BP

InfluenceMap Score
for Climate Policy Engagement
C
Performance Band
71%
Organization Score
53%
Relationship Score
Sector:
Energy
Head​quarters:
London, United Kingdom
Brands and Associated Companies:
Castrol, AMPM, Wild Bean Cafe, Aral
Official Web Site:
Wikipedia:

Climate Lobbying Overview: BP is strategically engaged across multiple aspects of climate and energy policy. BP’s top line statements on climate change appear to be largely positive. However, engagement with detailed climate policy and regulation appears to remain mixed, and the company appears to support a continued role for fossil fuels in the energy mix.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: BP supports climate action in its top-line messaging. In the company's 2022 industry association review, BP recognized the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as the primary source of information on climate science and stated support for the Paris Agreement. While, in the company’s 2022 climate policy positions, it stated that it supported the ‘acceleration of climate ambition in revised NDCs ahead of and post-COP26’ and that it also supports ‘the decision by an increasing number of countries to declare net-zero GHG emission targets and goals by 2050 or sooner’.

Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: BP appears to be highly engaged with climate-related regulations, with mostly mixed positions. BP has appeared to support certain policies related to carbon taxation, for example in its May 2022 climate policy positions document, it stated support for a ‘well-designed carbon price – whether by means of a carbon tax or a cap and trade scheme underpinned by emissions trading’. In the US, BP has stated support for carbon tax policy, such as Washington State’s cap and invest program, according to the company’s 2022 Net Zero report. Also, in its May 2022 climate policy positions document, BP stated that it supports the use of emissions trading. For example, in September 2022, BP appeared to support the reform of the Safeguard Mechanism in Australia, including improving the ambition of the policy and the creation of a cap-and-trade scheme.

Regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations, BP’s messaging appears to be mixed. In its May 2022 climate policy positions document, BP states support for well-designed standards to reduce GHG emissions, adding to its support for federal methane regulations in the US. Despite this, in the US, BP’s position on the EPA’s proposed methane rules in February 2023 appeared to be mixed. While it supported stated support for the direct regulation of methane and efforts to eliminate routine flaring, it also appeared does not appear to support monitoring requirements.

Positioning on Energy Transition: While BP appears to message positively surrounding the energy transition, it continues to support a long-term role for fossil fuels in the energy mix. In its May 2022 climate policy positions document, BP stated that it believes that the world is not on a sustainable path and requires a rapid transition to a lower carbon energy system. Emails from May 2022 from BP to EU Commissioner Adina-Ioana Vălean office, obtained through freedom of information request, show that BP supported 70–75% of total electricity coming from renewable energy.

However, in the US, BP submitted comments in June 2022 on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Natural Gas Infrastructure Projects. In these comments, it appeared to support the continued role for fossil gas in the energy mix without being dependent on the use of carbon capture and storage. Meanwhile, in the UK, BP’s senior vice-president gave oral evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee in July 2022, in which she appeared to support the energy transition while also supporting a continued role for fossil fuels in the energy mix.

BP appears to support the decarbonization of transport, but appears to support technologically agnostic pathways. In a letter to policymakers in Illinois in March 2022, BP supported new rules to aid the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and accelerate EV uptake. In an October 2022 consultation response on the Australian EV strategy, BP supported government investments to advance EV's in Australia, but advocating for a technology-neutral approach over the complete electrification of light-duty vehicles.

Industry Association Governance: In April 2022, BP released a progress update based on its previous association review, in which it gives details of any misalignment on climate change policy with industry associations it holds a membership with. However, BP only disclosed details of its influence within associations it found to be ‘partially aligned’, with no details given on memberships it has found to be ‘aligned’. BP outlined its ongoing engagement with three 'partially aligned' associations that are covered by InfluenceMap, (American Petroleum Institute, National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Australian Institute of Petroleum are now deemed to be aligned, having been determined to be only partially aligned in its 2021 review.

A detailed assessment of the company's corporate review on climate policy engagement can be found on InfluenceMap's CA100+ Investor Hub here.

InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q1 2023.

QUERIES
DATA SOURCES
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Strength of Relationship
STRONG
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WEAK
 
60%
 
60%
 
59%
 
59%
 
44%
 
44%
 
90%
 
90%
 
21%
 
21%
 
39%
 
39%
 
28%
 
28%
 
31%
 
31%
 
23%
 
23%
 
52%
 
52%
 
48%
 
48%
 
73%
 
73%
 
50%
 
50%
 
42%
 
42%
 
92%
 
92%
 
41%
 
41%
 
59%
 
59%
 
65%
 
65%
 
35%
 
35%
 
66%
 
66%
 
34%
 
34%
 
49%
 
49%
 
38%
 
38%
 
50%
 
50%
 
79%
 
79%
 
58%
 
58%
 
69%
 
69%
 
58%
 
58%
 
41%
 
41%
 
60%
 
60%
 
51%
 
51%
 
79%
 
79%
 
48%
 
48%
 
59%
 
59%
 
87%
 
87%
 
43%
 
43%
 
58%
 
58%
 
70%
 
70%
 
68%
 
68%
 
63%
 
63%
 
66%
 
66%
 
31%
 
31%
 
88%
 
88%
 
24%
 
24%

How to Read our Relationship Score Map

In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.