UAE Planned to Utilize COP28 to Advocate for Oil Deals

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is purportedly planning to capitalize on its role as the host of the COP28 climate conference to advocate for oil and gas deals, according to internal documents obtained by the Centre for Climate Reporting (CCR) in collaboration with the BBC. Sultan al-Jaber, holding the dual roles of COP28 president-designate and CEO of the state oil company ADNOC, allegedly intended to engage in discussions regarding fossil fuel agreements with representatives from 15 countries during the summit.

Although the leaked documents have been contested by COP28 and ADNOC, they reportedly contain briefing notes prepared by the UAE’s COP28 team for meetings with nearly 30 foreign governments ahead of the climate summit scheduled to take place in Dubai. The talking points outlined in the documents include the UAE’s aspiration to be removed from Brazil’s “tax haven” list to facilitate new investments from the state-owned renewable energy firm Masdar, a potential deal with China on liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, and ADNOC’s readiness to support the supply of petrochemicals to Egypt.

COP28, the upcoming round of global climate talks organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a pivotal event aimed at accelerating action to address the climate crisis. The leaked documents have stirred controversy, with critics arguing that al-Jaber’s dual role as a climate summit leader and head of a major oil company raises ethical concerns.

Human rights group Amnesty International has renewed its call for al-Jaber to step down from his position at ADNOC to ensure the success of COP28. Amnesty International’s climate advisor, Ann Harrison, expressed concerns about the potential conflict of interest, stating, “Documents suggesting he was briefed to advance business interests in COP meetings only fuel our concerns that COP28 has been comprehensively captured by the fossil fuel lobby to serve its vested interests that put the whole of humanity at risk.”

In response to these allegations, COP28 and ADNOC have defended their positions, asserting that the leaked documents are inaccurate and were not used in official meetings. While the controversy unfolds, the integrity of COP28 and the commitment to addressing climate change remain under scrutiny, with calls for transparency and ethical conduct in the face of the urgent global climate challenge.