Days before the commencement of the key COP28 United Nations climate talks, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been embroiled in a controversy. Leaked documents reveal the UAE’s plan to use its role as the host country of the upcoming summit to negotiate oil and gas deals with over a dozen nations.
The briefing notes, prepared by the UAE’s COP28 team for meetings with foreign governments during the summit, include talking points from Emirati state oil and renewable energy companies. These documents, published by the Centre for Climate Reporting, suggest a focus on expanding the UAE’s oil and gas interests.
For instance, Germany is to be informed that the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), led by COP28’s president Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, is stand ready to expand LNG supplies to Germany. Similarly, the notes for China indicate ADNOC’s willingness to jointly evaluate international LNG opportunities (Mozambique, Canada, and Australia). The documents also propose reassuring oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela that there is no conflict between sustainable development of any country’s natural resources and its commitment to climate change.
The leaked briefings and emails paint a picture of a COP presidency deeply entangled with commercial interests, undermining the integrity of the climate summit. This has led to criticism from climate experts and former COP presidents, who emphasize that the role of a COP president should be free from national or commercial biases to maintain trust in the process.
This revelation has cast a shadow over the start of COP28, raising concerns about the integrity of the climate summit.
The leaked documents have also sparked an outcry from climate NGOs. Greenpeace’s Policy Coordinator Kaisa Kosonen commented, if the allegations are true, this is totally unacceptable and a real scandal. Kosonen emphasized that the climate summit leader should be impartially focused on advancing climate solutions, not engaging in deals that exacerbate the crisis.
The documents further outline ADNOC’s commercial interests in the targeted countries and detail energy infrastructure projects led by Masdar, the UAE’s state renewable energy company. ADNOC’s business ties with China, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands are valued at significant billions.
The UAE, home to some of the world’s largest oil reserves, has faced criticism for appointing al-Jaber, who is also the chairman of the national renewable energy company, as COP president. A COP28 spokesperson has responded to the allegations, stating, The documents referred to in the BBC article are inaccurate and were not used by COP28 in meetings. It is extremely disappointing to see the BBC use unverified documents in their reporting.
The integrity of the upcoming COP28 climate talks has been called into question following the revelation of leaked documents outlining the UAE’s plan to use the summit as a platform for oil and gas negotiations. The documents indicate a focus on expanding the UAE’s oil and gas interests, with proposed deals involving countries like Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
These revelations have drawn criticism from climate experts and former COP presidents who stress the need for the COP presidency to remain impartial and free from commercial biases. Climate NGOs, including Greenpeace, have expressed outrage, calling the alleged actions unacceptable and a scandalous breach of trust.
The leaked documents also shed light on ADNOC’s commercial interests in various countries, alongside energy infrastructure projects led by Masdar. ADNOC’s business ties with China, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands are valued at significant amounts.
As the COP28 climate talks kick off, concerns about the integrity of the summit have overshadowed the event. The UAE’s appointment of al-Jaber, who holds positions in both the national renewable energy company and ADNOC, has further fueled skepticism.
In response to the leaked documents, a COP28 spokesperson has denied their accuracy, stating that they were not used in official meetings. However, the controversy surrounding the alleged entanglement of commercial interests with the presidency of COP28 raises questions about the credibility and purpose of the climate summit.
The international community will closely watch the proceedings of COP28, with expectations for transparency, accountability, and a genuine commitment to addressing the climate crisis, independent of any commercial biases.
