Africa: COP Lobbyists Disclosure Requirements a Huge Win for People Over Polluters

17 September 2025
Global Witness (London)
press release

UN Climate Change have announced new disclosure requirements for people attending COP, in a big win for accountability and transparency at climate talks after years of tireless effort from campaigners

Record numbers of fossil fuel lobbyists have packed into UN climate talks since the 2015 Paris Agreement, eclipsing delegations sent by countries at the forefront of climate change. Last year, Kick Big Polluters out research showed at least 1,770 fossil fuel lobbyists were at the Baku talks.

They have used their presence to undermine and delay desperately needed climate action and a rapid and fair transition away from fossil fuels.

As part of the Kick Big Polluters Out coalition (KPBO) - a collection of more than 450 organisations around the world demanding an end to polluting industry's interference in climate diplomacy - Global Witness has helped to show how fossil fuel lobbyists are swarming COPs, and why their presence is hampering the world's most vital negotiations.

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Last year ahead of COP29 in Azerbaijan we revealed how the conference's chief executive agreed to leverage his role to facilitate oil and gas deals, and exposed an effort from COP28's hosts to pursue fossil fuel deals worth a potential $100 billion.

Fossil fuel lobbyists are running out of places to hide

Dominic Kavakeb, Global Witness' interim co-director of campaigns

Off the back of KBPO's work, the UN has unveiled its Observer Handbook for COP30, which includes two optional steps for people wishing to attend:

  1. Publicly disclose who is funding their participation at the conference
  2. Sign a pledge confirming that their objectives fully align with those of UN Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol

"Following pressure from campaigners, this is a much-needed step on the road to full transparency and accountability for people attending climate talks," says Dominic Kavakeb, Global Witness' interim co-director of campaigns.

"For too long the fossil fuel industry has been allowed to stalk negotiations, delaying or distracting leaders from cutting pollution and accelerating a just transition away from oil and gas.

"Fossil fuel lobbyists, whose presence at COPs is completely at odds with the stated aims of the conference, are running out of places to hide."

The new rules however do not include those who register as part of national delegations. Last year KBPO found more than 300 fossil fuel lobbyists attended the Baku talks as part of teams sent by countries, meaning that much more work is needed to fully remove polluting industry influence from climate negotiations.

Read the original article on Global Witness.

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