Climate Lobbying Overview: ABB appears generally supportive of policy action on climate change from 2019-23. ABB has consistent positive top-line messaging on climate change, appears supportive of legislation to promote energy efficiency, and has communicated support for the electrification and decarbonization of transportation.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: ABB has positive top-line communications on climate change. ABB supported the EU 2050 targets and Green Deal in its 2021 CDP Climate Change Disclosure, and supported the UN Paris Agreement in a May 2022 open letter. In a September 2021 joint letter, the company advocated for a zero-emissions target for shipping by 2050 at the UN International Maritime Organization. In the United States, ABB signed several open letters, supporting the climate provisions in the Build Back Better Act in February 2022 and advocating to Congress and President Biden to enact climate investments through budget reconciliation in July 2022.

Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: ABB appears to have positive engagement with climate-related policy. ABB signed an open letter in July 2021 that seemed to support the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and another letter in May 2022 supporting a more ambitious EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) reform.

ABB has consistently supported EU energy efficiency legislation in the EU, particularly the EU Renovation Wave. ABB CEO Björn Rosengren signed a joint CEO Alliance letter in July 2021, supporting EU renovation targets of at least 3% to decarbonize buildings. A joint letter signed by the CEO in May 2022 strongly supported a more ambitious Energy Efficiency Directive review, Renovation Wave and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive reform. A June 2021 op-ed by an ABB India senior executive in the Times of India further appeared to advocate for higher motor energy efficiency standards in India.

ABB expressed support for the clean energy tax credits in the US Inflation Reduction Act in a press release in August 2022, while the CEO supported a more ambitious reform of the EU Renewable Energy Directive in a May 2022 joint letter. In a 2021 EU consultation response, ABB appeared to support phasing out SF6 greenhouse gases in the EU, stating that “a ban on SF6 will force us to develop new, optimized solutions through R&D and innovation.” A joint letter signed by ABB CEO Björn Rosengren in July 2021 supported the EU’s 2030 55% GHG emissions target.

Positioning on Energy Transition: ABB appears to have mostly positive positioning on the energy transition. Regarding transportation, ABB signed an open letter in April 2021 promoting electric vehicles (EVs) by opposing a proposed EV tax in Victoria, Australia. Additionally, ABB supported high electric charging infrastructure targets in the revision of the EU's Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) in its 2021 Sustainability Report, published in March 2022, as well as advocating for the phase-out of the internal combustion engine and a complete transition to EV sales in the EU by 2035 in a May 2022 joint letter. A July 2021 ABB white paper on ‘Improving Transport Efficiency’ also supports the electrification of global rail.

ABB’s CEO signed a joint letter in July 2021 generally promoting electrification and a low-carbon transition for the EU energy mix. However, another joint letter signed by ABB sent to the EU Commission in March 2021 advocated for a higher CO2 threshold for hydrogen under the EU taxonomy, promoting a role for unabated natural gas in the energy mix.

Industry Association Governance: ABB does not provide a clear public disclosure of its membership in industry associations on its website and it has not published a review of its alignment with its industry associations. ABB is a direct member of the American Petroleum Institute and Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), both of which have consistently opposed ambitious climate policy in the US and Australia. In the EU, ABB memberships include the European Roundtable for Industry (ERT), which has mixed but increasingly positive engagement on climate policy, and WindEurope, which has consistently lobbied for more ambitious EU climate policy.