The number of lobbyists working to influence policies regarding climate change has exploded over the past five years, increasing by as much as 300 percent, according to a new report by the Center for Public Integrity.
The report, titled "The Climate Change Lobby," says more than 770 companies and organizations hired about 2,340 lobbyists and spent at least $90 million lobbying on climate change issues during 2008 alone.
Marianne Lavelle, who authored the report, says she attributes the massive influx of climate change lobbyists to the continual support President Barack Obama has given to reducing carbon emissions produced by the nation’s energy infrastructure and American automobiles.
“People think there is a possibility that this might actually happen this time,” Lavelle says.
The new interests weighing in on climate change issues aren’t just the usual suspects either. In addition to the energy companies and manufacturers who have long lobbied on climate change issues, Wall Street firms have joined the fray.
“Five years ago, there were no Wall Street firms lobbying on these issues,” Lavelle says. “But now those firms want businesses to get the maximum amount of flexibility in the market. They see a lot of opportunities to be buyers, sellers, and intermediaries for the trading around reducing carbon.”
Lavelle says cities, counties, and public transit agencies have also hired lobbyists to influence climate change issues.
“If the government starts making companies pay to emit carbon, there is going to be a whole pile of money coming together, and they want to get a piece of that. Public transit agencies in particular are historically under-funded, so they see a chance to tell lawmakers that they are a way to reduce carbon emissions by getting people to ride public transit,” she says.
Lavelle says she expects the massive number of lobbyists working on the issue to make it even more difficult for Congress to make a substantive impact on issues affecting climate change.
“There’s no question that this makes it more difficult. It’s not just two sides,” she says. “It’s a whole lot of people saying ‘Yes, but. . .”