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Local sources from United Kingdom: The Guardian, POLITICO Europe.
UK coverage: bbc.co.uk.

The United Arab Emirates’ appointment of Sultan Al Jaber, the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, to lead the upcoming UN climate talks, known as COP28, has sparked controversy among campaigners. Al Jaber will retain his roles as head of the country’s oil company and sustainable energy businesses, the UAE has confirmed. This decision has been met with criticism from campaigners, who see it as a clear conflict of interest and are concerned that it could jeopardize the negotiating process and accelerate climate breakdown.

Al Jaber serves as the minister for industry and advanced technology, but he also holds the position of chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s largest oil producers. ADNOC’s plans for new drilling will result in the second largest expansion of oil and gas production globally.

A spokesperson for UAE’s Cop28 stated, “Dr Sultan Al Jaber has a long career serving as a diplomat, minister, and business leader across the energy and renewables industry, including as the founding CEO of Masdar, a global renewable energy leader, and ADNOC. To deliver a just energy transition, a deep understanding of energy systems is essential. His experience uniquely positions him to be able to convene both the public and private sector to bring about pragmatic solutions to achieve the goals and aspirations of the Paris climate agreement.”

However, campaigners are dismayed that an oil executive will oversee the talks. Romain Ioualalen, global policy manager at the campaigning group Oil Change International, said, “This is a truly breathtaking conflict of interest and is tantamount to putting the head of a tobacco company in charge of negotiating an anti-smoking treaty.”

In response to this controversy, a group of U.S. lawmakers have called for the Biden administration to ask the United Arab Emirates to remove Al Jaber from his position or, at a minimum, “seek assurances” that the UAE will promote an ambitious COP28 summit.

The COP president plays a crucial role in the annual climate talks, acting as an “honest broker” among governments and having significant influence in determining the direction and priorities of the negotiations. It remains to be seen how this controversy will affect the outcome of COP28 and global efforts to address climate change.