Chairman of “COP 28”: No gas deals on the sidelines of the climate conference in UAE

Sultan Al Jaber, President of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28), hosted by the UAE, rejected accusations that his country plans to discuss natural gas agreements and other trade deals during meetings related to the conference.

Al-Jaber said, during a press conference, “These allegations are false, unreal, incorrect, and inaccurate. “It is an attempt to undermine the work of the COP 28 presidency.”

Al-Jaber continued: “I will ask you a question: Do you think that the United Arab Emirates, or even I, need the COP, or the presidency of the COP, to conclude deals or trade relations?”

He added: “I pledge to you that I have never seen the talking points they are referring to, or used those talking points in my discussions.”

The British Broadcasting Corporation was with me. CNN said, on Monday, that leaked briefing documents prepared for Al-Jaber showed plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 countries and Emirati projects in the field of energy, especially related to two companies headed by Al-Jaber, ADNOC Oil Company and Masdar for renewable energies.

A COP 28 spokesman told Reuters that the documents were “inaccurate” and “have not been verified.”

Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28), and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said that reaching an agreement during the conference to maintain hopes at 1.5 degrees Celsius is within reach.

The appointed president of COP28 explained, during an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, that the world could agree on a “strong road map” for the COP28 conference, which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in a manner that meets scientific advice.

He confirmed that significant progress has been made in recent weeks on the main aspects of the agreement at the crucial meeting that begins in Dubai this week, with the countries agreeing on a scheme to establish a fund for the most vulnerable groups, and reaching an agreement on climate financing.

“I have to be cautiously optimistic,” he added. But I have the tools and the strength that I am experiencing today that will allow us to achieve an unprecedented result that we all hope to achieve.”

Al Jaber continued: “Getting back on track, and ensuring that the world accepts a clear understanding of the road map until 2030, that will keep temperature rise above pre-industrial levels of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), is my only goal.”

Al Jaber added, “There are still questions about how the issue of fossil fuels will be addressed in the final outcome of the two-week conference.”

He continued: “Some countries want to phase out fossil fuels, while other countries resist this, and some believe that reaching an intermediate commitment to gradually reduce fossil fuels relentlessly, which means gradually reducing coal, oil and gas used without carbon capture and storage technology, is possible.”

“I call on and motivate all parties to engage in a collaborative way to see and evaluate how we can include fossil fuels in the negotiating text, which would meet consensus and common ground, while keeping 1.5°C within reach,” the COP28 President continued.

Al-Jaber urged countries not to postpone the agreement until the final days, which is what many poor countries accused rich countries of doing last year, at the “COP27” conference in Egypt, which sparked widespread anger.

He said: “I do not want the delegations of countries to keep their papers close to their issuance until the last minute. The earlier they open up, interact and cooperate, the more efforts will be made.”

The COP28 conference will witness the presence of world leaders and heads of state and government, including King Charles III, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for the first few days of the two-week talks, which begin Thursday.

More than 70,000 delegates are expected to participate, and ministers and high-level officials from 198 countries will try to forge an agreement on how to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep global temperatures at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The 28th edition of the International Climate Conference (COP 28), which is held every year under the auspices of the United Nations, will be held between November 30 and December 12, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.