E-Paper
Over 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists attend COP30 in Brazil, 12% increase from COP29
Fossil fuel lobbyists have received two-thirds more passes to COP30 than all the delegates from the 10 most climate vulnerable nations combined.
More than 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists are attending the ongoing UN Climate talks (COP30) in Brazil’s Belém, according to the Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) coalition, a global grouping of more than 450 organisations working on ending greenhouse gas pollution.
The analysis reveals that fossil fuel lobbyists significantly outnumber almost every country delegation at COP30, except host country Brazil (3,805). This is a 12% increase from last year’s climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, and is the largest concentration of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP since KBPO started analysing conference attendees. One in every 25 participants in Belém is representing the fossil fuel industry, based on the provisional list of participants at COP30 line-by-line. Fossil fuel lobbyists outnumber official delegates from the Philippines by nearly 50 to 1 – even while the country is being hit by devastating typhoons as the UN climate talks are underway. Fossil fuel lobbyists sent more than 40 times the number of people than Jamaica, which is still reeling from Hurricane Melissa, the analysis said.
Fossil fuel lobbyists have received two-thirds more passes to COP30 than all the delegates from the 10 most climate vulnerable nations combined (1,061), highlighting how industry presence continues to overshadow that of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Major trade associations remain a primary vehicle for fossil fuel influence, with the International Emissions Trading Association bringing 60 representatives, including delegates from oil and gas giants ExxonMobil, BP, and TotalEnergies, it added.
Behind-the-scenes access also remains a major channel for influence, with approximately 599 lobbyists gaining access through Party overflow badges that allow the individuals behind the scenes access to the inner workings of the negotiations. According to KBPO, France has brought 22 fossil fuel delegates, with five from TotalEnergies, including CEO Patrick Pouyanné; Japan’s delegation has 33 fossil fuel lobbyists, among them Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Osaka Gas; and Norway snuck 17 into the talks, including six senior executives from its national oil and gas giant Equinor.
The top ten biggest trade associations in attendance representing the fossil fuel industry include Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the analysis said. Others include International Chamber of Commerce (148); Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (91); International Emissions Trading Association (60); Abeeólica (60); Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (41); Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America (20); World Business Council for Sustainable Development (19); Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (15).
“Another COP, same playbook: fossil fuel lobbyists are welcomed with a red carpet while communities suffering from the crisis are only heard after demanding their rights and challenging barriers to their participation. This is corporate capture, not climate governance. A process meant to protect people and the planet cannot be shaped by the very industry driving the damage. We need to urgently reform the rules of climate negotiations: allow voting when consensus is weaponised, adopt enforceable conflict-of-interest rules, create real compliance and enforcement so promises have consequences, and protect civic space and human rights so people and science — not polluters — can accelerate the phaseout of fossil fuels and deliver real finance at scale. Reform isn’t procedural housekeeping — it’s climate action,” said Lien Vandamme, senior campaigner on human rights and climate change at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in a statement.
