Climate Lobbying Overview: EDF takes predominantly positive positions on climate change policy, with strategic engagement on a range of key policy streams. However, its subsidiary Edison advocates in support of fossil gas.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: EDF appears supportive of climate action in its top-line communications. The company supported limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C on its corporate website, accessed in February 2021. In its 2021 EU Affairs Report, published in 2022, EDF stated support for the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality objective and the UN Paris Agreement. In a May 2022 open letter to EU President Ursula von der Leyen signed by EDF CEO Jean-Bernard Levy, the company supported “an ambitious and effective Fit for 55 Package” in the EU.

Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: EDF has engaged positively on climate regulations in the EU. In a November 2021 EU public consultation response, the company supported EU ETS reforms such as increasing the Linear Reduction Factor and strengthening the Market Stability Reserve, along with creating a new ETS for the buildings and road transport sectors. In a 2021 joint letter to EU policymakers, EDF stated support for the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, advocating for the inclusion of the hydrogen sector, but did not specify a position on the removal of existing carbon leakage protection for exposed sectors under the EU ETS. In the U.S., EDF supported the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in Virginia in a January 2022 letter to the Virginia General Assembly.

In a November 2021 EU public consultation response, EDF supported a revision to increase the ambition of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, but advocated against a higher annual Energy Savings Obligation. In its 2021 EU Affairs Report, published in 2022, EDF supported greater ambition in the revision of the EU's Energy Efficiency Directive and the reform of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive to align the policies with the EU's climate goals. The company also advocated for stronger energy efficiency standards in the US, and supported the Virginia Clean Cars vehicle fuel economy standards, in a January 2022 letter to the Virginia General Assembly.

The company supported increasing the EU’s 2030 renewable energy target to at least 40% under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) revision in its 2021 EU Affairs Report published in 2022. However, in a November 2021 EU public consultation response the company advocated for non-renewable, low-carbon hydrogen to be recognized in the directive reform. In an August 2022 letter to US Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly, EDF Renewable Energy supported the solar energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and advocated for the senators to support the passage of the legislation.

Positioning on Energy Transition: EDF generally supports the transition of the energy mix, however the company’s subsidiary Edison adopted negative positions in relation to fossil gas in 2022. In feedback to the EU Commission in April 2022, EDF subsidiary Edison opposed fossil gas phase-out proposals in the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Edison also appeared to advocate for a long-term role for fossil gas in feedback to the EU Commission on the EU Hydrogen and Gas Market Decarbonisation Package in April 2022, suggesting that the proposed 2049 end date for long-term contracts of unabated fossil gas would act “to the detriment of the collective security of supply.”

In a January 2022 social media post, EDF supported the revision of the EU Trans-European Networks for Energy Regulation, including advocating for measures to promote hydropower and offshore wind development, while also calling for the inclusion of low-carbon hydrogen without clarifying what this entails. In an April 2022 open letter, EDF advocated for increased ambition of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) to aid the decarbonization of transportation in Europe through more advanced hydrogen infrastructure.

Industry Association Governance:

In its 2021 'EDF relations with trade associations and lobbying process review', EDF disclosed a review of some of its industry association memberships including International Emissions Trading Association and WindEurope, but omitted Confindustria, providing some transparency around its indirect influence but not fully meeting investor expectations. Despite its membership of some associations which have supported EU climate policy, such as WindEurope and SolarPower Europe, EDF is also a member of Eurogas, and Confindustria (via its subsidiary Edison), which appear unsupportive of various strands of climate and energy policy. EDF previously stated in its 2021 EU Affairs report that it is no longer a member of BusinessEurope, due to the group’s position on climate policy.

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

Additional Note: EDF is a listed company with more than 50% of its shares owned by the government of France. State-owned enterprises likely retain channels of direct and private engagement with government officials that InfluenceMap is unable to assess, and therefore are not represented in EDF's engagement intensity metric.

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 Q4 2022.