how corporations rule

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that corporate and elite capture of national political decision-making is a primary driver behind the failure of governments to implement the economic transformations necessary to address the climate crisis and meet UNFCCC goals.

• The trajectory of international climate negotiations under the UNFCCC has deteriorated since COP 15 in December 2009, with countries like the US, Japan, and Canada attempting to dismantle the framework for legally binding emissions reductions.
• Governmental positions on climate and sustainability policy are increasingly hijacked by narrow corporate interests from polluting industries and those seeking to profit from the climate crisis, leading to a lack of accountability toward ordinary citizens.
• Corporate and elite influence prioritizes short-term profit over environmental protection and promotes 'false solutions' to the climate crisis—such as nuclear energy, agrofuels, carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon trading, and large-scale geoengineering—which the document claims can worsen the crisis while providing greenwashing opportunities.
• Private sector organizations, often registered as 'BINGOs' (Business and Industry NGOs), exert influence on multilateral negotiations through public side events and private meetings with government negotiators.
• Corporations and financial elites use several specific routes to influence political decision-making, including behind-the-scenes lobbying, direct funding of political parties, funding think tanks, 'revolving doors' between public and private sectors, and membership in political task forces.
• Underlying power imbalances, driven by trade and investment liberalisation in the late twentieth century, have shifted economic power from national governments to multinationals and elites, making governments dependent on them for investment, jobs, and tax income.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). how corporations rule. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Corporate-Capture-intro-for-web.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. how corporations rule. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Corporate-Capture-intro-for-web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=how corporations rule |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Corporate-Capture-intro-for-web.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalndhow, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{how corporations rule}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Corporate-Capture-intro-for-web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }