We have expanded the list of climate policies we assess company engagement with to incorporate land-use related policy, referring to legislative or regulatory measures to enhance and protect ecosystems and land where carbon is being stored. Assessments under this category are currently underweighted in terms of their contribution to the overall company metrics. This weighting will be progressively increased over the next 6 months.
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Santos is one of over 100 members of APGA (Up to date as of November 2022)
not specified
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InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Santos is one of over 100 members of APGA (Up to date as of November 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
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.
Open PDF file of Data Source
Climate Lobbying Overview: Oil Search demonstrates limited engagement on climate change policy. The company has stated support for global agreements and government regulations on climate change. At the same time, it appears to support a continued role for oil and gas in the future energy mix. Disclosure regarding the company’s engagement with other policy areas and specific regulations is highly limited.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Oil Search has communicated a broadly positive position on climate policy in its top-line communications. In its 2020 Sustainability Report, published in April 2021, Oil Search stated support for the Paris Agreement and the goal to limit global warming to below 2°C. In its current statement on climate change, available on the company’s website (last accessed in January 2022), Oil Search advocated for government policy to respond to climate change but seemed to advocate for market-based mechanisms over regulatory measures.
Engagement with Climate-related Regulations: Oil Search has stated on its website that it engages directly with government authorities on the development of environmental legislation (last accessed in February 2022). As of January 2022, the company has stated support for emissions trading schemes as an efficient response to climate change in its corporate reporting. InfluenceMap has not been able to find additional evidence of engagement with climate-related regulations from public data sources. Oil Search has not made public its 2021 CDP submission.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Oil Search supports a continued role for fossil fuels in the future energy mix. In its 2021 Half Year Results Presentation, published in August 2021, Oil Search supported LNG and gas as “complementary to renewables,” without placing clear conditions on the deployment of CCS and methane abatement measures. In its Climate Resilience Addendum to its 2020 Sustainability Report, published in April 2021, Oil Search advocated for additional oil exploration projects and infrastructure in Alaska, through its support for the Pikka Development Project. Similar positions have also been communicated by the company’s Chairman, Richard Lee, who suggested in the Oil Search 2020 Annual Report that low-cost oil and gas has a role in supporting the energy transition, without mentioning a timeframe for fossil fuel phaseout or the need for any abatement measures.
Industry Association Governance: Oil Search has limited disclosure on its industry association memberships. The company’s disclosure of industry association memberships on its corporate website lacks detail on the industry associations' positions on climate policy, and how these positions align with that of Oil Search. It is worth noting that Oil Search is a member of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), an industry association that appears to be engaged negatively in climate policy lobbying in Australia. Additionally, Oil Search has not made public its 2021 CDP submission.