Agriculture delegates use influence to “distract” policymakers from genuine solutions needed to transform food and farming, say campaigners.

Overall, 204 agriculture delegates have accessed the talks this year,

Food sector lobbyists remain highly influential, travelling to Baku as part of country delegations from Brazil, Russia and Australia, among others. This year, nearly 40 percent of delegates travelled to the summit with country badges – which lent them privileged access to diplomatic negotiations, up from 30 percent at COP28, and just five percent at COP27.

“To witness present at COP29 JBS lobbyists, the world’s largest meat producer and a major culprit in Amazon deforestation, should be of great concern to all.”

Nestlé – which accessed the talks through the delegation of Switzerland – has emissions three times larger than those of its country host. It is also a member of lobby groups that have pushed back against environmental action, such as the European Dairy Association (EDA), (...)