A shocking revelation has emerged, exposing the infiltration of global climate conferences by powerful lobby groups with vested interests. The extent of this influence is nothing short of alarming, especially considering the catastrophic consequences of climate change we face today.
A Disturbing Trend Unveiled
A recent study has uncovered that over 5,000 lobby groups, primarily representing the fossil fuel industry, have gained access to United Nations climate summits over the past four years. This period has witnessed an alarming increase in extreme weather events, insufficient climate action, and a record expansion of oil and gas production.
The study, published by The Guardian, focuses on the presence of these lobby groups at the Glasgow (COP26), Sharm El-Sheikh (COP27), Dubai (COP28), and Baku (COP29) negotiations. It reveals that nearly 5,350 lobbyists, working on behalf of at least 859 organizations in the fossil fuel sector, have been rubbing shoulders with world leaders and climate negotiators.
But here’s where it gets controversial: these lobby groups, representing the very industries responsible for climate collapse, were allowed to participate in annual climate negotiations where states are expected to negotiate in good faith and commit to ambitious policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
An analysis by the coalition “Kick Big Polluters Out” reveals that just 90 fuel companies, which sent lobbyists to climate talks between 2021 and 2024, were responsible for more than half of the 57% of oil and gas produced last year. These companies, including some of the world’s most profitable private and public oil and gas firms, produced a staggering 33,699 million barrels of oil equivalent in 2024 – enough to cover the entire area of Spain with a one-centimeter thick layer of oil.
Furthermore, these same 90 companies represent about 63% of all short-term fossil fuel expansion projects, which are gearing up for exploration and production. If these projects go ahead, these companies would produce enough oil to cover an area equivalent to seven European countries combined – France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway – with a one-centimeter thick layer of oil.
Corporate Interests vs. The Planet
These findings have reignited calls to prevent fossil fuel companies and other major polluters from participating in annual climate negotiations. With growing scientific evidence that the world has failed to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the need for action is more urgent than ever.
Adelson Vieira, a spokesperson for the Amazon Working Group, puts it bluntly: “This information clearly reveals corporate control over the global climate process… The space that should be dedicated to science and people has transformed into a massive carbon business hall.”
Brina Eloothander, lead coordinator of the Indigenous Environmental Network and a member of the “KBPO” organization, adds: “Indigenous people are suffering from the climate chaos on our lands, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme heat waves. We must take the ‘For Sale’ sign off ‘Mother Earth’ and prevent lobby groups from the oil and gas sector from entering COP conferences.”
The Anger Grows
The lack of meaningful action by the richest and most polluting countries has only fueled the anger and frustration of many. What’s more, revelations that the fossil fuel industry seems to have gained greater access to climate talks compared to most countries have further exacerbated this anger.
Last year in Baku, 1,773 registered fossil fuel lobbyists attended the summit in Azerbaijan, which was 70% more than the total number of representatives from the ten most climate-vulnerable countries combined. This disparity is a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play.
However, the true extent of fossil fuel influence is likely even deeper, as lobbying data excludes executives and other company representatives in official country delegations and surplus delegates attending as guests of governments.
Profits Over Planet
Many of the world’s most profitable fossil fuel companies have been present at recent COP summits, even as governments faced immense public pressure to agree on phasing out fossil fuels. Between 2021 and 2024, Shell sent 37 lobbyists, BP sent 36, ExxonMobil sent 32, and Chevron sent 20. Over the past five years, these four major oil companies have collectively earned profits exceeding $420 billion.
Darren Woods, CEO of Exxon, even participated in an event launching COP30 in Brasília, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce. The United States, having withdrawn from the Paris climate agreements, did not send a national delegation to the summit.
Petrobras, a predominantly state-owned Brazilian multinational, has sent at least 28 lobbyists to the last four climate summits. Recently, it received a license to conduct exploratory oil drilling in the sea off the Amazon, home to many Indigenous communities and about 10% of the known species on the planet.
Counterpressures and the Need for Reform
After years of campaigns led by civil society organizations, delegates to this year’s COP are now required to disclose the source of funding for their participation and ensure their goals align with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. However, this new transparency requirement excludes official government delegations and surplus delegations, and calls for tightening conflict of interest protections have not been adequately addressed, according to rights advocates.
A spokesperson for the UN Climate Change agency stated: “The Secretariat has taken concrete steps in 2023 and again this year to enhance the transparency of participants at COP.”
But Mohamed Sarf, executive director of the Palestinian Institute for Climate Strategy, argues: “The new rules are a welcome start, but they come decades too late, and transparency without exclusion is merely a charade. It cannot be claimed that this process has been repaired by the very companies that are burning the planet and fueling wars.”
He adds: “The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must shift from disclosure to exclusion. Without reform, this process will not save the world but will contribute to its burial.”
The battle for a sustainable future continues, and the need for meaningful action and reform is clearer than ever.