Interview with researcher David Aled Williams

Abstract

JOACHIM SIMON STASSART: COP30 will take place in Brazil this year. From your perspective, how might corruption influence the negotiations and outcomes of such a major international climate event?DAVID ALED WILLIAMS: At COP28, a news story broke that UAE planned to use their presidency to make oil and gas deals. Many viewed this as a form of conflict of interest between the stated goals of the COP and the fossil fuel related industrial or economic interests of the host country. Rather than financial bribery, it is the potential for conflicts of interest and influence peddling that are of most con-cern for COPs. Talks and negotiations captured by narrow fossil fuel or other interests mean decisions may be taken to the detriment of a broader, global, public good. This is at a time when public interest collective action is of the highest importance for ta-ckling humanity’s common challenges. (...).