Climate campaigners demonstrated in Davos on Sunday against the influence of large oil companies at this week’s World Economic Forum, accusing the oil firms of hijacking the conversation on climate change.
Among the 1,500 corporate leaders assembling for the annual meeting in the Swiss resort where global issues like climate change are on the agenda are major energy companies including BP (BP.L), Chevron (CVX.N), and Saudi Aramco (2222.SE).
The convener of the protest, Nicolas Siegrist, who also heads the Young Socialists party in Switzerland said “We are demanding concrete and real climate action.”
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Speaking on the involvement of energy companies at the WEF meeting, Siegrist said “They will be in the same room with state leaders and they will push for their interests.”
As nations transition to low-carbon economies, the oil and gas industry has stated that it must be a part of the global energy transition because fossil fuels will continue to play a significant role in the world’s energy mix.
The annual meeting of global business and political leaders officially opens in Davos on Monday.
Story was adapted from Punch.