The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List

A 50-state survey by Global Energy Monitor reveals that major U.S. corporations in the tech, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ lobbyists who also represent fossil fuel interests. This creates a paradox where companies with public net-zero pledges provide political cover and credibility to lobbyists promoting continued fossil fuel dependence. The report highlights specific companies—such as Amazon, State Farm, and Bank of America—and notes that weak state disclosure laws and the absence of a national database hinder accountability.

• The U.S. technology sector is a primary employer of lobbyists who also work for the fossil fuel industry, despite the sector's ambitious net-zero goals. Amazon leads this trend, employing such lobbyists in 28 states, followed by Facebook/Meta in 21 states and Apple in 18 states.
• Major U.S. insurance companies employ fossil fuel lobbyists in states heavily impacted by the climate crisis. State Farm employs these lobbyists in 17 states, Allstate in 11, and Berkshire Hathaway in 10.
• Among the top five U.S. banks, Bank of America has the highest number of fossil fuel lobbyists in 10 states, followed by Wells Fargo in nine and Citigroup in seven.
• State-level lobbyist disclosure laws are often weak or poorly implemented, which prevents the effective tracking of fossil fuel lobbyist activity. Many states only require lobbyists to list general issue areas like "Energy" or "Environment" rather than specific bill numbers.
• The lack of a national database for state-level lobbyists protects non-fossil fuel companies from accountability regarding their choice of lobbyists.
• Multi-client lobbyists act as "gatekeepers" to state officials, and their association with reputable non-fossil fuel companies makes it more difficult for pro-environment legislators to refuse meetings with them, even when they are representing fossil fuel interests.
• Anti-divestment campaigns, such as those promoted by the State Financial Officers’ Foundation (SFOF) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), have led states like Texas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma to pass laws penalizing companies that divest from fossil fuels.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2022). The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Fossil-Fuel-Lobbyist-List-Nov.-2022-FINAL_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List. 2022. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Fossil-Fuel-Lobbyist-List-Nov.-2022-FINAL_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List |date=November 2022 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Fossil-Fuel-Lobbyist-List-Nov.-2022-FINAL_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2022fossil, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Fossil-Fuel-Lobbyist-List-Nov.-2022-FINAL_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }