According to NGOs, 636 people defend coal, oil and gas at the climate conference, an increase of 25 % compared to COP26. It is more than any national delegation, with the exception of that of the United Arab Emirates.
by Audrey Garric
Lobbyists of fossil fuels are present in force at the World Climate Conference (COP27), in Charm El-Cheikh, Egypt. According to the calculations of three NGOs published Thursday, November 10 , 636 people defend the interests of businesses involved in coal, oil and gas. This represents an increase of more than 25 % compared to COP26 which was held in Glasgow (Scotland) in 2021.
Heresy, for associations, while this high mass must accelerate the fight against climate change, of which fossil fuels are the main cause. “Tobacco lobbyists would not come to a health convention and weapons merchants cannot promote their products at a conference for peace,” they compare.
Global Witness associations, Corporate Accountability and Corporate Europe Observatory have peeled the list of 33,000 participants to the conference which brings together delegates, businesses, researchers or NGOs around the world. They show that lobbyists of fossil fuels are more numerous than any national delegation – with the exception of that of the United Arab Emirates, who will chair COP28 in 2023 and sent 1,070 people, ten times more than in 2021 . Their number also exceeds the total of the representatives of Ten countries most affected by climate change (including Bangladesh, Pakistan or Haiti).
According to specialized site carbon brief , the largest national delegation present at this conference, after the United Arab Emirates, is that of Brazil (574 members), followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo ( 459), Kenya (386) and Canada (377). France sends 186 people.
a place at the heart of negotiations
Defenders of the fossil industries, who work for example for Exxonmobil, Shell, Chevron or BP, generally have the simple observer status, when they are accredited as professional associations. The International Association for the Exchange of Transfer Rights (IETA), a lobby of companies made up in particular of fossil fuel producers, is thus very represented this year, with 130 members.
In France, four representatives of totalnergies, including his CEO Patrick Pouyanné, are accredited. He participates in the title of the Association Entreprises pour l’Environnement, which he chairs and which also sends representatives of EDF, Engie, Schneider Electric or Veolia .
But lobbyists are also directly part of the national delegations, which gives them a place at the heart of climate negotiations, which NGOs do not have access. In total, according to the statement of associations, 29 countries have included defenders of fossil fuels in their national delegations, or 200 people.
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