World far off track in achieving climate goals: New COP28 President
The world is way off course in meeting climate goals, Sultan al-Jaber said in his first comments since being elected president of this year’s COP summit by the United Arab Emirates.
“We are way off track,” he said in a speech in Abu Dhabi. “The world is catching up on the important Paris goal of keeping global temperatures 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Al-Jaber’s appointment on Thursday drew many negative reactions from climate activists as he heads OPEC member state-owned oil and gas producer Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. He is also Chairman of Masdar, one of the largest renewable energy investors in the world.
While al-Jaber did not address the criticism directly, he said the UAE would approach the task of hosting COP28 – due to take place in Dubai in November and December – with humility.
“We don’t claim to have all the answers,” he said. “But we believe we can contribute something valuable. I’m here to listen and get involved.”
He was speaking at an Atlantic Council event. US climate commissioner John Kerry and British energy and business secretary Grant Shapps were in the audience.
The UAE wants COP28 to focus on scaling wind, solar and hydrogen. It should also be about ensuring that poorer countries get funding to develop such technologies and offset climate change caused by developed nations, al-Jaber said.
“We want it to be a COP for everyone,” he said. “We want it to be a COP that moves from goals to implementation, through mitigation, adaptation, funding and loss and damage.”
The UAE produces around 3.4 million barrels of crude oil every day, making it the largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
These countries argue that fossil fuel producers need to have a bigger say in climate negotiations. They have also attributed the rise in oil and gas prices over the past two years to a lack of investment in such fuels in the West.
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