Nearly 1,800 individuals with interests in fossil fuel industries have been authorised to attend the UN climate conference (COP29) as part of national delegations, a coalition of NGOs has stated. As part of the delegations they can influence the decision-making process.
The Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) coalition reports that at least 1,773 fossil fuel lobbyists were accredited to attend the UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. COP29 started on Monday this week and will take place until 22 November.
"Fossil fuel corporations are again capturing the decision-making space at COP, which is unacceptable," said Elena Gerebizza of ReCommon, one of the organisations involved in the investigation. "We are exposing these numbers, calling for an end to the presence of fossil fuel corporations at climate negotiations. They should be paying for the damage and suffering generated by the industry, not blocking any meaningful global action with their false solutions."
Similar to last year, fossil fuel lobbyists outnumber the delegation of almost every country, except Azerbaijan (2,229), Brazil (1,914), which will host COP30, and Turkey (1,862), according to KBPO, which includes 450 NGOs.
More present than vulnerable countries
The report by KBPO highlights that more passes were issued to fossil fuel lobbyists than to delegates from the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change (1,033). This underscores the overwhelming presence of the fossil fuel industry compared to those on the front lines of the climate crisis.
"It’s time to prioritise the voices of those fighting for justice and sustainable development over the interests of polluters," Health of Mother Earth Foundation's Nnimmo Bassey said.
The prominent presence of oil, gas, and coal interests at COPs has long caused controversy. This year’s summit is hosted by Azerbaijan – a country rich in hydrocarbons, which form the basis of crude oil, natural gas, coal, and other important energy sources. President Ilham Aliyev has described it as a "gift from God".
COP participants are usually affiliated with a government or a registered organisation. New UN rules allow observers to more easily track the presence of lobbyists, as attendees must disclose information about their employer and any financial or other connections with the entity requesting their accreditation since COP28.
Eight of the top ten trade groups with the most lobbyists came from the Global North. The largest attending company was the International Emissions Trading Association, which brought 43 people – including representatives from TotalEnergies (a petroleum company) and Glencore (a commodities trader, including in petrochemicals).
Japan's national delegation included coal giant Sumitomo while Canada brought oil producers Suncor and Tourmaline. A record 2,456 individuals linked to fossil fuel interests were registered at COP28 in Dubai, compared to 636 the previous year in Egypt, KBPO says.
The European Commission, which brought lobbyists including senior executives from BP, Exxon and En to COP28 in Dubai, did not bring any fossil fuel lobbyists this year.
