Al Gore Criticizes UAE’s Leadership at COP28 and Challenges Oil Companies at Climate Summit

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) climate summit hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a focal point of controversy, as climate advocate and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore expressed concerns about the leadership and criticized the involvement of major oil companies in the ongoing climate negotiations. Gore’s remarks, made during an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the conference in Dubai, highlight growing skepticism among delegates regarding the integrity of the COP28 President, Sultan al-Jaber, who also serves as the head of the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC.

Source: Reuters/YouTube

Gore minced no words in condemning the UAE’s decision to appoint Sultan al-Jaber, the CEO of ADNOC, as the overseer of international negotiations on Global warming. In his interview, Gore argued that this appointment amounted to an abuse of public trust, accusing the UAE of compromising the credibility of the COP by placing the leader of one of the world’s largest and least environmentally responsible oil companies in a pivotal role.

Gore presented data during a COP28 plenary session, sourced from the Climate TRACE coalition, a group he co-founded. According to this data, the UAE’s greenhouse gas emissions surged by 7.5% in 2022, compared to the global average of 1.5% for the same period. The alarming statistics underscored Gore’s concerns about the UAE’s commitment to addressing Climate change, raising questions about the nation’s suitability to lead global climate negotiations.

Al Gore did not limit his criticism to the host country alone. He expressed dismay over the presence of oil and gas companies at the annual climate summit, particularly singling out Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods. Gore dismissed Woods’ engagement at the conference, asserting that it did not absolve the oil giant of its historical resistance to climate policies. He accused Woods of prioritizing profits over the survival of human civilization, a sentiment echoed by many environmental activists.

Gore also took a strong stance against the promotion of technologies like carbon capture as a solution to fossil fuel emissions. He urged delegates at COP28 to agree on language in the final summit text that unequivocally supports the phase-out of fossil fuels without any caveats or reliance on carbon capture technology. According to Gore, the current state of carbon capture technology is still in the research phase, with no cost reductions in 50 years, challenging the fossil fuel industry’s claims of its readiness and economic viability.

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