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The head of Abu Dhabi's state oil company has been appointed by host United Arab Emirates to chair this year's UN climate summit, raising concerns among climate advocates that the move could hamper efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption. is occurring.
The UAE announced on Thursday that Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, will play a central role at the COP28 summit, which will be held in Dubai for two weeks from the end of November.
The appointment, which sparked a backlash from green groups and many climate experts, comes after Egypt, host of last year's COP event, invited oil and gas companies to participate in the official program for the first time.
COP27, held in Egypt, saw fossil fuel producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, block pressure from other countries, including the US and the EU, to include a commitment to phase out all fossil fuels in the final agreement, and many people ended in disappointment.
UAE officials say Jaber is playing a pivotal role in guiding the country's early adoption of renewable energy as part of a broader diversification process to reduce the economy's dependence on oil revenue. It pointed out. He launched Abu Dhabi's Clean Energy company Masdar in 2006 and plans to become the world's second largest renewable energy investor by 2030.
One of the UAE's most influential power brokers, Adnoc also served as the oil-rich Gulf state's special envoy for climate change for two terms, from 2010 to 2016 and from 2020 to present. .
Jaber said the UAE, an OPEC member, “approaches COP28 with a strong sense of responsibility and the highest possible level of ambition.” He continued: “We bring a pragmatic, pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach that delivers transformative progress on climate change and low-carbon economic growth.”
However, Jaber's new position as COP28 president was criticized by climate change advocates, who called for him to step down from his role at the helm of Adnoc.
Tasneem Essop, executive director of Climate Action Network International, said the role was a “conflict of interest” and that Jaber's appointment as COP28 president was “a full-fledged takeover of the UN climate change negotiations by state oil companies and their affiliates.” is equal to.” Fossil Fuel Lobbyists.”
Appointed to head Adnoc in 2016, Jaber was given the task of modernizing the then-outdated national oil company. This includes maximizing revenue from the country's rich reserves and plans to produce oil and gas with a lower carbon footprint than other producing countries.
But Rachel Kite, dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a COP veteran, said the UAE will continue to promote domestically produced oil and gas while “uniting countries around more aggressive action” on climate change. '' will be a “challenge,'' he said. “The most efficient and low cost”.
“We cannot have another COP where fossil fuel interests are allowed to sacrifice our future for a few more years of profits,” said Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate. .
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed Jaber's appointment, saying he brought deep “diplomatic and commercial experience” to the role. “The UAE has demonstrated leadership in climate investment and innovation. The country is already one of the largest domestic and international investors in renewable energy and an innovator in technologies essential to the energy transition. ,'' Prime Minister Blair said in a statement, calling the country “the honest broker we need to raise ambition and seek real agreement.”
The EU's Earth Observation Program warned this week that extreme weather events will make 2022 the fifth warmest year on record, with average global temperatures nearly 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The international Paris Agreement commits countries to strive to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2100.
COP28 is being positioned as a “global inventory” in which diplomats are responsible for assessing the world's progress towards meeting the emissions reduction targets set out in the Paris Agreement.
The UAE's national emissions reduction targets have been rated “very insufficient” by research group Climate Action Tracker. The 2050 energy targets announced in 2017 include 12% “clean coal” and 38% gas. Dubai subsequently announced it would convert its coal-fired power plants to run on natural gas.
Speaking at the summit of the 2021 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Jaber said that while renewable energy is growing in importance and “the future is near”, “it is not here yet”. Therefore, “we must proceed with realism,” he said.
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Letter in response to this article:
Don't overstate Al Jaber's role as COP28 President/Guy Barton, Adjunct Professor, Brussels School of Governance, Brussels, Belgium
