🔗 Share this article

Per new research, cabinet members engaged with representatives from the oil and gas sector over 500 times during their first year in government – equivalent to double per weekday.

Significant Increase Compared to Previous Administration

The research found that fossil fuel lobbyists were participating in 48% additional official discussions during the present administration's first year compared to the year before.

Ministerial Justification

Ministers defended the meetings, asserting that ministers engaged with a diverse array of agents from "the energy industry, unions and community groups to propel our clean energy major project".

Growing Concerns About Corporate Lobbying

Nevertheless, the results have generated worry among observers about the degree of the petroleum industry's sway over ministers at a period when officials are attempting to reduce costs and shift to a greener energy infrastructure.

Principal Results

The analysis, which is based on the official public documentation of official engagements, further discovered:

• Ministers at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero met with fossil fuel lobbyists 274 times, with industry figures attending almost a quarter of sessions.

• The energy minister engaged with petroleum sector advocates 250 times – with 33% of each discussion featuring corporate delegates.

• In the identical timeframe government representatives met with trade union representatives 61 times.

• Multiple prominent fossil fuel companies engaged with ministers 100 times collectively.

• Oil industry representatives were present at nearly all official session about the energy profits levy, a interim levy against the "unprecedented revenues" of North Sea oil and gas companies.

Party Statements

An environmental politician commented: "Rather than heeding researchers, communities impacted by climate events, or guardians eager to secure a safe future for their descendants, this administration is prioritising lobbyists and revenues for major petroleum companies."

Ministerial Response

The government insisted the discoveries were "deceptive", claiming numerous of the corporations included also had clean energy investments and that such matters were typically the main topic of the conversations.

"Our main focus is a equitable, orderly and successful change in the North Sea in line with our ecological and regulatory requirements, and we are cooperating with the sector to safeguard current and future generations of decent work."

Broader Context

Various prominent petroleum industry giants have been criticised for reducing their green investments in recent times amid a global pushback against environmental measures.

An activist coordinator from an climate legal group commented: "Ministers promised a government of service, but that shouldn't involve yielding to businesses earning revenue out of environmental crisis. It's time to cease favoring environmental offenders and focus on the public."