Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: In 2023-25, Telefonica has engaged with both positive and negative positioning on climate change policy. It advocated for policies to maintain competitiveness within Europe and supported the inclusion of telecommunications networks under the EU Taxonomy.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy:Telefonica supported GHG emissions reductions in line with 1.5°C target on its Corporate Website, accessed December 2024. Telefonica appeared to emphasize competitiveness concerns resulting from climate policies in a July 2024 Blog Post and advocated for an “EU competitiveness Deal” without disclosing its position on the need for climate change regulation in its 2024-2029 EU Manifesto published in September 2024. Telefonica supported the Declaration on Green Digital Action and appeared supportive of COP29 in a December 2024 Blog Post. It also supported the UNFCCC process to limit global warming below 1.5°C in a June 2023 Blog Post.
Engagement with Climate Related Regulations: In 2023-25, Telefonica consistently advocated for the inclusion of telecommunications networks under the EU Taxonomy. For example, it supported the inclusion of next generation networks deployments including 5G and fiber under the EU Taxonomy in its 2024-2029 EU Manifesto published in September 2024 and its 2023 Annual Report published in February 2024.
Telefonica appeared supportive of circular economy policies to respond to climate change in a March 2024 Blog Post.
Telefonica advocated support for renewable energy policy, such as a policy framework for power purchase agreements, in a 2023 Position Paper.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Telefonica appeared to broadly support the the urgent decarbonization of the power sector in a March 2024 Blog Post. It also supported the need for government intervention to support an increase in solar energy in the energy mix in Latin America in Position Paper published in 2023. In an October 2024 Blog Post Telefonica also appeared to advocate for the use of methanol-powered hybrid hydrogen solutions for power supply on off-grid sites. Telefonica also generally supported the electrification of public transport and light-duty vehicles and freight transport in a July 2023 Blog Post.
Industry Association Governance: Telefonica has disclosed a list of its industry associations in its 2023 Sustainability report, published in February 2024, but it excludes its membership to International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Telefonica does not appear to have published an audit of its alignment with its industry associations. A Senior Executives of Telefonica holds a leading committee role on the Comisión de Sociedad Digital at Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE) which has generally advocated in opposition to stringent EU policy. The CEO of Telefonica, Jose Alvarez-Pallete, is a member of the European Roundtable for Industrialists, which has engaged on climate change policy in Europe with both positive and negative positioning. A senior executive of Telefonica is also a vice-chair of the Global Digital Economy Commission within the International Chamber of Commerce.
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 2025.