Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA)
What do our scores mean?
The organizational score represents the degree to which the organization influencing climate policy and legislation. Corporations also have relationship scores reflecting their links with influencers like trade associations. Both are combined to place the corporation in a performance band. Full details can be found here.
Engagement Intensity
The engagement intensity (EI) is a metric of the extent to which the company is engaging on climate change policy matters, whether positively or negatively. It is a number from 0 (no engagement at all) to 100 (full engagement on all queries/data points). Clearly energy companies are more affected by climate regulations and will have a higher EI than, for example retailers. So an organization’s score should be looked at in conjunction with this metric to gauge the amount of evidence we are using in each case as a basis for scoring. On our scale, an EI of more than 35 indicates a relatively large amount of climate policy engagement.
Relationship Score, December 2020
A new batch of industry associations has been uploaded onto the InfluenceMap system and the relationship scores recalculated accordingly.
- Details of Organization Score
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What do the 0,1,2 and NSs, NAs mean?
Each cell in the organization's matrix presents a chance for us to assess each data source against our column of climate change policy queries. We score from -2 to 2, with negative scores representing evidence of obstructive influence. "NA" means "not applicable" and "NS" means "not scored" - that is we did not find any evidence either way. In both cases, the cell's weighting is re-distributed over others. Red and blue cells represent highly interesting negative or positive influence respectively. Full details can be found here.
QUERIES
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DATA SOURCES | |||||||
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Main Web Site
The main organizational Web site of the company and its direct links to major affiliates and attached documents. |
Social Media
We search other media and sites funded or controlled by the organization, such as social media (Twitter, Facebook) and direct advertising campaigns of the organization. |
CDP Responses
We assess and score responses to two questions from CDP's climate change information request (12.3 a & 12.3c) related to political influence questions (currently these are not numerically scored by the CDP process). |
Legislative Consultations
Comments from the entity being scored on governmental regulatory consultation processes, including those obtained by InfluenceMap through Freedom of Information requests. |
Media Reports
Here we search in a consistent manner (the organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
CEO Messaging
Here we search in a consistent manner (the CEO/Chairman, organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
Financial Disclosures
We search 10-K and 20-F SEC filings where available, and non US equivalents where not. . |
EU Register
Information provided by to the voluntary EU Transparency Register. |
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Climate Science Transparency
Is the organisation being transparent about climate change science? |
0 | 1 | NA | 1 | NS | NS | NA | NA |
Climate Science Stance
Is the organization supporting the science of climate change and the response demanded (as per the IPCC) |
-1 | 0 | NA | -1 | NS | NS | NA | NA |
Need for Climate Regulation
To what extent does the organization express the need for climate policy and regulations in general. |
-1 | 0 | NA | -1 | 0 | 0 | NA | NA |
UN Treaty Support
Is the organization supporting a global treaty on climate change and the UN FCCC process? |
0 | NS | NA | 1 | -1 | NS | NA | NA |
Transparency on Legislation
Is the organisation being transparent about their positions on climate change legislation and policy, including CEO statements. |
1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Carbon Tax
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: carbon tax. |
-1 | -2 | NA | NS | -2 | -2 | NA | NA |
Emissions Trading
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: emissions trading. |
NS | NS | NA | -1 | NS | 0 | NA | NA |
Energy Efficiency Standards
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Energy efficiency standards and targets |
0 | NS | NA | NS | NS | NS | NA | NA |
Renewable Energy Legislation
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Renewable energy targets, subsidies and legislation. |
-2 | -1 | NA | -1 | -1 | 0 | NA | NA |
Energy Policy and Mix
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: energy policy and the energy mix. We refer to IPCC thinking on renewables, coal, oil and gas. |
-1 | -1 | NA | -1 | -1 | 0 | NA | NA |
GHG Emission Standards
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: GHG emission standards and targets. |
-1 | NS | NA | -1 | NS | -1 | NA | NA |
Disclosure on Relationships
The Caring for Climate “inventory” of climate change policy influences: Are companies being transparent about their business associations which may impact climate debate and policy |
1 | NS | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
APPEA is highly engaged with Australian climate change policy. The organisation has taken positions against the need for stringent regulatory intervention to address climate change and has particularly opposed measures to transition the economy away from fossil fuels.
APPEA has stated it supports the science of climate change. In 2018 APPEA Chief Executive, Dr Malcolm Roberts expressed support for energy policy frameworks that facilitate market innovation and investment while also calling for the finalization of UNFCCC rules on trading emissions permits and credit. However, in 2019 APPEA also argued that any existing and future climate policy in Australia should be aimed at enhancing Australia as a destination for oil and gas development. In 2019, APPEA appears to have supported the Australian Government’s participation in the Paris Climate Agreement, however, the group also supports the use of Kyoto carryover credits to meet Australia’s upcoming Paris targets.
APPEA has had negative engagement with a number of policies. In 2019, APPEA opposed the Western Australian EPA's proposed changes to Greenhouse Gas Assessment Guidance for new projects, which included counting Scope 3 emissions and requiring organisations to offset all emissions for large projects. In 2020, APPEA again lobbied against the inclusion of Scope 3 reporting requirements under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation act. In this instance, APPEA lobbied against using the EPBC act to reduce greenhouse emissions altogether. APPEA has repeatedly lobbied to weaken the safeguard mechanism, including in 2018, when it lobbied for updated baselines to reflect 'business conditions'. In 2017-2018, APPEA supported the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) but with multiple caveats. These included exemptions for trade-exposed industries, exemptions from emission requirements for LNG-for-export, and in June 2018 APPEA stated its opposition to a recommendation to impose a financial penalty for non-compliance with the policy.
APPEA has strongly promoted the role of gas Australia’s energy mix. In February 2018 the organization sought to have LNG manufactured for export made exempt from emissions reductions requirements. In 2019, APPEA opposed the Western Australian EPA’s greenhouse gas assessment guidelines for project approvals. In 2020, APPEA has pushed for an increased role for gas as part of the government’s Technology Roadmap. APPEA has also been active in pushing for support for fossil fuel development in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes advocating ‘fast-tracking’ brownfield coal developments, advocating an expansion in gas usage and fracking in the Northern Territor, as well as lobbying for new fossil fuel subsidies. As well as directly lobbying policymakers, it has used to indirect tactics to influence public opinion, for example, advertising heavily in the Northern Territory August 2020 election to promote the role of unconventional gas production in boosting economic recovery from the pandemic.
At the same time, APPEA appears to have opposed several renewable energy policies. APPEA has voiced its opposition to individual renewable energy targets at the state level in Australia, and in June 2018 proposed replacing these and lessening the role of the Renewable Energy Target with a “low-cost” NEG.