Who Shapes the Climate Capitalism Movement? A Corporate Network Analysis

Presenter: Julia Anne Schowalter

Faculty Sponsor: Kevin L. Young

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Business & Economics

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, Auditorium, A62

ABSTRACT

A variety of proposals, ranging from incremental reforms to sweeping transformations, have emerged in the global effort to combat climate change. One such approach, often termed climate capitalism, promotes market-driven strategies as a means of addressing climate change while continuing to generate profit. By implicitly avoiding constraints on industrial activity, this framework raises important questions about whom it ultimately serves: industry, the environment, or both. This thesis will not evaluate the effectiveness of climate capitalism as an environmental solution, but will instead examine the nature of the organizations most closely associated with the movement. As such, this thesis seeks to discover the key characteristics and extent of involvement of transnational corporations and corporate elites in the push for global climate capitalism. Using membership data from leading international climate capitalism organizations, cross referenced with the 2025 Forbes Top 1000 transnational corporations and their boards of directors, this study constructs a network of corporate elites involved in promoting climate capitalism. Analysis of this network reveals organizational ties and cross-industry connections, offering insight into the relationship between climate capitalism organizations and transnational corporations. The results of this thesis provide important context for understanding who shapes the climate capitalism movements and underscores the need for transparency in industry involvement in market-based climate initiatives.

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