Concern and Demand Over UN Climate Talks: Decision-making Processes, Transparency, and Improvements
The United Nations climate conferences were created to serve as a global platform for nations, civil society, and experts to collectively shape solutions to the climate crisis. However, in recent years, their legitimacy has come under serious threat due to the mounting presence and influence of fossil fuel companies inside the negotiating space. At COP29 in Baku, for example, 1,773 delegates from coal, oil, and gas industries were granted access—outnumbering the combined delegations of the ten most climate-vulnerable countries. This imbalance reflects a systemic challenge in the UN climate process, raising questions about conflicts of interest and the integrity of decision-making.
Fossil fuel lobbyists now operate beyond traditional advocacy, promoting greenwashing strategies, misrepresenting climate “solutions,” and gaining privileged access to negotiation teams and COP leadership. Their influence risks delaying global commitments, undermining financing mechanisms, and locking countries into prolonged fossil fuel dependency. For developing regions such as Southeast Asia—already highly vulnerable to climate impacts—this could mean postponed access to much-needed climate finance, slower technology transfer, and delayed pathways to a fair and just energy transition.
In response to these urgent concerns, the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) will convene a panel discussion session on “Concern and Demand Over UN Climate Talks: Decision-making Processes, Transparency, and Improvements.”
The session will explore the UN climate conferences’ political dynamics and decision-making processes, examine the growing influence of fossil fuel companies, and highlight the consequences of their influence to civil society and climate-vulnerable regions, such as Southeast Asia.
This event is open to the public and free of charge.
For attendance confirmation or questions, please email Benita Sashia [email protected] or Aditia Pramusakti [email protected].