CANADA- But it's no Difference in Other Countries!.......Investigation: Big Oil lobbyists outgun environmentalists with access to the most powerful federal ministries. Despite a mammoth lobbying push in recent years, culminating in a record number of meetings with federal government officials in 2022, environmental groups still find themselves in an impossible race with fossil fuel lobbyists who are similarly upping their lobbying game, according to our investigation. Getting a foot through the door to make your voice heard does not necessarily mean your advice will be heeded. The considerable lobbying push from environmental and climate advocacy groups to rein in the world’s most polluting industries has so far failed to stop the expansion of fossil fuel extraction. In Canada, the fossil fuel industry is responsible for about a third of the country’s planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions at a time when scientists are stressing we need to start phasing out fossil fuels to limit global temperature rise. An important aspect of lobbying is who you’re able to meet with, explained Julia Levin, national climate program manager with Environmental Defence, which registered 155 meetings with federal officials in 2022. Federal officials meet with oil & gas lobbyists more than environmental lobbyists, but in recent years that gap has begun to close Despite a mammoth lobbying push in recent years, environmental groups still find themselves in an impossible race with fossil fuel lobbyists. We repeatedly reached out to the Department of Finance for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication. Our investigation examined who both camps met with and found significant inequities in access to some of the most influential ministries. In 2022, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) had 318 reported meetings with oil and gas lobbyists and only 59 with environmental groups. Finance Canada accepted 104 meetings with oil and gas lobbyists in the same year and only 22 with environmental groups. fossil fuel companies have an "army of lawyers" to support their lobbying efforts. Also, they have an inherent leg up because "politicians tend to listen to [the industry] that produces money, not that costs money."                   https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/02/07/news/lobbying-powerful-oil-and-gas-still-wins-over-environmental-groups                            Special Report- The Influencers   The Influencers looks at lobbying, and who stands in the way of stronger climate policy.......TEN MORE ARTICLES ON THIS ISSUE......https://www.nationalobserver.com/special-reports/influencers