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Global fossil fuel companies lobbying against climate action that would dent profits

GLOBAL fossil fuel and meat-producing companies are lobbying against action that threatens their profits ahead of the crucial Cop26 climate summit, leaked documents revealed today.

Scientists from the International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) are reportedly under pressure to water down their findings regarding the impact of climate change, as leaders from over 190 countries prepare to gather for the summit at the end of the month.

The report which was leaked to researchers from Unearthed — Greenpeace’s specialist journalism project — revealed that world governments are putting profits ahead of the future of the planet due to corporate pressure.

Fossil fuel producers, including Australia, Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), are lobbying the IPCC to delete or weaken a key conclusion that the world needs rapidly to phase out fossil fuels.

Brazil and Argentina, two of the world’s biggest producers of beef and animal feed, have been pressing IPCC authors to delete messages about the climate benefits of promoting “plant-based” diets and of curbing meat and dairy consumption.

The news comes just days before the Cop26 negotiations in Glasgow — the UN conference has been described as the world’s “last best chance to get runaway climate change under control.”

The IPCC insists that the processes it used for preparing and drafting reports were “designed to guard against lobbying — from all quarters.”

But Greenpeace international executive director Jennifer Morgan said the revelations were evidence of “how a small group of coal, oil and meat-producing countries continue to put the profits of a few polluting industries before science and our planet’s future.

“Rather than phasing out fossil fuels and unsustainable meat production, they are using every opportunity to protect their corporate interests and continue with business as usual while the planet burns,” she said.

“As the global spotlight moves to Glasgow, other world leaders should be aware of how far these governments will go to sabotage our chances of keeping 1.5°C in sight. 

“The key test for world leaders is whether or not they agree to rapidly phase out fossil fuels, as the science warrants. History will not be kind to them if they fail — and we will be watching.”

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