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Apple, Amazon among tech firms lobbying against US climate bill

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Apple, Amazon among tech firms lobbying against US climate bill

The companies have all announced their own promises to cut greenhouse emissions

Despite their own commitments to address the climate crisis, many of America's leading companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and Disney, are supporting corporate lobby groups seeking to block landmark climate legislation in the US.

The Biden administration is currently attempting to pass a $3.5 trillion spending package named the Build Back Better Act, which activists say could help tackle climate change.

The legislation includes unprecedented proposals inckuding introducing a tax on methane gas, expanding tax credits for renewables and electric vehicles, and pushing utilities to use more clean energy.

The measures could potentially lower the USA's greenhouse gas emissions by up to 936 million tons by 2030 (about 14 per cent of the country's 2019 total), according to research firm Rhodium Group.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader of the US Senate, has called the legislation "the most important climate action in our country's history".

In recent years, most big US firms have expressed concern over the climate crisis and announced their own commitments to cut greenhouse emissions. Amazon promised to cut its emissions to net zero by 2040; Microsoft has pledged to be 'carbon negative' by 2030; while Apple aims to be completely carbon neutral by 2030.

Despite those pledges, these companies and many others support the very lobby groups that are pushing to block the biggest climate change bill ever.

"Major corporations love to tell us how committed they are to addressing the climate crisis and building a sustainable future, but behind closed doors, they are funding the very industry trade groups that are fighting tooth and nail to stop the biggest climate change bill ever," Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US, told The Guardian.

"Hiding behind these shady groups doesn't just put our environment at risk - it puts these companies' household names and reputations in serious jeopardy," he added.

The US Chamber of Commerce, which has vowed to do 'everything' it can to prevent the bill from become becoming law, has executives from firms including Microsoft, Deloitte, United Airlines and Intuit in its board.

All these companies have expressed concerns over climate crisis in the past. However, Microsoft had no further comment when we contacted them. We're awaiting responses from the other tech companies named.

Another group, the Business Roundtable, says it is 'deeply concerned' about the passage of the bill, as it would raise taxes on the wealthy.

"These measures would put millions of American jobs at risk, stunt wage growth, suppress business investment and innovation and once again make American companies more susceptible to foreign takeovers," claimed Business Roundtable President & CEO Joshua Bolten earlier this month.

"We urge the members of the Ways and Means Committee and the broader House of Representatives to stand up for American businesses and workers and reject these anti-competitive tax policies."

In reality, green investment is a job creator, and often boosts the economy.

Many company CEOs sit on Business Roundtable's board, including Apple's Tim Cook, Amazon's Andy Jassy, Alphabet's Sundar Pichai, and oil giant Exxon's Darren Woods.

The group's lobbying efforts so far have included an initiative that urges people to contact their members of Congress, and social media posts claiming that the proposed tax hikes would kill nearly 1 million jobs in the country.

The Rate Coalition, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and the National Association of Manufacturers are other groups that oppose the climate bill.

Despite the cientists warn that the world is running out of time to avert catastrophic climate change.

"This is a historic chance to end fossil fuel subsidies and invest in a livable future," said Lukas Ross, climate programme manager at Friends of the Earth.

"We can't waste this opportunity to pass meaningful climate legislation because there might not be another."

Apple, Amazon among tech firms lobbying against US climate bill

The companies have all announced their own promises to cut greenhouse emissions

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