<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/fossil-fuel-lobby-shares-global-toolbox-of-tactics-to-fight-victorias-gas-phaseout/>
"Fossil fuel companies operating in Australia and their industry associations
have been swapping notes with their international counterparts as part of a
global fight to stop a phaseout of gas in homes, according to a new analysis.
InfluenceMap, a UK-based climate thinktank, examined industry campaigns in at
least three different countries to reverse engineer the strategies used by
industry to blunt new policy proposals.
In one example the group looked at how fossil fuel producers, services firms
and business advocacy bodies in Australia have attacked Victoria’s gas
substitution roadmap, and similar campaigns in Europe and the US to stop the
phaseout of gas-heating in homes and gas cooktops.
It found there was a common “toolbox of tactics” that involved “narrative
driven message, coordination of campaigns and front groups to broad the policy
agenda, and direct policymaker engagement and legal action to influence the
final ambition of building policies.”
“This playbook enables industry to dictate the policymaking agenda to lock in
the long-term role of fossil fuels in the buildings sector,” it said.
Emilia Piziak, a senior analyst at Influence Map and co-author of the report
said industry had been “using the same tried and tested narratives for decades”
as these have been “wildly successful”.
“They have no reason to do any different,” Piziak said. “When it comes to
pushing for fossil fuels in the energy mix, we know that the oil and gas
industry are not operating in regional silos, but they appear to be
capitalising on the fact that policymakers are.”
“It is significant to see the oil and gas industry using similar tactics across
jurisdictions to obstruct the electrification of buildings, particularly given
past evidence of coordinated opposition through industry groups such as the
International Gas Union.
InfluenceMap’s research has shown The International Gas Union (ICU) has been
responsible for developing strategies with individual members and companies
working to “strategically tailor” the specifics to the region where they
operated.
One leaked IGU strategy document, for instance, advised members in 2021 not to
engage directly with critical reporting, advising them to “adopt a mindset of
indirectly countering detractors; and directly encouraging neutral voices and
engaging allies.”
Another document suggested members should: “operationalise and formalise
institutional relationships and partnerships with influential stakeholders”.
InfluenceMap tracked how industry messaging – referred to by the IGU in some
documents as “global themes” – evolved across regions by tracing what
regionally-specific industry groups and companies said in public. It also noted
only one company, Shell, held membership in the most obstructive industry
associations."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
