DUBAI: The United States (US) special climate envoy John Kerry has held a meeting with senior Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi, including Sultan Al Jaber, the head of the upcoming United Nations (UN) climate change conference, COP28, in Dubai, according to official media reports on Sunday.
The selection of Al Jaber, the chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as the summit’s leader has sparked criticism from climate activists and some Western lawmakers who express concerns about potential setbacks in emissions reduction progress.
During the meeting on Saturday, Kerry engaged in discussions with Al Jaber and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, focusing on “the existing partnership across various fronts with a particular emphasis on climate-related issues,” stated the official WAM news agency.
US Congress Opposes Al Jaber’s Appointment as Head of COP28
While Kerry initially welcomed Al Jaber’s appointment as the head of COP28 in January, more than 100 lawmakers from the US Congress and European Parliament called for the removal of the oil company executive from the position in a letter addressed to US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month.
The letter urged the limitation of the influence of polluting industries at UN climate change conferences under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Al Jaber consistently advocates for increased investment in hydrocarbons to meet global energy demand, emphasizing the importance of advancing technologies for carbon dioxide emissions capture.
However, climate experts argue that while carbon capture may be promoted as a potential solution to global warming by oil producers, it risks diverting attention from the urgent need to reduce fossil fuel pollution.
Currently, carbon capture technology remains at a limited scale globally, with insufficient investment and a scarcity of operational projects to make a substantial impact on global emissions.
