Corporate greed has no place at COP21

Dutch MEP Anne-Marie Mineur, GUE/NGL shadow rapporteur on Parliament's report on the forthcoming UN climate change conference in Paris, welcomed the adoption of this report in Parliament this evening but warned of the power of the corporate lobby to influence the outcome of COP21.

Anne-Marie Mineur said: “Of course, we are very pleased that the resolution has been adopted. It is important that the Parliament puts pressure on the European Commission to make Paris a success. However, I fear that the influence of the corporate lobby will have negative impact on results of COP21.”

She explained: “The Conference is partly sponsored by dirty energy companies, and oil and gas companies are going out of their way to greenwash their image by promoting false solutions such as carbon capture and storage. We cannot accept that corporate greed continues to influence decision-making on an agreement that is part and parcel of the fight against climate change.

Citing Volkswagen as another example of the power that the corporate lobby wields in the European Institutions, she said: “We know that more than 90 percent of all lobby meetings Commissioner Cañete has hosted have been with representatives of corporate interests. Therefore, I have called for full transparency and equitable access for all before and during COP21.”

GUE/NGL Press Contact:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

Nikki Sullings + 32 483 03 55 75