Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is actively engaged on climate policy in the US and internationally, with frequent engagement on policy related to plastics and the circular economy. The group advocates on emissions regulation and the energy transition with largely negative positions.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: ACC demonstrates generally unsupportive top-line messaging on climate policy, with limited evidence in recent years. In its Policy Recommendations for a Lower Emissions Future, published in October 2022 and current as of August 2024, ACC appears to support an economy-wide price on carbon, but only at the expense of other climate regulation. It emphasizes that any carbon pricing scheme should be market-based and “ensure the business of chemistry remains competitive,” “displace performance standards,” and “preempt state climate laws.” On its website, last accessed in October 2024, the group appears to oppose climate change regulation that “hinders” the chemicals industry. In October 2022, ACC tweeted general support for the Paris Agreement, but without mention of its specific goals.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: ACC advocates on climate policy with broadly negative positions. While the group has communicated top-line support for a circular economy for plastics, its detailed engagement is more negative. On its website, accessed in October 2024, ACC broadly supports a shift towards a circular economy but advocates for recycling over waste reduction and reuse. In June 2024 comments to the US General Services Administration (GSA), the group opposed the GSA’s final rule on the reduction of single-use plastic in government purchases.
In August 2024 comments to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ACC opposed single-use plastic reduction standards. In a March 2024 letter to President Biden, it conveyed general support for the UN Plastics Treaty, while emphasizing the need to avoid policy measures that would “jeopardize the many benefits plastics provide to the economy and the environment.” According to a February 2024 article in Plastics News, the group also opposed caps on virgin resin production in the agreement. Additionally, in June 2023, ACC submitted letters to New York state legislators requesting that they oppose a bill to create an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for waste in New York.
Positioning on Energy Transition: ACC largely opposes measures to transition the energy mix, and appears to support a long-term role for fossil fuels. The group has been a vocal opponent of ambitious implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit, seeking to weaken standards of the provision. In its February 2024 comments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), ACC directly advocated for the continued role of fossil gas in hydrogen production. The group further advanced this position in March 2024 testimony to the IRS in which it opposed stringent emissions accounting methodology for produced hydrogen. ACC has also been highly active on the EPA’s proposed power plant rules, with similarly negative advocacy: it was a signatory to December 2023 joint comments suggesting the Agency was acting outside its legal boundary and emphasizing increased costs in the power sector due to the rule. Additional comments signed by ACC in August 2023 similarly opposed the rule, arguing that it constituted regulatory overreach and was “unprecedented in virtually all respects.”
ACC has also demonstrated opposition to policies aimed at electrifying transportation. The group’s Q2 2024 Lobbying Report reveals direct advocacy calling for “Congressional disapproval” of Clean Vehicle Credits under Sections 25E and 30D of the Inflation Reduction Act. In July 2023 comments on the EPA’s Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light and Medium-Duty Vehicles, ACC stated that internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and carbon-based liquid fuels “will continue to play an important role” in the US transportation sector.
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 2024.