Fossil fuel interests have large, yet often murky, presence at climate talks, AP analysis finds

By SETH BORENSTEIN and MARY KATHERINE WILDEMAN
Associated Press

Close to 400 people connected to fossil fuel industries in some way or another attended last year’s United Nations climate talks in Egypt. That’s a grouping larger than all but two national delegations, according to a data analysis of the more than 24,000 participants by The Associated Press. Environmental activists say the lobbying of fossil fuel interests are the reason why climate talks have yet to produce an agreement to phase out coal, oil and natural gas, as scientists have repeatedly said must happen to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, like extreme weather events.  Many of the same representatives, and perhaps even more, are expected to be at this year’s climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, a major oil producing country.