Dubai's Climate Summit President's Controversial Stance
Dubai's Climate Summit, hosted by Sultan Al-Jaber, stirs controversy due to his dual role as the conference president and the head of the state oil company. A recent video reveals Al-Jaber's skepticism regarding the necessity of phasing out fossil fuels to meet the international 1.5°C target.
According to reports from The Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting, Al-Jaber stated in a November video call that there is no scientific evidence to prove that phasing out fossil fuels is critical to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. He asserted that development without fossil fuels is unattainable as it would "catapult the world into the Stone Age."
In contrast to Al-Jaber's assertions, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized at the start of the COP28 climate conference that the science is clear. For a 1.5°C target, the world must cease burning fossil fuels permanently. When The Guardian asked about Al-Jaber's statements, the COP28 presidency neither confirmed nor denied them, explaining that Al-Jaber was referring to the possibility that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assumes that fossil fuels will continue to play a role in the future energy system.
Friederike Otto, a leading climate researcher from Imperial College London, warned that if the COP28 fails to phase out fossil fuels, several million more people will face the brunt of climate change, potentially leaving a terrible legacy for the conference in Dubai.
The phase-out of coal, oil, and gas is a contentious issue in Dubai, with some countries advocating for the continued use of fossil fuels and technologies such as CO2 storage and capture. While experts support this approach, they view it as scientifically contentious, extremely costly, and infeasible on a scale needed in the near future.
In summary, Sultan Al-Jaber, the president of the World Climate Conference in Dubai, has questioned the necessity of phasing out fossil fuels to address climate change, citing the potential risks of an abrupt transition. This stance has sparked controversy, particularly given his role as both conference president and the head of the state oil company. While some countries support a gradual phase-out and reliance on technologies like CO2 storage and capture, climate experts consider these solutions as controversial, expensive, and not feasible on a large scale in the near future.
