Data and code for ``Natural gas policy position of university energy centers relates to their funders''

Methane is 28 to 86 times more potent a driver of global warming than CO2 and global methane concentration growth rates have increased linearly since 2004. Yet, the role of fossil fuels and revitalized natural gas extraction and distribution in accelerating methane concentrations is poorly recognized. Here, we examine the policy positioning of university-based energy centers towards natural gas, given their growing influence on climate discourse and policy. We conducted sentiment analysis using a lexicon- and rule-based sentiment scoring tool on 1,168,194 sentences in 1,706 reports from 26 universities, some of which receive their primary funding from the natural gas industry. We found that fossil-funded energy centers are more favorable in their reports toward natural gas than toward renewable energy, and tweets are more favorable when they mention funders by name. Centers less dependent on fossil funding show a reversed pattern with neutral sentiment toward gas and favoring solar and hydro power. <br>