Let`s not be naive - lobbying is part of our world, but that number is staggering!

There is a very German phrase called “Realpolitik” which means political realism. It fundamentally describes the fact that political decisions  - and all other decisions in life for that matter - always need to be seen in the context of the real world and facts rather than being based on ideals and wishful thinking only, whether we like it or not.

The same holds for our journey into a sustainable future. However, sometimes “Realpolitik" facts still knock me off my socks and scare me. And here is why:

According to an analysis based on data from the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCC), there are at least 2456 lobbyists for coal, oil and gas officially accredited at the World Climate Conference in Dubai - four times more than at the meeting in Egypt last year. 

However, the really scary fact is that all delegations from the ten countries most vulnerable to global warming (Somalia, Chad, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Micronesia, Tonga, Eritrea, Sudan, Liberia and the Solomon Islands) only have a total of 1509 delegates.

I`m not naive but hopefully these countries will be heard as well!