Should COP28 really be led by an oil tycoon?

The world’s biggest climate change summit is being run by the head of an oil company. What does this mean for a fossil fuel free future?

‘What’s the point in our climate summits if they’re being undermined by a shadow network of fossil fuel lobbying?’

This question, asked by a campaigner to Global Citizen, is one that’s resounded amongst climate activist networks since it was announced in January that Sultan Al Jaber, the man tasked with leading the UN’s COP28 climate change conference when it’s hosted later this year in United Arab Emirates, would also remain in his role as the head of the country’s national oil company.

‘It makes the whole summit a sham,’ one campaigner told Global Citizen.

Held between Nov 30th and Dec 12th, 2023, COP28 is a significant milestone as it marks the halfway point in the implementation of the Global Goals and will see the first assessment of how countries are faring against emissions-cutting commitments made at Paris in 2015 (known as the Paris agreement) — a process known as the ‘global stocktake.’

One of the core issues on the agenda is fossil fuels, which still account for 82% of the world’s energy supply, according to the industry’s Statistical Review of World Energy report.

In case anyone needs reminding, fossil fuels — coal, oil, and gas — are by far the largest contributors to the climate crisis, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and almost 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions.

Ahead of the crucial climate talks, Al Jaber has made a point of emphasizing the need for a ‘phase down’ of fossil fuels while stating that fossil fuel companies are key to the world’s energy transition.

Not everyone agrees.

Climate activists argue that expecting Al Jaber, the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), to take the decisive action that is required to end the world’s dependence on fossil fuels is naive at best, and scandalous at worst.

Adnoc itself is the 11th biggest oil and gas producer in the world — and has announced a $150 billion investment over five years to boost oil and gas production.

As conservationist, climate activist, and communication lead at Kenya Environmental Action Network, Winnie Cheche, put it: it’s like ‘leaving a lion in charge of protecting antelopes.’ Further underlining this point, French MEP Manon Aubry, said: ‘It is like having a tobacco multinational overseeing the internal work of the World Health Organization.’

Al Jaber was due to speak at the Energy Intelligence Forum, known as ‘the Oscars of Oil’ among climate activist circles, in London in October but reportedly withdrew just days before — a decision Fossil Free London claims was due to the strong presence of protesters, including Greta Thunberg, at the venue.

In recent years, fossil fuel companies have rolled back their climate pledges, lobbied against climate regulations, promoted fossil fuels to young people on Fortnite, manipulated Congress with a stream of false information, and more — taking more than one leaf out of the tobacco industry’s playbook.

At COP26, which took place in Glasgow in 2021, fossil fuel lobbyists outnumbered any nation’s delegation. In fact, oil, gas, and coal were better represented at the summit than the combined representation of the eight countries that had suffered the greatest climate change effects since 2000.

Intersectional climate activist Tori Tsui told Global Citizen: ‘Hundreds of fossil fuel lobbyists find it very easy to get into COP yet climate justice advocates have to scramble for accreditation and funding to be there and many can’t.’