No formal Cop26 role for big oil amid doubts over firms’ net zero plans

Officials from fossil fuel firms may attend fringe events but campaigners hail lack of official role

Fossil fuel firms have been given no official role in the Cop26 climate summit, it can be revealed, against a background of growing concern among UK officials that big oil's net zero plans do not stack up.

Private emails from civil servants in the Cop unit, seen by the Guardian, show doubts about one oil major's net zero plans, with an official saying BP [does] not currently fit our success criteria for Cop26" and another noting it's unclear whether [its net zero] commitments stack up yet".