The coalition calls for immediate reforms, including the exclusion of polluting industry lobbyists, enhanced transparency standards, and a revised COP Presidency selection process.
Read the letter in full here.
Transparency International and over 250 organisations – including Greenpeace, WWF, and Actionaid Brasil – along with prominent figures like Carlos Nobre and Camille Etienne, issued an open letter calling for a dramatic overhaul in climate negotiations. They warn that high polluting actors have been obstructing real solutions and ambitious action, prioritising their own agendas over the urgent need for change. Scientists and policy experts agree that the proposed changes could break this deadlock, paving the way for effective science-driven responses to climate change. The signatories represent a diverse and influential group of global organisations and experts working on the intersection of climate action, human rights, public health, and environmental justice.
The letter calls on Brazilian authorities and the UN Climate Change Body (UNFCCC) to address the growing influence of high-polluting industries at COP30. The coalition is pushing for greater transparency, accountability, and ethical standards in climate diplomacy, demanding an end to the corrupting influence of fossil fuel lobbyists. Additionally, organisations are urging the Brazilian COP30 Presidency to lead a Global Ethical Stocktake to address conflicts of interest and transparency gaps in climate negotiations.
Fossil fuel industries and corporate lobbyists have long undermined the integrity of COPs, preventing effective climate action. Their heavy influence and privileged access to decision-makers shapes agendas and outcomes with previous host countries closely tied to the fossil fuel sector, and with observers and state delegations being packed with high polluter industry lobbyists. This has sidelined the urgent need for bold, science-driven climate action, turning COPs into platforms for fossil fuel diplomacy instead of advancing transformative climate policies.
Maíra Martini, Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International said:
“The climate crisis is no longer a future threat – it is happening now, and the global response must be built on integrity, transparency, and fairness. The corrupt influence of high-polluting industries at COP meetings undermines meaningful progress. Brazil has a unique opportunity to reset the course of climate diplomacy by ensuring that future COPs prioritise people, not polluters. We must achieve greater transparency, exclude lobbyists from high-polluting industries, and set stronger ethical standards to restore trust in the COP process.”
The letter asks for four key measures to be implemented:
- A conflict-of-interest policy to exclude fossil fuel and polluting industry lobbyists from state delegations,
- Transparency standards to ensure full public disclosure of all affiliations by COP participants and lobbyists,
- Revised host country agreements & COP Presidency standards to end partnerships with polluting industries at COP30 and beyond,
- A reformed COP presidency selection process to ensure future hosts demonstrate real progress on climate action and human rights.
The coalition’s call reflects the growing demand for climate negotiations free from corporate interference, prioritising the planet over the profit-driven interests of powerful industries. COP30, under Brazil’s leadership this November, presents a vital moment for the global community to reaffirm its commitment to a transparent, accountable, and equitable future.
