Share this on social media
Backlash as UAE oil boss picked to lead COP28 climate summit
(Context, 13 Jan 2023) Appointment of Sultan al-Jaber to lead U.N. climate talks in the United Arab Emirates has raised concerns among green activists.
The United Arab Emirates has appointed the head of its state oil firm, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, to preside over the COP28 U.N. climate summit in December.
Sultan al-Jaber is also UAE's minister of industry and technology and its climate envoy, as well as being founding CEO of Abu Dhabi's renewable energy firm Masdar.
The decision has been met with dismay among many green activists who are concerned about the hosting of COP28 by a leading fossil-fuel producer nation, after the previous summit was held in gas-rich Egypt in 2022.
However, some diplomatic experts view the choice as a chance to ratchet up pressure on oil and gas-rich Gulf countries.
External link
Context, 13 Jan 2023: Backlash as UAE oil boss picked to lead COP28 climate summit
More Related News
Cop28
8 Apr 2024: US meat lobby delighted at ‘positive’ prospects for industry after Cop28
23 Feb 2024: ‘Energy turmoil’ looms unless demand is checked, says Cop28 president
15 Feb 2024: Will rich nations step away from fossil fuels, as they promised?
13 Feb 2024: Three COP summit hosts unite to raise climate ambitions
9 Feb 2024: The US and Saudi Arabia are taking COP28 pledges seriously
30 Jan 2024: UK must act urgently to meet climate commitments, says watchdog
30 Jan 2024: COP28 outcome makes green skills business-critical
23 Jan 2024: Energy efficiency: the net-zero no-brainer that has come of age
19 Jan 2024: Cop28 deal will fail unless rich countries quit fossil fuels, says climate negotiator
15 Jan 2024: Azerbaijan appoints no women to 28-member Cop29 climate committee
12 Jan 2024: This election year, let’s talk climate
22 Dec 2023: COP28 is over. But climate pledges are still emerging in the final days of 2023
21 Dec 2023: COP28 gave us something we can work with, but it is not enough
21 Dec 2023: Environmental campaigners filmed, threatened and harassed at Cop28
19 Dec 2023: Why the COP28 deal on fossil fuels will push a ‘just transition’
18 Dec 2023: How Russia won a ‘dangerous loophole’ for fossil gas at Cop28
15 Dec 2023: Cop28 president says his firm will keep investing in oil
14 Dec 2023: Cop28’s winners and losers: from fossil fuel firms to future generations
14 Dec 2023: Failure of Cop28 on fossil fuel phase-out is ‘devastating’, say scientists
14 Dec 2023: Cop28 landmark deal agreed to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels
12 Dec 2023: COP28 plan to triple renewables is doable, but not easy, companies say
12 Dec 2023: Cop28 is a farce rigged to fail, but there are other ways we can try to save the planet
12 Dec 2023: Draft COP28 text ‘insufficient’ and ‘unacceptable’, EU says
11 Dec 2023: US climate activists at COP28 slam their home country for hypocrisy
11 Dec 2023: COP28: Can 'carbon capture' keep fossil fuels viable?
8 Dec 2023: World divided at COP28 over whether to end fossil fuel era
8 Dec 2023: To land fossil phase-out deal, rich nations must add fairness
7 Dec 2023: Cop28: highlights and lowlights so far
5 Dec 2023: Global coalition pledges to triple renewables, double energy efficiency improvements
5 Dec 2023: Record more than 2,000 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP28 talks: NGOs
5 Dec 2023: Energy efficiency could offer major climate wins. But what is it?
5 Dec 2023: Cop28 president forced into defence of fossil fuel phase-out claims
4 Dec 2023: COP28 president is wrong – science clearly shows fossil fuels must go (and fast)
4 Dec 2023: Show us the climate money, women leaders and activists tell COP28
4 Dec 2023: Macron at COP28: ‘Nuclear energy is back’
1 Dec 2023: Germany’s Scholz to officially inaugurate ‘climate club’ at COP28
1 Dec 2023: ‘Climate collapse in real time’: UN head António Guterres urges Cop28 to act
1 Dec 2023: Early pledges to 'loss and damage' fund build shaky trust at COP28
1 Dec 2023: New ‘loss and damage’ climate disaster relief fund launched at COP28
1 Dec 2023: Climate adaptation is survival: How to accelerate action at COP28
1 Dec 2023: Do you believe in life after oil?
30 Nov 2023: As global clean energy champion, China has ‘responsibility’ to lead at COP28: IEA
30 Nov 2023: Agreement on loss and damage deal reached on first day of Cop28 talks
28 Nov 2023: Cop28 host UAE planned to promote oil deals during climate talks
27 Nov 2023: The ‘inevitable’ fossil fuel fight set to dominate Cop28
23 Nov 2023: Companies still investing too much in fossil fuels, global energy watchdog says
21 Nov 2023: Climate aid to poorer nations should not rely on 1992 calculations, EU insists
17 Nov 2023: Could COP28 help protect Africans from growing modern slavery?
13 Nov 2023: EU commits to put 'substantial' money in COP28 climate damage fund
10 Nov 2023: Top EU, China climate officials to hold talks next week
9 Nov 2023: COP28 climate dispute: What are "unabated" fossil fuels?
7 Nov 2023: Deal on loss and damage fund clears way for COP28, EU climate chief says
7 Nov 2023: What's the plan for a UN climate loss and damage fund?
6 Nov 2023: At COP28, climate finance takes centre stage
31 Oct 2023: Opinion: We need accountability from oil companies at COP28, not leadership
26 Oct 2023: Will COP28 deliver a new fund for climate loss and damage?
24 Oct 2023: Industry could save $437 bln a year via energy efficiency efforts
24 Oct 2023: Tensions soar over new fund for climate 'loss and damage' ahead of COP28
17 Oct 2023: EU countries hammer out joint stance for COP28 climate summit
17 Oct 2023: Africa and India push rich nations to phase out fossil fuels faster
13 Oct 2023: New climate chief under fire for weakening EU’s COP28 stance on fossil fuel exit
13 Oct 2023: Clean cooking stoves for Africa: The IEA’s pitch to EU for COP28
5 Oct 2023: UN report urges global end to fossil fuel exploration by 2030
3 Oct 2023: Cop28 boss’ appeal to raise climate targets met with total indifference
26 Sep 2023: France seeks stronger EU stance on fossil fuel exit at COP28
22 Sep 2023: Ahead of COP28 climate talks, fossil fuels increasingly under fire
22 Sep 2023: China opposes ‘not realistic’ global fossil fuel phase-out
12 Sep 2023: Experts warn of ‘Denialism Comeback’ ahead of November’s global climate talks
29 Aug 2023: West must use COP28 to reverse climate neglect of Africa, or face new era of violence
28 Aug 2023: 100 days to COP28: Can it deliver climate action?
25 Aug 2023: 100 days to COP28: Can it deliver climate action?
18 Jul 2023: EU to push for fossil fuel phaseout ‘well ahead of 2050’ at COP28
18 Jul 2023: Kerry rejects “climate reparations” but praises loss and damage fund
18 Jul 2023: UAE’s Cop28 president plans “brutally honest” climate summit
11 Jul 2023: Can COP28 deliver for the Global South? It’s time for the maths
7 Jul 2023: The UK’s retreat from climate leadership is not in its national interest
27 Jun 2023: What does “unabated” fossil fuels mean?
16 Jun 2023: CO2 cuts v. cash: Climate talks stymied by stand-off
9 Jun 2023: Emirati COP28 chief recognises reduction of fossil fuel use ‘inevitable’
9 Jun 2023: Researchers have ‘little confidence’ that national net-zero targets will be met
9 Jun 2023: Army of fake social media accounts defend UAE presidency of climate summit
6 Jun 2023: Fossil fuelled: Climate talks begin with spotlight on oil chief
30 May 2023: Cop28 president’s team accused of Wikipedia ‘greenwashing’
4 May 2023: Next UN climate summit to consider health issues in depth for first time
14 Apr 2023: IEA’s global “CO2 Emissions in 2022” report: by sector, fuel, region, heating +more
11 Apr 2023: Cop28 president: world needs business mindset to tackle climate crisis
4 Apr 2023: Revealed: UAE plans huge oil and gas expansion as it hosts UN climate summit
31 Mar 2023: 'Loss and damage' climate fund should be in place this year -Egyptian negotiator
10 Mar 2023: EU agrees to push for global fossil fuel phase-out ahead of COP28
17 Jan 2023: EU climate chief defends oil CEO’s appointment as COP28 boss
22 Nov 2022: Fears over oil producers’ influence with UAE as next host of Cop climate talks
