Climate Lobbying Overview: Renault appears to have mixed engagement on climate change policy globally in 2021-23. While the company has stated top-line support for the Paris Agreement and a 1.5°C global warming target, in 2021-23 it appears to have advocated for a delay to the EU's 2035 zero-emissions CO2 target to promote a longer-term role of hybrid sales.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Renault has generally positive top-line statements on climate policy. In its April 2021 Climate Report, Renault appeared to support GHG emissions reductions in line with a 1.5°C target. Furthermore, in an April 2021 joint letter, the company expressed support for the EU's Green Deal and climate neutrality by 2050 in line with IPCC demands. In the same letter, Renault called for ambitious government policy to respond to climate change, and appeared to support increased government investment to support GHG emissions reductions in an April 2021 MEDEF French Business Climate Pledge. In an April 2021 joint letter, Renault appeared to support the re-entry of the US into the UN Paris Agreement, and the company has also continuously signalled its support for the Paris Agreement, for example on its corporate website in 2022.

Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Renault appears to have engaged with CO2 standards for light-duty vehicles in the EU with mixed positions. In a March 2023 ACEA press release, Renault’s CEO, Luca de Meo, appeared not to support the EU's 2035 100% zero-emission CO2 target for light-duty vehicles. Earlier, in a September 2021 media report, a Renault senior executive stated that the company would seek to weaken the policy by calling for the EU's proposed 2035 zero-emissions target to be delayed until 2040 for hybrid vehicles. Similarly, according to a November 2021 Irish Times article, Renault opposed the EU's proposed target of 55% vehicle CO2 emissions reductions by 2030. Additionally, in an April 2021 parliamentary consultation response, Renault advocated for the UK government to reduce fines for failing to meet UK CO2 standard targets for light-duty vehicles, or to weaken the requirements.

In an April 2021 joint letter, Renault appeared to support a carbon border adjustment mechanism in the EU, without specifying a position on the removal of existing exemptions, while in its 2021 CDP disclosure, the company advocated for a carbon tax with the exception that it is revenue neutral. In a February 2021 EU consultation response, Renault appeared to support some reforms to elements of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), however did not support revising the level of free allocation of emissions allowances and rebasing the emissions cap. The company also appeared unsupportive of extending the EU ETS to the road transport sector. In the same consultation response, Renault appeared to support the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while advocating for the continuation of existing carbon leakage protection measures under the EU ETS with no phase out.

In New Zealand, in a November 2021 consultation response, Renault appeared to strongly oppose higher CO2 targets for light-duty vehicles included in New Zealand's Clean Car Bill, arguing that the proposed targets are unachievable, and emphasizing affordability and supply constraints.

Positioning on Energy Transition: Renault appears to have mixed engagement on the decarbonization of transportation. In a March 2023 ACEA press release, Renault’s CEO, Luca de Meo, appeared not to support the EU's proposed 2035 ICE phase-out date for light-duty vehicles, instead advocating for technology neutrality. As a number of EU nation states attempted to weaken the regulation in its final stages by advocating for an e-fuel exemption, de Meo stated that “mass electrification is … no silver bullet” and that “the enemy is fossil-based energy, not a particular technology”. Earlier, according to a November 2021 Irish Times media report, the company also opposed an EU 2035 phase-out date for ICE-powered vehicles, citing high consumer costs of EVs and arguing that the ban “should be at least softened”. In January 2021, Renault CEO, Luca De Meo, further emphasized the costs of electric vehicles in an Il Fatto Quotidiano interview. Additionally, in a November 2021 New Zealand consultation response, Renault appeared to strongly oppose the ZEV mandate included in New Zealand's proposed Clean Car Bill. However, in an April 2021 UK consultation response, Renault appeared to support the UK's 2030 phase-out date for gasoline and petrol-powered vehicles and numerous other incentives and policies to promote EVs in the UK, including tax breaks and infrastructure development.

Moreover, Renault appears to have communicated general support for the electrification of transportation, for example in its April 2021 Climate Report, alongside expressing support for natural gas and LPG powered vehicles. Renault appears to support measures to accelerate the electrification of transportation, such as EV financial incentives, according to its 2021 CDP disclosure, as well as advocating for expanded infrastructure for electric vehicles, with Renault’s deputy CEO, Clotilde Delbos, stating in a CNBC appearance in January 2021 that financing for incentives should progressively be redirected to fund EV infrastructure.

Industry Association Governance: Renault has disclosed a partial list of its trade association memberships in its 2021 Universal Registration Document. Renault has not completed an audit of its trade association memberships. The company’s CEO, Luca de Meo, is President of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in 2023, and a senior executive is on the board of the Federation of French Industry (MEDEF). The company is a member of a number of obstructive trade associations globally including the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), UK-based Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

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.