Energy

This year’s COP is witnessing the highest number of fossil fuel lobbyists in the climate summit’s history. 

Over two thousand four hundred lobbyists from the oil and gas industry are present at the crucial climate talks, in a move that has been called “unprecedented.”

A report from the coalition Kick Big Polluters Out highlights that this figure is up from 636 last year. The data also reveals that the lobbyists from some of the world’s biggest polluters outnumber indigenous representatives by a staggering seven to one.

Environmental groups have been advocating for COP attendees to disclose their affiliations for years, but this is the first time it is a requirement.

This revelation on the size of the fossil fuel lobbyist congregation came to light on day six of the climate conference, where the thematic focus was, in part, dedicated to indigenous peoples. 

Indigenous peoples make up just five per cent of the population but protect around 80% of the Earth’s biodiversity; they are also on the front line of the climate crisis.

Yet, the sheer scale of fossil fuel representation at COP28 means that there are more lobbyists from oil, gas and coal than almost every country delegation. The only exception to this is the delegation brought by Brazil (3081 people) and the UAE (4409 people).

What does this mean? It’s not good. 

While the COP28 presidency said that COP28 had chosen to “proactively engage” with oil and gas companies, this is a huge chunk of delegates who are using their sway to influence the decision-making process.

And this year’s COP is perhaps the most important yet, with the world at a tipping point. 

While a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists descend on Dubai, a staggering amount of climate-related records are also being broken. 

This year is the hottest on record and countries around the world have been subjected to a record number of heatwaves, floods and wildfires. And this is just the beginning. 

Yesterday, at a protest on the ground at COP28, activists condemned the continued financing of fossil fuels and described the devastation it is having on local communities. 

One activist from South Africa spoke of the impact that fossil fuel companies are having on the region. “They [indigenous people] are living from the ocean; their livelihoods are from the ocean; they know nothing else but living from the ocean. But we have these multinational industries who want to come and loot our oceans for oil and gas.” This, he said, impacts not only the waters, local economy and culture but also food security. 

“This is an attack on the food security of local indigenous people,” he said. 

Alongside this, the exploitation of land and sea by fossil fuel giants is also harming the health of indigenous communities.

As these figures on oil and gas representatives emerged, so too did news on the second draft of the global stocktake.

The current draft, published yesterday morning, currently includes 24 pages, and in the text, while mention of a phase-out is included, there is also an option that doesn’t mention a phase-out at all.

The phase-out/phase-down of fossil fuels is one of the most contentious debates at the climate summit, and it’s likely that the draft text will look very different by the time COP28 wraps up next week. 

However, the science is clear, phase out fossil fuels, or watch the world burn. 

This COP has the ability to take action that could safeguard the lives of billions and protect the planet from even more destruction – only time will tell whether world leaders make the right decision.

The Finland Pavilion kicked off today as the country’s first-ever national Pavilion at a UN climate conference. A public-private partnership, it brings together efforts from corporations, companies, universities and cities. 

Opening with remarks from Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition, who highlighted Finland’s climate achievements so far, the Pavilion is aimed at showcasing the country’s offerings as a green hub. 

Kaskinen noted that Finland has set “one of the most ambitious climate targets in the world,” to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and highlighted that Finland is already producing 95% of its electricity with renewable and clean energy sources “without carbon emissions,” and planning to double production by 2035. 

According to Kaskinen, with its renewable energy plans, including green hydrogen, Finland will become “a haven” for clean and green industries.

However, Kaskinen noted that while the Pavilion is focusing on the business community, governments need to ensure that the playing field enables investments and industrial transformation. 

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo then took to the stage and expressed both his and his government’s commitment to “fight against climate change.” Outlining: “This time is pressing and we need action.”

Further, as has been echoed across the last two days, Orpo said that achieving climate targets requires “efficient collaboration between the public and private sectors,” and shared the government’s commitment to allocate 4% of GDP to research and innovation by 2030.

He also highlighted the work of the Finance Ministers for Climate Action, launched in 2019, and said that it “stands as a token of how a small country can bring about significant global changes through cooperation.”

At the launch, Nokia was one of the twenty plus partners at the Pavilion and represented by Melissa Schoeb, Nokia’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. Again, highlighting the role of collaboration in the transition, she said: “We recognise the unique impact that comes from teaming up and working together with like-minded organisations, regardless of the sector, to support shared goals.” Indeed, Schoeb shared that Nokia is working with Neste on SAF in its supply chain. 

Further, she outlined that Nokia’s participation is forged on the belief that “there is no green without digital.”

Also at the event was Vice President of Sustainability at Outokumpu Heidi Peltonen, who emphasised the role of the business sector in turning policies into “concrete actions.”

Peltonen highlighted that the steel industry is responsible for between 7 per cent and 9 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and said the transition will “never happen without sustainable stainless steel.”

Speaking to ESG Mena, Peltonen outlined that the company currently has the lowest carbon footprint in the industry, 75 per cent lower than industry peers globally. 

This, she explained, is achieved through utilising over 90 per cent recycled materials. 

“We have set the highest ambition in the stainless steel industry to reduce our emissions by 42 per cent, across our value chain,” she said, adding: “and from that 42 per cent reduction, we are now halfway at 20 per cent reduced.”

When asked about the biggest barriers that need to be overcome to achieve decarbonisation goals, Peltonen said scaling technologies, funding the transition, increasing demand for sustainable stainless steel, and getting investors incentives from the governmental level are all factors at play.