DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� The United Arab Emirates' pick to lead the upcoming COP28 climate talks in Dubai called on the world Tuesday to 鈥渇ight climate change, not each other,鈥� directly addressing the anger activists have felt over his selection.
Sultan al-Jaber, the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., also described the upcoming United Nations negotiations as an 鈥渦nprecedented opportunity to engage the energy industry in a technological revolution.鈥�
His speech at the World Government Summit in Dubai sought to present his nominated presidency as a bridge between oil companies and climate activists long suspicious of the industry's influence on efforts to limit carbon emissions. Whether it will, however, remains in question.
鈥淲e need a major course correction,鈥� al-Jaber said.
However, he added: 鈥淭he strategies we pursue must leave no one behind. The policies we adopt must be pro-growth and pro-climate at the same time.鈥�
The speech renewed criticism among activists of al-Jaber's nomination to shepherd the climate talks.
African youth climate activist Eric Njuguna from Kenya termed the remarks 鈥樷�檇ismissive of valid and merited concerns brought forth by climate activists." He called on the U.N. body overseeing the talks to install a conflict of interest policy that checks the influence that oil and gas firms have on the climate talks owing to their 鈥渓ong history of skewing and watering down important climate decisions.
Al-Jaber, , is a trusted confidant of UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He's been behind tens of billions of dollars spent or pledged toward renewable energy 鈥� and also leads an oil company that pumps some 4 million barrels of crude a day and hopes to expand to 5 million daily.
That oil money fuels the ambitions of this federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula 鈥� as well as the production of more of the heat-trapping carbon dioxide that the U.N. negotiations hope to limit.
Activists have equated his nomination to asking 鈥渁rms dealers to lead peace talks鈥� when authorities announced his nomination in January. However, and both have backed his selection by the UAE, a key Mideast ally. The UAE also wants to be carbon neutral by 2050 鈥� a target that remains difficult to assess and one that authorities haven鈥檛 fully explained how they鈥檒l reach.
"There are moments in history when humanity comes together to fight a common threat. Let鈥檚 prove to ourselves that we can do it once again," al-Jaber said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 put our differences aside. Fight climate change, not each other.鈥�
Al-Jaber's speech, which included portions he previously delivered in January, also acknowledged that 鈥渃apital is critical to make the loss-and-damage fund real and operational.鈥� That fund, , did not include a means by which to fund them. Al-Jaber's speech also didn't offer a suggestion on how to raise the money.
However, he did call for 鈥渞eal reform of international financial institutions and multilateral banks鈥� to lower the lending risk and provide more private financing for 鈥渧ulnerable communities.鈥�
Al-Jaber called on the world to triple its renewable energy capacity, as well as expand nuclear power, improve battery storage and provide carbon-capture technology. He also drew applause from the largely Emirati audience by defending the OPEC-member nation hosting the climate talks.
鈥淲e in the UAE are not shying away from the energy transition,鈥� al-Jaber said. 鈥淲e are running towards it.鈥�
Each year, the country hosting the U.N. negotiations known as the Conference of the Parties 鈥� where COP gets its name 鈥� nominates a person to chair the talks. Hosts typically pick a veteran diplomat as the talks can be difficult to steer between competing nations and their interests.
The nominee鈥檚 position as 鈥淐OP president鈥� is confirmed by delegates at the start of the talks, usually without objections. However, activists' ire over al-Jaber's selection could see a turbulent start to the negotiations.
Amnesty International on Monday reiterated a call for al-Jaber to resign as president-designate and criticized plans by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.鈥檚 drilling arm to pump more oil as it saw record profits last quarter.
鈥淪ultan al-Jaber cannot be an honest broker for climate talks when the company he leads is planning to cause more climate damage," Amnesty's Marta Schaaf said in a statement. 鈥淚t is obvious, despite Sultan al-Jaber鈥檚 denials, that his dual role is a glaring conflict of interest which will contribute to further climate disaster and unfolding human rights violations.鈥�
COP28 will be held at Dubai鈥檚 Expo City from Nov. 30 through Dec. 12.
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Associated Press writer Wanjohi Kabukuru in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report.
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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
