The fossil fuel industry is trying to keep buildings hooked on gas. Here’s how.

Bossling fuel industries in the United States, the European Union and Australia are leading parallel campaigns to prevent policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings. This is according to a New report By influencing the London -based intellectual tank, which was found to be in all three regions, laws that restrict the use of natural gas in buildings faced a large recovery of oil, gas and facilities companies.

These efforts have greatly succeeded in preventing and weakening new laws, which led to the delay in climate work on a global scale. Drawing from the effect map Database This tracks the participation of companies in climate policies, researchers found that fossil fuel companies and their commercial bonds have used similar pressure tactics in all countries, including creating advertising campaigns and front groups, seeking laws directly, and taking legal measures. They also developed accounts designed for each region to mislead consumers and enhance gas use, according to the report.

Emilia Pasiak said the campaigns combined, and resulted in “policy winning to make fossil fuels.” “All these accounts they use to prolong the role of fossil gas are inconsistent with the leadership of climate science and general health studies.” (“Fossil gas” is another term for natural gas, which consists primarily of greenhouse gas Methane))

Between construction, electricity and heating, the buildings represent the buildings 21 percent of carbon emissions Globally, about a quarter of these emissions come from burning fossil fuels on the site. Replacing heating systems and powered devices in fossil fuels with heat pumps and other electrical alternatives-a strategy known as electricity-is one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions and Improving air quality. The report focused on the European Union, Australia and the United States because the three are home to the recently presented electrical policies that faced opposition to industry.

In the United States, local gas embargo and electrical decrees arose in dozens of cities yet Berkeley, California, presented a preliminary ban on burning gas in new buildings In 2019, fossil fuel companies and facilities were provided Judicial cases Amikos summaries, Published DataAnd run the advertising campaigns to oppose this ban. The facilities have also funded community groups that appear to be at the base level, a strategy known as Astroturfing, to undermine electrical policies in places such as Colorado and Eugene, Oregon.

According to the report, commercial groups such as the American Gas Association, the National Association of Probian Gas, and the Consumer Energy Alliance pushed new laws at the state level to prevent local governments from entering the gas ban. These follow -up laws have now passed in 26 states. Likewise, local policies have stopped: last year, Berkeley agreed to Ali Stop applying gas ban After defeating a long battle from the court launched by the California restaurant industry – a loss that was paid Several societies withdraw a similar ban.

The report found that the majority of efforts that made us press the narration focused on the fact that “the choice of the consumer must be protected.” These messages are prevalent throughout the United States and “nothing less than misleading propaganda,” said ITai VARDI, a researcher at the Energy and Policy Institute in facilities that did not participate in the report.

“The industry is trying to harness the dominant American cultural values ​​such as” freedom “,” selection “and” individual “to serve its narrow economic interests of maintaining gas in this mix. “However, the main supporters of this line, gas tools, their commercial bonds and front groups are in fact monopolistic entities that have the definition of their customer power options.”

Praison Hall, the spokesperson for the Consumer Energy Alliance, told the group that the group is “proud of its work in the field of advocacy in multiple cases to ensure that natural gas remains a reliable, reliable and cleaner option for the Americans.” The American Gas Association and the National Gas Association did not respond to GRI’s requests for time to publish.

Industry groups in the European Union and Australia use tactics and arguments similar to. In the European Union, oil and gas companies were successfully pressed to add incentives for mixed heating systems that use fossil fuels to a The last law It aims to increase energy efficiency in buildings. The report found that industry arguments have often focused on the idea that politics should be “neutral for technology”, despite the results reached by the International Government Committee for Climate Change, which is the best scientific body for climate change, “renewable energy sources and “.Private technologyThe policies have reduced emissions all over the world.

In Victoria, Australia, companies have managed ads to oppose the ban on the last gas in new buildings, on the pretext that the electrification will increase the ability to withstand costs and energy security. Researchers wrote that this message contradicts the discovery of the United Nations Committee that spreading clean energy makes energy cheaper and more reliable. In September, Victoria announced this The stoves will be exempt Plans to gradually get rid of gas in current homes.

The research provides additional evidence that “fuel industries and fossil facilities use coordinated and planned attacks against one of the most important climate measures and public health: obtaining buildings from fossil fuels,” said Fardi. He added this in the United States, Customer facilities often impose these pressure costsIncluding membership dues for commercial associations.

However, a small number of energy companies have taken the alignment of science and electrification support. In the United States, for example, the Trade Group Advanced Energy United and Hvac Ternologies supported federal climate policies and construction efficiency. FIFIC Barrick said that companies must reassess not only for their individual positions but also their membership in commercial associations that prohibit the construction electrification, said a co -author of Vivek Parekh. For example, the utility tool He left the American Gas Association In 2023, to “redirect costs to more associations and memberships with a focus on Carbon removal”

Currently, although “these voices are overwhelmed by the fossil fuel industry,” said Barrick. “The overwhelming opportunity here is that these voices are to enhance its call to build an electricity and a gas sequence.”