COP28 Day 5 Recap: President Al Jaber's 'Fossil Fuel Science' remark, green finance and 'more declarations' | 10 points
COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber defended his role in hosting this year's UN climate summit and insisted he understood and respected the science of climate change. He was responding to a December 3 report in the Guardian newspaper on comments he made last month on the phase-out of fossil fuels that have sparked criticism at COP28. The Guardian story had quoted Al Jaber saying during a November 21 online event that "there is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuel is what's going to achieve 1.5C".
During Monday's news conference, Al Jaber complained to reporters that "one statement taken out of context with misrepresentation" had received "maximum coverage". He said, "I am quite surprised with the constant and repeated attempts to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency." He added, "We are here because we very much believe and respect the science. 43 per cent of global emissions must be reduced by 2030.
That’s 22 gigatons. And we need to make that happen to keep 1.5’C within reach," the COP28 President said. The controversy over the COP28 presidency has been brewing ever since the summit began.
Oil is a fossil fuel that is one of the major sources impacting the global climate. Now, the country hosting the COP28 summit, the UAE, is one of the world's top 10 oil-producing nations. Moreover, it has appointed the chief executive of the state-owned oil company, Sultan al-Jaber, president of the COP28 talks.
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