COP28 UAE Presidency | Why are Western lawmakers opposing Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber’s appointment?

The story so far: Almost a week after the United Nations’ crucial climate meetings in Bonn, Germany from June 5 to 15, which are considered the halfway mark to the COP climate summit in November, questions over the COP28 Presidency of the United Arab Emirates Industry Minister Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber still remain. Mr. al-Jaber, who is the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company since 2016, was appointed as UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology in 2020, a new department established that year. However, as the CEO of the state oil firm ADNOC, Mr. al-Jaber’s 2030 strategy for the firm is to build a more “profitable upstream, more valuable downstream and more sustainable and economic gas supply,” which essentially means more fossil fuels. Critics, like Michael Bloss, a German member of the European Parliament and one of the 133 lawmakers who signed the open letter, argue that the appointment was “a scandal” and a “perfect example of a conflict of interest.” A member of the German Green Party says, “It’s like putting the tobacco industry in charge of ending smoking.” “The decision to name as president of COP28 the chief executive of one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies—a company that has recently announced plans to add 7.6 billion barrels of oil to its production in the coming years, representing the fifth largest increase in the world— risks undermining the negotiations,” says the letter by lawmakers to Mr. Biden and Ms. Mr. al-Jaber said his country wants “a comprehensive, holistic approach to an energy transition that included all sources of energy.” “We know that fossil fuel will continue to play a role in the foreseeable future, helping meet global requirements so our aim should be a focus on ensuring that we phase out emissions from all sectors whether it’s oil and gas or high emitting industries,” he said.