A group of prominent climate policy experts, including former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Irish President Mary Robinson, former UN Climate Chief Christiana Figueres, and renowned climate scientist Johan Rockström, is calling for significant reforms to the United Nations climate summits. In a joint letter to the UN, the experts argue that future conferences should only be held in countries that demonstrate clear and measurable support for climate action, and that stronger regulations must be put in place to limit the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists.

The experts’ letter, released ahead of COP30, criticizes the current system of annual “Conferences of the Parties” (COP), claiming that the process has become increasingly ineffective in addressing the urgent climate crisis. The group advocates for more frequent and streamlined meetings, with a stronger focus on ensuring that developing nations—often the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change—have a greater voice in the proceedings.

“It is now clear that the COP is no longer fit for purpose. We need a shift from negotiation to implementation,” the letter states. The experts are urging that countries hosting future COPs be required to meet strict eligibility criteria, including a clear commitment to phasing out fossil fuels and actively supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement.

One of the key concerns raised by the group is the outsized influence of fossil fuel interests at recent summits. At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, more than 1,700 fossil fuel lobbyists were granted access, according to data analyzed by the Kick Big Polluters Out activist coalition. This number surpasses the combined total of delegates from the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change, which numbered just 1,033. The growing presence of coal, oil, and gas industry representatives at COP negotiations has sparked alarm among climate advocates, who warn that this lobbying is undermining efforts to tackle the climate crisis in a just and equitable way.

The analysis, which focuses solely on fossil fuel-linked lobbyists, also notes that representatives from other polluting sectors, including agribusiness and transportation, are present in large numbers.

“The influence of fossil fuel lobbyists is now so significant that it threatens to overshadow the voices of those most affected by climate change, such as Indigenous communities, scientific experts, and vulnerable nations,” the letter warns. The experts are calling for substantial reforms to ensure a more inclusive and representative process that prioritizes the voices of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

As the global climate emergency intensifies, the experts stress that the window for limiting global warming to 1.5°C is rapidly closing. Without fundamental changes to the COP process, they argue, the international community risks failing to meet the ambitious targets outlined in the Paris Agreement.