COP30 talks at risk: Transparency International calls for global pledge to block fossil fuel influence

Transparency International wrote today to national delegations attending COP30, urging them to adopt a new integrity pledge designed to limit fossil fuel influence on climate talks.

The anti-corruption watchdog has developed eight commitments aimed at strengthening the credibility of national delegations, preventing conflicts of interest and safeguarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of negotiations.

The call comes as governments decide who will participate in their delegations in October, ahead of the COP30 conference set to take place in Brazil this November.

Transparency International’s research revealed that the last COP, held in Azerbaijan, saw 1,770 fossil fuel lobbyists, with at least 339 accredited as official national negotiators, granting them privileged access to negotiations and closed-door meetings. A further 867 were provided government-issued “Party Overflow” badges, allowing additional access with minimal oversight. This level of fossil fuel industry presence undermines public trust in the negotiation outcomes and the process.

The commitments in the integrity pledge include:

• Excluding representatives with direct ties to fossil fuel and other high-polluting industries from national delegations, and restricting the use of party overflow badges, which grant additional access to negotiations beyond official delegation members.
• Publishing complete, up-to-date lists of delegates and their affiliations in accessible formats, in advance of the conference.
• Requiring all delegates to sign a code of conduct committing to transparency, integrity, and the prioritisation of the goals of the Paris Agreement.
• Implementing clear conflict of interest rules to prevent private interests from shaping decisions behind closed doors.

Brice Böhmer, Climate and Environment Lead at Transparency International, said: “For too long fossil fuel lobbyists have been able to derail the ambitious climate action the world needs. We’re calling on governments to adopt this new integrity pledge to prove they represent the public interest, not polluters. Brazil, as host, has a unique opportunity to lead by example and help set a new global standard for accountability in climate diplomacy.”

There are widespread concerns among civil society groups and the public about the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists on UN-led climate negotiations. In March, Transparency International and more than 250 organisations jointly called on governments to raise integrity standards and exclude fossil fuel lobbyists from these talks.

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Notes to editors:

• Transparency International’s full Integrity Checklist for National Delegations to COP is available here.
• Transparency International’s June report, Behind the Badge: Understanding the roles, reach, and risks of fossil fuel industry participation in UN climate talks, revealed how the scale and nature of fossil fuel industry participation in UN climate negotiations is raising questions about the integrity of the process.
• Open letter signed by 250+ organisations calling for the fossil fuel lobby to be excluded from COP30, March 2025.