GNVNews 20251119
On November 14, 2025, at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30), the international NGO coalition Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) reported that one in every 25 participants was a fossil fuel lobbyist (※). The number of fossil fuel lobbyists attending reached 1,600—the highest proportion on record. This was more than the delegation of any country other than the host, Brazil. Over the past five years, a cumulative total of 7,000 fossil fuel lobbyists have attended COPs.
Fossil fuel lobbyists work to influence policymakers so that the interests of the fossil fuel industry are reflected in policy. This time, they appear to be working to ensure that agreements at COP do not disadvantage the fossil fuel industry. In addition to direct lobbying at the COP venue, they routinely engage domestically in activities such as making political donations to prevent legal regulations on the production and consumption of fossil fuels, and working to maintain subsidies for oil and natural gas.
Thus, even though COP is supposed to be a forum for discussions aimed at strengthening climate action—such as reducing the use of fossil fuels—many people engaged in activities that contradict those goals are participating. In fact, at past COPs hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan, the strong links between the presidency and oil-related companies became a point of contention.
From COP30 onward, participants other than government delegations are required by the UNFCCC to disclose the funders of their participation in COP and to show that their purpose aligns with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Meanwhile, despite the fact that lobbyists often advance their interests through government delegations, such transparency about funding sources is not required of government delegations.
In response to this situation, there are many calls to ban fossil fuel lobbyists from participating in COP, but it appears it will still be a long time before they withdraw from the COP arena.
※ Fossil fuels are fuels formed from the accumulated remains of ancient plants and animals. They include coal, oil, and natural gas.
Learn more about reporting on oil → “Coal and the world: Is the world capturing the trend?”
Learn more about fossil fuel production → “Expansion plans for fossil fuel production that run counter to stated goals”
Near the COP30 venue held in the Brazilian Amazon (Photo: UN Climate Change / Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 4.0])
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