Contribution short abstract

The fossil fuel industry has long weaponized academia to defend its business interests. Far less is known about the consulting firms that help broker these ties. Hundreds of emails obtained through a public records request reveal a powerful example.

Contribution long abstract

The fossil fuel industry’s efforts to obstruct action on climate change are well-documented. By contrast, the role of enabling industries has received less attention. Here, we report a case study demonstrating how one of the world’s largest consulting firms facilitated influential relationships in order to help their oil company clients vie for federal funding that would ensure the continuity of the natural gas market. Using a public records request, we have obtained emails between McKinsey & Company and the University of Houston showing that the consulting firm shaped the university’s Energy Transition Institute and co-wrote a bid for it to become one of seven U.S. hydrogen hubs eligible for up to $1.2 billion in funding from the Department of Energy.

The newly discovered documents illustrate McKinsey’s longstanding strategy to leverage academic ties to influence policy decisions in favor of their clients. The University of Houston’s Vice President for Energy and Innovation privately celebrated the viewpoints of a McKinsey senior advisor as “essential to shape student programs and research agendas that align with the greatest needs of the energy industry.” This investigation provides compelling evidence that consultancies are a key under-addressed node in the network of climate obstruction linking fossil fuel interests to universities and government.