COP28: Record number of fossil fuel delegates at climate talks

Activists say the number of delegates at this year’s UN climate talks, who are also linked to fossil fuel producers, has quadrupled since last year.

About 2,400 people linked to the coal, oil and gas industries have registered for the COP28 climate talks.

This record exceeds the total attendance from the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change.

The jump is partly due to registration changes where attendees are now required to be open about their jobs.

The analysis was conducted by A Alliance of Green Groups He opposes the presence of coal, oil and gas-related delegates in the talks.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) is the largest climate conference ever held, with approximately 97,000 politicians, diplomats, journalists and activists participating.

But this new analysis indicates that 2,456 representatives from the coal, oil and gas industries and related organizations are also participating in the meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), in Glasgow, there were about 500 delegates with fossil fuel backgrounds.

Last year at COP27 in Egypt, numbers swelled by a quarter, with more than 600 representatives there.

But this year more than four times that number were registered at COP28.

Ahead of this year’s talks, the UN introduced stricter registration procedures, meaning more people have to clearly state who they work for.

As a result of this greater transparency, the numbers have risen dramatically. But activists say this is not the only reason for the rise.

“This doesn’t take into account the significant surge in lobbyist attendance,” said George Caro-Jones of the Kick Big Polluters Out coalition.

“These talks are rumored to be aimed at making progress on phasing out fossil fuels, and the fossil fuel industry is here to influence that outcome as much as possible,” he said.

Activists review the list of registered attendees at each conference and analyze the affiliations that participants themselves disclose.

They then verify that each link has been sponsored or paid for by a fossil fuel-related entity, such as a company or national oil producer. They say they are taking a conservative approach and applying a “rigorous methodology.”

The future of fossil fuels is very much on the agenda of this meeting, as COP President Sultan Al Jaber seeks to reach an agreement that could signal a phase-out of these energy sources.

His appointment was controversial because he is also the CEO of ADNOC, the UAE’s state oil company.

Mr Jaber was forced to defend himself after making statements that appeared to cast doubt on the science behind the idea of ​​ending fossil fuels.

Activists who compiled these new figures say the links with the oil, coal and gas industries at COP28 go far beyond the presidency.

“The sheer number of fossil fuel lobbyists in the climate talks that could determine our future is inexcusable,” said Joseph Sekulow, Pacific managing director, 350.org.

“Their increased presence in the COP undermines the integrity of the process as a whole. We came here to fight for our survival, and what chance do we have if our voices are choked by the influence of big polluters? This poisoning of the process must end.” “We will not allow oil and gas to influence the future of the Pacific to this degree.”