Sultan Al Jaber’s incoherent COP28 vision misses the mark for 1.5°C

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Contact:

Nicole Rodel, Oil Change International – nicole@priceofoil.org 

Sultan Al Jaber’s incoherent COP28 vision misses the mark for 1.5°C
13 July 2023 – Today, at the 7th Ministerial meeting on Climate Action (MOCA) in Brussels, Dr Sultan Al Jaber from the UAE outlined his vision for the outcomes of the COP28 climate conference to be held in Dubai in December. 

Romain Ioualalen, Global Policy lead at Oil Change International said:

“We were expecting a clear vision for a “game-changing” COP. Instead, we heard a confusing and sometimes incoherent speech. Confusing because, while Sultan Al Jaber has been touring the world listening to a variety of stakeholders, he seems to have only heard the fossil fuel industry’s shopping list of techno-fixes and delay tactics and not the growing global clamor for a rapid transition away from coal, oil, and gas. Repackaging the oil and gas industry’s inadequate climate plans and calling it “just transition” does not a climate leader make. 

The speech was also incoherent because science has shown that the 1.5°C limit cannot be kept alive unless world leaders recognize the urgent need to end the expansion of fossil fuel production and for a fast, fair, and full phase out of all fossil fuels. The phase out of fossil fuels is not only inevitable, it is urgent.

Sultan Al Jaber is right that tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency globally are key objectives for this COP. But recent history has shown that more renewable energy does not automatically translate into less fossil fuels. COP28 will only be a success if its presidency sets aside the interests of the oil and gas industry and facilitates a clear outcome on the need for a decline of all fossil fuel production and use, as well as a rapid phase-in of wind and solar. The only way we’ll build a new energy system that is both clean and fair is by actively phasing out the old.”

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