Euroviews. COP28: A historic outcome, but for whom?

COP28 was historic. To stand any chance of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5oc, the era of coal, oil and gas has to end.

In agreeing to “transition away from fossil fuels,” COP28 was the first time fossil fuels had been included in a UN climate change text.

However, a closer look at the text reveals a “litany of loopholes”, escape hatches that allow the industry to continue with business as usual while professing to fight a good fight. From their perspective: mission accomplished.

That should come as no surprise given their lobbyists flooded COP28, which itself was presided over by an oil executive.

Ensuring the deal is truly historic means we need to ensure climate policy isn’t co-opted by the fossil fuel industry. That means addressing the problem, root-and-branch, in Brussels as much as at the UN.

The process had been co-opted long before the opening ceremony in Dubai. The appointment of Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), as COP28 president was understandably met with outrage. 

It’s a glaring conflict of interest. But this was only a more blatant example of what has been the case for years: the fossil fuel industry in charge of the talks.

As week one began, the Kick Big Polluters Out coalition revealed that almost four times as many fossil fuel lobbyists were at COP28 compared to the previous year. The 2,456 lobbyists outnumbered the combined delegations of the 10 most climate-vulnerable nations.

The five oil and gas supermajors — BP, Shell, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil and Chevron — together brought 65 lobbyists, with all except Chevron being led by their chief executive. Italian Eni and Norwegian Equinor also secured spots for their top execs, attending as part of very large lobby teams (24