from oil and gas companies in the following election cycle. These findings provide strong and consistent support for the investment hypothesis and weak and inconsistent support for the influence hypothesis.
Grassroots actions are working to counter this political paralysis on climate action powered by oil and gas money. More Americans are engaging in climate activism and increasingly view global warming as a voting issue. The youth-led Sunrise Movement is helping to elect candidates not beholden to fossil fuel interests by organizing around the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge, which refuses contributions over $200 from fossil fuel PACs, lobbyists, or executives.
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Fossil fuel lobbyists contacted government officials five times more than non-government environmental organisations
The fossil fuel lobby has a lot of influence in Washington, D.C., and other political centres. The largest oil and gas companies, often referred to as "Big Oil", and their industry lobbyists, spend large amounts of money on lobbying and political campaigns each year. They employ hundreds of lobbyists to obstruct and delay government action on climate change. From 2011 to 2018, fossil fuel industry lobbyists recorded 11,452 lobbying contacts with government officials, averaging six lobbying contacts per day. This is significantly higher than other industries, and fossil fuel lobbyists contacted government officials five times more than non-governmental environmental organisations.
The fossil fuel lobby includes paid representatives from the oil, gas, and coal industries, as well as related industries such as chemicals, plastics, aviation, and transportation. Due to their wealth and the importance of these industries to local, national, and international economies, these lobbies have a significant influence on government policy. They promote climate change denial and obstruct policies related to environmental protection and climate action. These lobbies are active in most fossil-fuel-intensive economies with democratic governance, and their influence is particularly prominent in Canada, Australia, the United States, and Europe.
Big Oil companies often adopt "sustainability principles" that contradict the agendas their lobbyists advocate for, such as creating doubt about climate change and hindering government efforts to address it. They also spend large sums of money on American political campaigns, with about two-thirds of their political contributions over the past several decades going to Republican politicians. This spending influences policy, as it rewards politicians who vote against environmental protections.
The influence of the fossil fuel lobby is not limited to the United States. In Canada, for example, lobbyists for TransCanada, the owner of the Keystone XL pipeline project, spent $500,000 in a single legislative session lobbying Nebraska state senators. Additionally, the five biggest oil and gas companies spent at least €251 million lobbying the European Union over climate policies since 2010. These companies have had 327 high-level meetings with the EU since 2014, averaging more than one meeting per week.
The fossil fuel industry also employs influence tactics such as "astroturfing," creating the appearance of grassroots support for industry-friendly policies while concealing the true origins of the support. They have also been accused of promoting voter suppression, which disproportionately affects voters who favour climate and environmental justice policies. The industry's vast resources and influence have allowed them to obstruct and delay government action on climate change, showcasing the significant impact of money and lobbying in the political landscape.
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Fossil fuel lobbyists spend large amounts of money on American political campaigns
Fossil fuel lobbyists have been known to spend large amounts of money on American political campaigns. The fossil fuel lobby includes paid representatives of corporations involved in the fossil fuel industry (oil, gas, coal), as well as related industries like chemicals, plastics, aviation, and other transportation. These lobbies have a significant influence on governmental policies due to their wealth and the importance of the energy, transport, and chemical industries to local, national, and international economies.
The largest oil and gas companies, often referred to as "Big Oil," and their industry lobbyist arm, the American Petroleum Institute (API), are known to spend significant sums annually on lobbying and political campaigns. They employ hundreds of lobbyists to obstruct and delay government action on climate change. From 2011 to 2018, fossil fuel industry lobbyists recorded 11,452 lobbying contacts with government officials, significantly more than other industries, averaging six lobbying contacts per day.
The fossil fuel industry spends over $100 million each year lobbying politicians to enact favourable legislation, such as voting against climate policies, slowing the adoption of cleaner energy, adopting lenient stances on pollution, and imposing strict punishments on peaceful protests. They also use their influence to spread misinformation and attempt to sway courts and public opinion. According to a study, the industry spent approximately $219 million to elect the new U.S. government, with most of the money going to Republican candidates.
In addition to direct campaign contributions, individuals associated with the fossil fuel industry can also contribute to political action committees, state party committees, and national party committees. Corporations can influence elections through super PACs or trade associations, and "dark money" allows wealthy donors and corporations to remain anonymous while funding political activities. The five largest publicly owned oil and gas companies spend a total of $195 million annually on branding activities that suggest they support action against climate change.
The influence of fossil fuel lobbyists has had a significant impact on American energy policy. For example, President Trump's policy bill slashed tax breaks for wind and solar power while maintaining federal support for fossil fuels, nuclear reactors, and geothermal plants. This bill was supported by Mike Sommers, the chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute, who praised it for creating "a new era of energy dominance."
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Fossil fuel lobbyists spend millions to block climate change policies
Fossil fuel lobbyists have been spending millions of dollars to block climate change policies and exert substantial financial power within the US. The largest oil and gas companies, often referred to as "Big Oil", and their industry lobbyist arm, the American Petroleum Institute (API), have spent vast sums annually on lobbying and political campaigns. They also employ hundreds of lobbyists to obstruct and delay government action aimed at tackling climate change. This has resulted in key political appointments within influential administrations, including those of US Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump.
From 2011 to 2018, fossil fuel industry lobbyists recorded a staggering 11,452 lobbying contacts with government officials, averaging six lobbying interactions per day. This frequency far surpasses that of non-governmental environmental organizations, highlighting the disproportionate influence of the fossil fuel lobby. The industry spends over $100 million annually to sway politicians towards enacting favourable legislation, such as opposing climate policies, impeding the transition to cleaner energy, adopting lenient pollution standards, and imposing strict punishments on peaceful protests.
Among the top spenders in climate lobbying are BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil, with annual expenditures of $53 million, $49 million, and $41 million, respectively. These companies, along with others in the industry, engage in sophisticated efforts to influence politicians and the public regarding environmental policies that could impact fossil fuel usage. They employ tactics such as disseminating messages across social media and advertising platforms that reframe the climate crisis as a "dual" energy challenge. Additionally, they allocate substantial financial resources towards branding activities that portray them as supporters of climate action, even as they work against it.
The fossil fuel lobby's influence extends beyond direct contributions to political campaigns. Individuals associated with the industry can donate to political action committees, state and national party committees, and super PACs, allowing them to exert influence through various channels. This includes the use of ""dark money," where the source of funding remains anonymous, enabling wealthy individuals and corporations to inject substantial sums into political activities without attribution. The fossil fuel industry has been accused of using dark money to spread misinformation, create doubt about climate science, and influence lawmakers, further hindering progress on addressing the climate crisis.
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Frequently asked questions
The fossil fuel lobby has a lot of money. The five largest publicly owned oil and gas companies spend approximately $200 million on lobbying each year.
The fossil fuel lobby spends large amounts of money on American political campaigns. For example, the industry spent $219 million during the 2024 election cycle.
The fossil fuel lobby spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on lobbying Congress and federal agencies. According to one estimate, the fossil fuel industry spends over $100 million annually on lobbying politicians.
BP spends the most on climate lobbying at $53 million annually, followed by Shell with $49 million and ExxonMobil with $41 million.
The fossil fuel lobby influences politics through campaign contributions, lobbying, and outside spending. They also use "dark money," which allows them to influence political activities without being traced.
