There is a pressing need for greater transparency and accountability for corporate climate policy engagement, including what companies and their representatives are seeking to achieve via attendance at COP30 in Belém.
InfluenceMap has developed a searchable database showing the track record of organizations whose representatives may be engaging with and attempting to influence the COP process. Hyperlinks in the table can be used to explore full profiles of each entity.
InfluenceMap maintains the world’s leading database of corporate and industry association engagement with climate policy around the globe, covering over 1000 companies and 330 industry groups globally. Full details of what our metrics mean are contained within the Info icons. A full explanation of our methodology can be found here.
| Influencemap Performance Band | Organization | Engagement Intensity | COP29 Attendance |
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These updates capture the most important items of evidence collected by the LobbyMap platform, allowing users to track how companies are industry associations are seeking to influence climate policy in real-time. In the run-up to COP 30, the search tools below can be used to track the activity of actors engaging with and attempting to influence the COP process in Belém.
In 3 December statements, major US automakers endorsed the Trump administration's proposal to significantly weaken fuel economy standards for cars. Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis each issued statements supporting the proposal, which appeared on Fox News the day the rule was announced. The CEO and representatives of the three companies stood behind President Trump in the Oval Office as he announced the weakening of the rules.
The CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry association representing the aforementioned manufacturers and most other major auto companies such as BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and Volkswagen, also issued a statement supporting the governments' proposal to weaken the fuel economy standards the same day.
In a 7 November press release published by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the Korea Iron and Steel Association (KOSA) expressed concerns with a recently finalized national 2035 GHG emissions reduction target (NDC) in South Korea. The ambitious NDC would impact emissions allowances for the economy under the Korea Emissions Trading Scheme (K-ETS), which.
In media releases following the 27 November announcement of the deal between Labor and the Greens to reform Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, several resources and cross-sector industry associations emphasized concerns about the plans. The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI), Business Council of Australia, and Queensland Resources Council (QRC) opposed provisions that exclude fossil gas projects from fast-tracked approval processes, and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies and Australian Industry Group also appeared not to support these provisions. While the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, and Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) generally supported faster approval processes, the associations did not specify if this support extends to fossil fuel projects. The ACCI, QRC, and MCA further appeared not to support the requirement mandating proponents disclose project emissions. In contrast, the Clean Energy Council strongly supported the reform deal to speed up approval processes for renewable energy projects. The Environment Protection Reform Bills were passed by the Australian Parliament on 28 November.
In a 25 November press release, industry group Advanced Energy United opposed the Virginia State Corporation Commission's approval of Dominion Energy's proposed gas-fired peaker plant. The group emphasized that the gas project would exacerbate affordability concerns in the state, stating that regulators did not explore lower-cost options such as battery storage and their decision approves a "high-cost resource without fully evaluating commercially available alternatives shifts unnecessary risk onto ratepayers." Advanced Energy United continues to advocate for ambitious climate policy and calls for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.
On 27 November, the Australian Energy Producers issued a statement opposing key reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, following a deal between the Labor and Green parties. The reforms exclude new fossil fuel projects from a new fast-tracked development pathway. In its statement, the Australian Energy Producers claimed that the reforms are not in the national interest and promoted the narrative that new fossil gas supply is essential for Australian households.
On 19 November, industry associations including the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) and FuelsEurope published a joint statement advocating to include flexibilities for renewable fuels in the revision of the EU's CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans. In the statement, the signatories called for vehicles running exclusively on renewable fuels to be classified as zero-emission vehicles, which would mean that the sale of internal combustion engine cars and vans running on renewable fuels would be permitted beyond 2035. This would represent a weakening of the 2035 100% emissions reduction target under the standards and would reduce the emissions reduction potential of the policy.
In a 28 October press release published in its Newsroom, SK Innovation appeared to support hydrogen as a bus fuel, describing it is an 'eco-friendly future transportation solution'. SK Innovation suggested that hydrogen buses can contribute to reducing GHG emissions in the transport sector because they produce no pollutants during operations, though it did not clarify how the hydrogen itself is produced.
In an 18 November SK Innovation Newsroom article, SK Innovation E&S supported a continued role of fossil gas to supply stable electricity for data centers, but without placing clear conditions on the need for CCS or methane emission abatement on the use of gas, and without clearly specifying timelines for this transition that are in line with IPCC guidance. The company emphasized the importance of securing stable energy for AI and the semiconductor industry and suggested LNG cogeneration as the most realistic solution, stressing its energy efficiency and power system stability.
According to a 7 November Energy Daily article, Korea Gas Union (KGU) supported a continued role of fossil gas, but without placing clear conditions on the need for CCS or methane emission abatement on the use of gas, and without clearly specifying timelines for this transition that are in line with IPCC guidance. At a '2025 KGU Energy Conference', Choi Yeon-hye, Chairman of KGU, recognized that AI technological innovation and digital transformation are fundamentally changing the paradigm of the energy industry, and suggested fossil gas as a key axis of the energy transition, emphasizing its role as the optimal partner of renewable energy and a strong support for the national economy.
In separate 17 November statements, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), US Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and National Mining Association (NMA) advocated for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposed re-definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) that would significantly narrow the scope of water bodies protected under the Clean Water Act. The US Chamber claimed the proposal is “essential for advancing infrastructure projects, supporting economic growth, and ensuring businesses and landowners can operate with confidence.” NAM CEO Jay Timmons thanked EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for “listening to the concerns of our industry.” The rule is now open for public comment for 45 days, and the NMA has stated that it “looks forward to providing comments” in support of the proposal.
In a 14 November joint letter coordinated by the Business for CBAM Coalition, SSAB, Ecocem, and H&M strongly supported the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), advocating for the implementation of the policy as planned alongside the phase out of free allocation of emissions allowances in the EU's Emissions Trading System. The letter calls for policymakers to "stay the course" on the CBAM and ETS, as "companies are already making major capital decisions on the basis of these signals" and "deregulating CBAM at this point will be detrimental for their business case."
The CEOs of American Clean Power Association (ACP) and American Gas Association (AGA) issued separate press releases on 20 November and 21 November that celebrated the House Natural Resources Committee advancing a permitting bill called the SPEED Act. This piece of legislation proposes to narrow the use and scope of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, including by placing limits on community involvement and judicial review, and also proposes to prohibit legal challenges to the establishment of categorical exclusions, which may expedite fossil fuel energy projects. ACP's CEO endorsed the SPEED Act and emphasized that it would facilitate the deployment of a wide range of projects, including fossil gas and petroleum energy, while AGA's CEO stated that "increased efficiency of environmental reviews will help natural gas utilities deliver energy more safely, reliably and affordably to customers across the country." In the same press release, AGA specified federal and state policies to be "among the biggest barriers to the construction of energy infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines and storage facilities."
On 22 November, over 100 companies and industry associations, including EDF, Ørsted, Saint-Gobain, Unilever and Volvo Cars, signed a joint letter, coordinated by the We Mean Business Coalition, calling on governments present at COP30 to commit to a clear fossil fuel transition roadmap. COP30 officially concluded on 22 November without securing new pledges to reduce fossil fuels, with the presidency committing to launch a voluntary fossil fuel transition roadmap.
In a 14 November media statement, Tata Motors MD & CEO Shailesh Chandra strongly advocated against the exemption of small cars under the proposed CAFE-III fuel efficiency norms. He argued that this exemption would compromise the safety features of such cars, while also impeding concrete action towards sustainable mobility. This comes in the context of a lack of consensus amongst automobile manufacturers in India regarding the proposed fuel efficiency norms, scheduled to come into force from 2027.
On 12 November, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), published a joint letter advocating for the postponement and weakening of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). In the statement, the three automotive industry associations called for a one-year postponement of the EUDR as well as the introduction of minimum threshold exemptions and exemptions for prototypes and testing materials. BusinessEurope published a similar statement on 13 November advocating for the postponement of the EUDR and further simplification, including the simplification of due diligence requirements.
In a 12 September joint letter prior to the 1st Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Fuels in Japan and COP30 in Brazil, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) and Brazilian Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (ANFAVEA) strongly endorsed the use of biofuels for road transport and advocated for government regulations on the sector to be technology-neutral. Following this announcement, the statement was endorsed by additional 6 automotive industry associations including the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA), the Italian Association of the Automotive Industry (ANFIA), the Romanian Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA), Association importateurs suisses d'automobiles (Auto-Suisse), and the Belgian and Luxembourg car and two-wheeler federation (FEBIAC) in November 2025.
In a 4 November press release, the CEOs of American Gas Association (AGA) and National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) opposed the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to deny the petition for review against the Biden Administration's energy efficiency standards for furnaces and water heaters. The groups had taken legal action against these standards years prior, arguing that it would hamper consumer choice around gas-fired furnaces and water heaters. AGA CEO Karen Harbert stated that the ruling "removes choice and would force up to 55% of gas households into expensive home renovations and higher energy bills," while NPGA CEO Stephen Kaminski emphasized that "NPGA and its coalition partners will be taking all necessary steps in response to this ruling to ensure Americans can have energy choice without needless, excessive costs or government interference." Both groups continue to leverage fossil fuel narratives, including around consumer choice and energy affordability, to strategically oppose climate policy and promote the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.
On 14 November, the Chairman of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) held its monthly press conference and made multiple statements related to the energy mix. The Chairman mentioned ongoing discussions on phasing inefficient coal-fired power plants, utilizing the long-term decarbonized power auction and GX-ETS, and the importance of prioritizing policies and acting with speed and flexibility. However, it is unclear if the Chairman's position was supportive of many of these measures and the general transition of the energy mix.
Following Election Day in the United States, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) published a 10 November press release celebrating the clean energy policy agendas of elected candidates at the state and local levels. SEIA described how winning campaigns linked solar and storage to addressing energy affordability concerns, stating that "in race after race, voters elected candidates who made lowering electricity costs through investing in solar and storage a central tenet of their messaging and policy platforms." The industry group specifically supported the clean policy agendas of the New Jersey's Governor-elect, Virginia's Governor-elect, and the winning candidates for Georgia's Public Service Commission, which regulates the state's major utilities. SEIA concluded by advising that policymakers and candidates "prioritize lowering people’s electricity bills by expanding solar and storage" in next year's elections.
In an article published in The Australian on 12 November, the Chair of Beach Energy, Ryan Stokes, called for the Safeguard Mechanism, Australia's signature climate policy for reducing industrial emissions, to be scrapped. Describing the policy as a "de facto tax" on industry, he claimed that its cost is passed on to consumers and harms competitiveness.
