The dramatic increase in attendance involving some of the world’s largest polluting oil and gas giants at COP27 is thought to reflect the growing influence of the fossil fuel industry to shape debate.
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SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt – More than 600 fossil fuel industry delegates have been registered to attend the COP27 climate talks in Egypt, analysis from campaign groups, reflecting an increase of more than 25% from last year.
The dramatic increase in attendance involving some of the world’s biggest polluters at the top UN climate conference is thought to reflect an increase in industry influence. fossil fuel industry to shape the debate.
Campaigners describe the findings as a “joke twist” and say it seems to set the stage for COP27 to become “a festival of fossil fuels and their polluting friends, boosted by recent bumper profits. “
A spokesman for Egypt’s COP presidency was not immediately available to comment on the report’s findings.
Some 35,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries are expected to convene in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss collective action to tackle the climate emergency.
An analysis of data from the UN interim list of attendees with the names of the Corporate Accountability advocacy groups, the European Business Observatory and the Global Witness found that 636 campaigners took action. The fossil fuel industry has signed up to participate in the negotiations.
That reflects an increase of more than 100 from last year’s talks in Glasgow, Scotland.
That means more fossil fuel lobbyists were at the two-week summit than any other country outside of the United Arab Emirates, which had 1,070 registered delegates compared to any other country outside the United Arab Emirates. with 176 delegates last year.
The data also shows that more fossil fuel industry delegates are set to attend COP27 than any other national delegation from the African continent, despite the so-called “Africa COP” negotiations. “.
The researchers looked at the UN’s provisional list of attendees to count the number of individuals registered to act on behalf of the fossil fuel industry or who are directly affiliated with oil and gas companies, such as BP, Cover and Chevron.
The ‘unusual presence’ of the fossil fuel industry
A spokesman for the groups said: “With time running out to avert climate catastrophe, major negotiations like COP27 must absolutely spur concrete action to stop the industry’s harmful practices. The fossil fuel industry is causing more damage to the climate than any other industry.”
They added: “The unusual presence of industry lobbyists at these negotiations is a naughty joke that damages both people and the planet.
Undoubtedly, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, is a major cause of the climate crisis.
A series of major United Nations reports published in recent weeks offer a stark assessment of how close the planet is to irreversible climate decay, warning that there is no ” “reliable path” to limit global warming to a critical temperature threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“There’s a lot of paid lip service to the so-called COP Africa, but how would you address the severe climate impacts on this continent, when the fossil fuels delegation is larger than any other country?” Which Africa?” Philip Jakpor on Corporate Accountability and African Community Engagement.
“More than 450 organizations around the world are calling on governments around the world to do what they should have done in the first place,” said Mr. Jakpor. “It’s time to get rid of the Big Pollutants! No need to write more rules or budget for climate negotiations.”
