While the number of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP27 increased by 25% this year, there’s another notable presence: climate deniers.
The Washington-based think tank, Committee for a Constructive
Tomorrow (CFACT), describes itself as an “alternative voice on issues of
environment and development”.
Blogging throughout their time at COP, the group’s six
members said CFACT would be there “demanding actual facts and challenging the climate gospel.”
The group falsely argues the real reasons for climate change are:
- the earth’s orbit
- varying distance from the sun
- sunspot activity
- ocean current; and
- volcanic activity
The group also ‘spoof’ glued their hands to an artefact
in the Egyptian museum in “protest against net zero, green energy mandates”.
CFAT was previously funded by fossil fuel giants, and the group and its members hold significant influence. Some of them have separately claimed to have influenced Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement.
CFACT said it “engages in climate policy to ensure decisions of such great magnitude, including the cost-benefit are fully vetted.”
A spokesperson for Global Witness – an environmental campaign group – said “giving oil and gas companies a seat at the table at climate negotiations makes no sense at all but allowing climate deniers into COP27 is a whole other level of madness”.
