Inside COP: Al Gore on Fossil Fuel Lobbying and (In)convenient Truths

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Nov 15, 2025

Al Gore, former U.S. Vice President and climate advocate, joins the discussion to dissect critical issues at COP30. He sheds light on the influence of fossil fuel lobbying, the deepening polarization of U.S. climate politics, and the impact of the Citizens United ruling. Gore also advocates for linking climate change to public health to foster bipartisan support. He introduces Climate TRACE, a tool using AI and satellite data for real-time emissions tracking, underscoring its potential to enhance accountability and public trust.

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INSIGHT

Real-Time Emissions Transparency

Climate Trace provides near-real-time, traceable emissions data down to point sources and cities.
This precision lets governments and asset managers target cuts and verify if emissions have truly peaked.

ADVICE

Choose Constructive Engagement At COP

Avoid blanket claims that COP is 'all corrupt' and instead support committed negotiators.
Focus energy on constructive engagement to fill the glass rather than only finding holes.

INSIGHT

Why Host Choices Look Petrostates

Hosting COP requires huge upfront capital for inclusive participation, limiting feasible hosts.
Inclusivity demands scale, which pushes hosting toward countries able to afford major infrastructure.

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It’s the mid-point of COP30 and all four of our hosts have gathered in Belém to take stock.

In the Blue Zone, the mood is its usual blend of high-stakes and surreal. The Presidency is calling its consultations a “collective therapy session,” China would prefer “massage and yoga,” and delegates are deep in the weeds of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

To sift the signal from the noise, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith take on the questions listeners keep asking. Why are there so many fossil fuel lobbyists here? Do recent host country venue choices undermine the process? And does the Amazon road story point to a deeper hypocrisy? The team dig into the numbers, assumptions and stories shaping public distrust and legitimate concern.

Then: what connects the Protestant Reformation, Agora of Athens and the No Kings Movement? Yes, it’s Vice President Al Gore.

In an expansive discussion that charts where we are now and how we got here, the former VP offers a wide angle diagnosis of the forces that have polarised climate politics in his own country - from decades of fossil-fuel-funded disinformation to the shockwave of Citizens United - and explains why linking climate to public health, backed by real-time emissions data, could transform global accountability.

Learn more:

🛰️ Explore the Climate TRACE tool, and track emissions worldwide

📰 Read reports mentioned in this episode about the presence of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP30

🌍 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements

🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe or on our socials where you can also see more behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos:

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Lead Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks

Planning Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan

Edited by: Miles Martignoni

Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford

With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism.

This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

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