European Companies Push for Climate Action
There’s a growing movement among companies in Europe advocating for strong climate action. A recent study titled “Deep Change” indicates that businesses are starting to challenge the perception that environmental regulations threaten their profits.
According to research by InfluenceMap, corporate lobbying efforts have jumped significantly, increasing from 3% in 2019 to an expected 23% by 2025. Interestingly, the percentage of companies considered “inconsistent” has decreased from 34% to 14% among the largest European firms.
The findings reveal that over half of these companies are at least partially aligned with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.
Venetia Roxburgh, an analyst at InfluenceMap, emphasizes the importance of those who speak out against the energy transition, stating, “They play a crucial role in the public discussion. Yet, this study highlights a more substantial, quieter majority supporting progress through decarbonization and climate policies.”
Researchers tracked corporate engagement on climate matters through various channels, such as company disclosures, EU consultations, and social media activity, giving more weight to formal statements and consultations, which makes the recent data particularly noteworthy.
They observed that a greater portion of the corporate sector is actively promoting climate advocacy. For instance, when the European Commission unveiled the Green Deal in 2019, only about one in four companies partially lobbied in line with the Paris Agreement’s goals. By 2025, that number has doubled.
Interestingly, industry associations seem to be lagging behind individual companies in terms of climate advocacy. The fraction of aligned or partially aligned trade groups rose from a mere 2% in 2019 to 12% in 2025, still falling short compared to individual company supporters.
This gap might stem from industry groups prioritizing the opinions of their most significant opponents to climate policies or due to businesses using trade organizations to voice their lobbying efforts.
Roxburgh remarked that it seems EU industry associations are struggling to keep up with the wave of positive corporate actions concerning climate policies, suggesting that they urgently need to reassess their priorities to truly represent most of their members.
Among the companies faring poorly in terms of their engagement levels in policy were Polish utility PGE, Austrian oil and gas producer OMV, Spanish firm Repsol, and the German airline Lufthansa.
Energas, which advocates for reducing regulations that could limit fossil gas’s role in energy and transport, claims to be committed to reaching zero emissions by 2040, while also supporting EU methane regulations.
Lufthansa pointed to its lobbying for sustainable aviation fuels and including aviation in the EU emissions trading system, clarifying that it wasn’t opposed to these policies, but rather called for a balanced implementation.
PGE, OMV, and Repsol have not responded to requests for comments on the findings.
The European Commission has made “competitiveness” a central theme of its agenda since its new mission began in December, which some say may signal a rollback in progress following the 2024 election.
Environmental groups have criticized this shift towards simplification, arguing it disguises deregulation efforts that might allow increased pollution.
