Defeating its purpose? Fossil fuel lobbyists accompany European governments to COP29

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🗞️ Driving the news: At COP29 in Baku, fossil fuel lobbyists have a prominent presence, with 1,773 attending, including 113 embedded in European government delegations
• Greece and Italy lead in fossil fuel representation, tied to their reliance on Azerbaijan’s gas exports
• NGO coalitions like Kick Big Polluters Out denounce the inclusion of lobbyists, calling it a conflict of interest undermining climate action

🔭 The context: Fossil fuel companies such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, and TotalEnergies maintain strong influence at COP29, despite calls to exclude them
• Trade deals, including one between Italy’s Italgas and Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, were struck early in the conference, highlighting the energy ties between Europe and fossil fuel exporters
• By contrast, the European Commission omitted fossil fuel lobbyists from its delegation this year under public pressure

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The heavy representation of fossil fuel lobbyists at a climate conference raises concerns about diluted climate goals and conflicts of interest
• Critics argue that such influence undermines the integrity of climate negotiations and slows progress toward phasing out fossil fuels
• This is especially troubling as COP29 is pivotal for defining climate financing and decarbonization strategies

⏭️ What's next: Civil society groups are pushing for stricter policies to prevent fossil fuel interests from influencing future climate negotiations
• The European Commission's shift away from including lobbyists may set a precedent for other delegations
• The growing scrutiny could shape the role of lobbyists at next year’s COP30 in Brazil

💬 One quote: "Fossil fuel lobbyists received more passes to COP29 than all the delegates from the 10 most climate-vulnerable nations combined." – Kick Big Polluters Out coalition

📈 One stat: 113 fossil fuel lobbyists were embedded in European national delegations at COP29, with Greece and Italy leading with 24 and 22 representatives, respectively

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