THE number of delegates at the United Nations climate summit with links to fossil fuels has jumped 25 per cent since last year, an analysis by campaigners revealed today.

Global Witness said that its data, compiled along with Corporate Accountability and the Corporate Europe Observatory, found that some 636 people at the Cop27 talks in Egypt are lobbyists for coal, oil and gas companies, up from 503 from the previous meeting in Scotland.

The number of these delegates is more than all the combined delegations from the 10 most climate-impacted countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Mozambique.

The United Arab Emirates has the most in their team with 70 fossil fuel lobbyists out of 1,070 total delegates.

Last year, UAE only had a total of 170 delegates.

Russia’s delegation has the second-highest number of delegates connected to fossil fuel extraction, with 33 out of a team of 150.

The group’s said in a statement: “Tobacco lobbyists wouldn’t be welcome at health conferences [and] arms dealers can’t promote their trade at peace conventions.

“Those perpetuating the world’s fossil fuel addiction should not be allowed through the doors of a climate conference.”

Rachel Rose Jackson of Corporate Accountability said: “Cop27 looks like a fossil fuel industry trade show.

“We’re on a carousel of madness here rather than climate action.

“The fossil fuel industry, their agenda, it’s deadly. Their motivation is profit and greed.

“They’re not serious about climate action. They never have been, and they never will be.”

A group of climate activists gathered outside the summit’s main venue today to protest against fossil fuel companies.

The demonstrators chanted: “Kick polluters out, let people in,” and sang and danced at the entrance.

A separate silent protest was also held earlier on in the day to highlight human rights violations by attending countries, especially Egypt.

Protesters held signs reading: “No climate justice without human rights.”

Friends of the Earth International’s Dipiti Bhatnagar said: “We’re in solidarity with Egyptian prisoners of conscience right now.

“All human rights of everyone must be respected in order to achieve the dream of climate justice.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry faced criticism from protesters for announcing that drinks at the summit were free while saying that British national Alaa Abdel el-Fattah’s release was “not a priority” for the government.