This statistic that has recently been released it is concerning. The view of the public is increasingly behind supporting to do something about global warming, however the money is continuing to support those who want business as usual.
The NGO who compiled the report are calling for a number of actions, including a ban on fossil fuel lobbying within the EU, stopping the large number of people who move between the fossil fuel industries and the EU government, ending subsidies and no sponsorship or partnership with fossil fuel industries.
If the European governments, both within the individual European countries and then the European Union, were to put these four actions into place it would have a dramatic impact on the sway of the fossil fuel industry. Unfortunately, because of the amount of money they spend supporting politicians it would also have a dramatic impact on who was able to get in which means that those currently in the government will fight any changes to the rules.
While there are still governments who are arguing that CO2 is not causing global warming most notably the USA, overwhelming global consensus both amongst scientists and governments is that it is true. The public stigmatism from taking money from the fossil fuel industry should be so high as to make a politician incapable of taking the money – I suspect we will eventually get there but for now we need rules that deny the fossil fuel lobby any place in the political system to make sure that the people making decisions about our climate future do not feel beholden to some of the worst polluters in the world.