Oil Companies and Climate Change: A Naive Hope or a UN Conference Dilemma?
The appointment of Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the CEO of the United Arab Emirates' state-run oil company, as the president of COP28, the United Nations' annual climate change conference, has revealed the naive hope that oil companies will voluntarily address climate change. Leaked documents showed that the UAE planned to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations during the conference, and al-Jaber dismissed the idea of fully phasing out fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy. Despite criticism, John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, continues to support al-Jaber. This highlights the industry's prioritization of profits over climate action, and the need for a shift away from relying on fossil fuel companies to lead the transition to renewable energy.