July 12, 2023
The United Arab Emirates has promised to do more to help keep global warming below the 1.5 degrees tipping point after falling short in its latest plan to slash emissions.
The oil-rich Gulf monarchy, which will host this year's COP28 UN climate talks, last week unveiled plans to cut domestic emissions by 19 percent of 2019 levels by 2030.
Under these plans, the UAE would contribute to keeping warming to "just below" 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the UAE's climate change minister said -- slightly outside the goals set out in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. — AFP
June 9, 2023
The head of the upcoming COP28 climate summit, who also is the chief executive of the UAE's national oil company, acknowledged Thursday that a reduction in the use of fossil fuels is inescapable.
"The phase down of fossil fuels is inevitable," Sultan al-Jaber said on the sidelines of technical climate talks six months ahead of the summit.
"The speed at which this happens depends on how quickly we can phase up zero carbon alternatives, while ensuring energy security, accessibility and affordability," added Al Jaber, who runs the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). — AFP
May 2, 2023
Sultan Al Jaber, the president of this year's UN climate talks hosted by the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday called on participants to drastically ramp up their use of renewable energy.
"We will accelerate delivery in sectors like renewables that must triple capacity by 2030 and double it again by 2040," Al Jaber said in a speech at the opening of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue -- a meeting of climate diplomats in Berlin.
Al Jaber's call marked a public endorsement of a target laid out by the International Energy Agency. Last month at a closed-door meeting with G7 leaders in Japan, he had also raised the target.
At the same time, he did not call for a complete end to the use of fossil fuels. — AFP
April 15, 2023
Sultan Al Jaber, president of the COP28 climate talks, calls on Saturday for "available, accessible and affordable" finance for the developing economies most vulnerable to the destructive impacts of a warming planet.
Al Jaber, who is also head of the United Arab Emirates' national oil company, says he had urged G7 climate and environment ministers meeting in Japan this weekend to prioritize support for poorer countries.
"The time has come for us to provide a fair deal for the Global South, especially when it comes to climate finance," he tells AFP on the sidelines of the G7 talks in Sapporo.
Bookmark this page for updates on the United Nations climate summit, known as COP28.
Photo shows Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the UAE's Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and president of this year's COP28 climate talks during an event in Dubai Expo City, on March 15, 2023. Photo courtesy of AFP/Karim Sahib