COP28 leader denies report UAE wanted to seek oil deals at summit

The Emirati president-designate for the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate talks forcefully denied Wednesday a report alleging his nation planned to use the summit to strike oil and gas deals.

Sultan Al Jaber, who also leads the massive state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., called the allegations from a BBC report "an attempt to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency" before the talks were set to begin on Thursday.

The report cited what it described as "leaked briefing documents" the broadcaster said showed the Emirates planned to discuss oil, gas and renewable energy deals with several nations.

"These allegations are false, not true, incorrect and not accurate," Al Jaber told a small group of journalists gathered for a news conference that also was aired live.

"I promise you never, ever did I see these talking points that they refer to, or that I ever even used such talking points in my discussions."

He added: "So please for once, respect who we are, respect what we have achieved over the years and respect the fact that we have been clear, open and clean and honest and transparent on how we want to conduct this COP process."

The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Immediately after the remarks, a faked news release sent to The Associated Press described Al Jaber as having agreed to resign. COP28 organizers with the UAE delegation later confirmed it was false and that Al Jaber would continue in his role.

Criticism from climate activists

Each year, the country hosting the United Nations negotiations known as the Conference of the Parties — where COP gets its name — nominates a person to chair the talks. Hosts typically pick a veteran diplomat, as the talks can be difficult to steer between competing nations and their interests.

The nominee's position as "COP president" is confirmed by delegates at the start of the talks, usually without objections.

However, climate activists' ire over Al Jaber's selection could still see a turbulent start to the negotiations.

ADNOC, the state oil company, has plans to increase its production of crude oil from four million barrels a day up to five million.

Al Jaber, a 50-year-old longtime climate envoy, is a trusted confidant of UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He's been behind tens of billions of dollars spent or pledged toward renewable energy in the federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula.

Al Jaber escorted Sheikh Mohammed through the COP28 site on Wednesday ahead of his remarks.

The fact that Al Jaber repeatedly defended himself and the country from activists' criticism is telling in the Emirates, an autocratic nation that while a key U.S. business and military ally still tightly controls speech, bans political parties and criminalizes labour strikes.